Derby Win The Kinder+Sport Championship Kids Cup

Derby County emerged victorious in the Kinder+Sport Championship Kids Cup Final, defeating Ipswich Town at Wembley Stadium on Monday afternoon.

Etwall Primary School were the Rams' winning representatives, while Cedarwood Primary School were representing the Tractor Boys, in a match played at Wembley Stadium prior to the Sky Bet Championship Play-Off Final.

Derby raced into an early lead, when Jack Perry was put clear, and he neatly finished beyond the goalkeeper from an acute angle.

It stayed 1-0 up until the break, and Ipswich came out firing on all cylinders, but the Rams defended doggedly to somehow keep the opposition at bay.

The Tractor Boys' failure to make the pressure count eventually cost them, when captain Harry Hawkins struck a fierce effort into the bottom corner after his original effort from a free-kick was blocked.

With the final whistle imminent, Ipswich needed something special, and they got it. Reuben Swann, the Tractor Boys' skipper, opted to go for goal straight from kick-off, and the ball managed to find its way into the net.

However, the referee did blow for full-time immediately after, meaning it was Wembley glory for Derby for the second year in a row in a repeat of last year's final - after Hilton Primary School overcame opposition from Ipswich 12 months ago.

The EFL Kids Cup, alongside the Girls Cup for under-13s, is sponsored by Ferrero’s Kinder+Sport programme. Encouraging children to be physically active and embrace the joy of moving is one of Ferrero’s key aims and core corporate social responsibility principles, both in the UK and globally. The Kinder+Sport programme is designed to promote active lifestyles through dynamic play and sports among children and their families, and has reached 15 million children in 27 countries to date.

In the UK, Kinder+Sport includes a number of initiatives. The Kinder+Sport Move and Learn programme is a national, school-based education programme delivered in partnership with The EFL Trust that helps children learn about the importance of a balanced diet and regular physical activity. Ferrero also partners with The EFL Trust to deliver two more national competitions, the Kinder+Sport Futsal Cup for the under-16 age group, and the Kinder+Sport Challenge Cup for the under-18s group.

Both competitions encourage children to get involved with sport and physical activity, whilst giving them a unique opportunity to play at football stadiums. Overall, in the academic year 2016/17, Kinder+Sport together with The EFL Trust will reach more than 47,000 children, helping them to be more active and learn about the benefits of an active lifestyle.

TEAMS

Derby County (represented by Etwall Primary): Leo Wilkinson (GK), Harry Hawkins (captain), Conor Livingstone, Aakish Shibu, Jack Perry, Ben Price, Sam Cheetham, Nick Dickens.

Ipswich Town: (represented by Cedarwood Primary): Theo Hume (GK), Davie Goffin, Regan Tuck, Josh Moore, Arun Maudhoo, Lushan Maudhoo, Harry Boon, Reuben Swann (captain)

Kits provided by Mitre.