Members of Durham Johnston School's Under-12 girls five-a-side football team returned heart-broken from the Wagon Wheels Schools' National Cup after being knocked-out at the semi-final stage on Saturday.

And they suffered more semi-final disappointment in extra-time on Wednesday when Hull knocked them out of the adidas Under-13s Football in the Community Cup in Huddersfield.

On Saturday they conceded a penalty during the scheduled last-minute of golden-goal extra-time against All Saints School, Kirkby, Liverpool, after goalkeeper Charlie Morris was adjudged to have handled the ball outside the penalty area.

Having topped their group at the tournament, which was played at Aston Villa Leisure Centre, Birmingham on Saturday, the school had high hopes of going one better than last year when they lost in the final - but despite playing six minutes of extra-time, Durham Johnston couldn't add to the 1-1 scoreline.

Coach John Sinclair said: "Last year we were runners-up but that wasn't so bad because we lost to the better team (Hull). But this year we outplayed the Kirkby side and still lost. I've watched it back on video and I still can't see how we lost."

Prior to their semi-final, Durham Johnston faced Queen's School, Watford, and were held to a 0-0 draw before trouncing Downend School of Bristol 4-0. Then they overcame eventual runners-up All Hallows School of Macclesfield 2-1, a result which sealed first place in the group.

But then came the disappointment of the semi-final.

John said: "The girls were saying 'its not fair, they're (All Hallows School) in the final and we're not, and we beat them'."

Reflecting on the penalty which ended the school's involvement in the competition, John said: "I've watched it on video and its hard to say because the camera is so far back. I was stood behind her (the goalkeeper) and I couldn't see it."

Also at the tournament were Joseph Swan School, Gateshead, and George Stephenson High School, Killingworth, who met each other at the tournament.

Joseph Swan, featuring Ross Allpport (goalkeeper), Luke Gilhespy (captain), Sam Macintosh, Andrew Caroll, Mark Henrry, Peter Watling, Carl Dodds and Chris Boyle, were knocked-out by the Killingworth school who themselves lost in the final to Springfield School of Portsmouth.

George Stephenson's team was Mark Cook (goalkeeper), Wayne Webb (captain), Josh Walker, Ben Richardson, Michael Bowman, Colin White and Dean Nicholson.