HARTPURY COLLEGE U18s football team have claimed a national title in thrilling style.

They won the English Schools’ Football Association Boys Colleges Trophy at the Keepmoat Stadium in Doncaster last Wednesday against Myerscough, having gone behind three times during the game.

Cirencester boys Tom Luce and George Shutt, who have just come back from representing England Colleges in Italy, played their part in what turned out to be a spectacular final.

At 89 minutes Hartpury were staring a narrow 3-2 defeat in the eyes, having thrown everything at the Lancashire-based team in the dying minutes.

A well-struck free kick hit the woodwork and the game went into injury time.

In the seventh and final minute of added time, a frantic goal-line scramble fell Hartpury’s way and Lewis Fogg managed to steer the ball into the Myerscough net.

Hartpury went into extra time with their confidence high and thanks to a clinical through ball from Sam Hicks, Mustapha Bundu was able to put the Gloucestershire side ahead for the first time in the game.

Myerscough were stunned and could not find a way back despite hitting a post in the final minute of extra time.

Paul Tassell, Hartpury’s junior football programme manager, was understandably proud of his side's resolve.

He said: “To come back from a goal down three times just shows the tremendous character that this Hartpury team possesses and I am so proud of all the players.

“They deserve this memory and national title after all the hard work they have put in all season.

“They have produced excellent performances throughout this competition and everybody should be immensely proud of the resilience and team spirit they showed.”

Captain Tom Luce, who also plays for the Cirencester Town Development side, believes it could be the team's biggest win of the year.

He said: “As it was U18s it meant that the team was made up of college mates.

“The fact that it was all friends together, made it extra special.”

The win was a collective effort that went beyond his team-mates on the pitch, in Luce’s eyes.

“I think the win was completely down to what we get out of Hartpury,” he continued.

“There is a good balance there and not just with the coaching.

“Things like the physiotherapy we receive and the help we get with the psychological side of the game make a big difference.”

The U18 side's success was matched later that same afternoon by a win for the Hartpury senior team in the British Universities and Colleges Sport (BUCS) National Championship final at Loughborough.