Kent Merit Under-13 Girls Cup Final: Rising Stars 1 Langton Green 4

Langton Green produced their best performance of the season on the big occasion to lift the Kent Merit Under-13 Girls Cup at Maidstone’s Gallagher Stadium on Sunday.

Player-of-the-match Brianna Raymond made one and then scored twice to fire her side to glory.

Manager Nick Davy said: “I’m delighted, the girls have been good all season but that's probably the best 70 minutes we've played, against a really good side.

“A few have played here before which I think helped but there's no one shy in the group and they turned up and put on a show.

“Brianna has been fantastic in the last few weeks, in particular, and is good to have in the squad. Everyone who played at the back was outstanding, along with the two in midfield and Poppy Williams as well.

“We’ve got three games left in the league and if we win all three then we’ll win that, if we don’t then we probably won’t.”

Rising Stars also had plenty of excellent players on show, led by captain Lucy Stringer in defence, who made two timely interceptions in the early exchanges.

Green keeper Sophie Howes made a brave early save but was able to continue despite initially staying down.

The breakthrough arrived on nine minutes when Raymond’s vision played in Poppy Williams who evaded Stringer’s last-ditch challenge and slotted home.

Three minutes later, Isla Davy set up Raymond whose clinical right-foot finish made it 2-0.

Stars managed to survive the flow of Langton attacks without further damage and got themselves back into the contest on 26 minutes. Stringer’s free-kick into the penalty area was caught in the swirling wind and when Howes failed to collect, the alert Amelie Fielding scored into an empty net.

It was no more than Stars deserved, Grace O’Sullivan was particularly