Conifers crowned as high-five champions (From Dorset Echo)

Conifers crowned as high-five champions

4:25pm Tuesday 5th February 2013 in Sport

A LATE Jacob Coombs goal saw Conifers Primary School claim the South Dorset Indoor five-a-side title at Weymouth College.

Appearing in a record third consecutive final, Conifers beat holders Holy Trinity Primary School 1-0 to pick up their second trophy in a few months having won the seven-a-side tournament before Christmas.

They also defeated Holy Trinity 4-1 in the final of that competition and had Coombs to thank on this occasion as his last-minute strike sealed a dramatic success.

“Their talent and varied footballing ability has allowed the boys of Conifers Primary School to become a hard team to beat this year,” said team manager Don Whistance.

“Harrison Burley and Bailey Rowe marshalled the defence well, Jordan Coulter and Jacob Coombs scored the goals while agile goalkeeper Reece Ryan-Starr defended his goal area superbly.”

Conifers had qualified for the final stages of the five-a-side event after coming through the Weymouth Area Championship, also staged at Weymouth College, and organised by Ben Heath and his students.

Conifers beat St John’s 3-0 and St Augustine’s RC Primary 6-0 to progress while Radipole Primary, Southill and St John’s also went through.

St Osmund’s Middle were the best in the Dorchester area, Dorchester Middle were the runners-up, and Holy Trinity took the spoils in the Portland area with Wyke Regis Primary also qualifying.

In the final stages, Conifers beat Radipole 7-0 with goals from Coulter and Coombs and the same players found the target in a 6-0 thrashing of St Osmund’s Middle.

Wyke Regis saw off Radipole 3-1 and St Osmund’s Middle 2-1 which meant that Conifers only needed a draw to get to the final against Holy Trinity, who had won their mini-league convincingly.

Wyke went 1-0 up against Conifers but a clever tap-in by Coombs levelled proceedings. However, another Wyke goal gave them the lead again but with seconds left Coombs scored from an acute angle.

With a better goal difference, Conifers set a new record as the first school to reach the final for a third consecutive year.