ST MICHAEL’S Preparatory won the Jersey Primary Schools’ annual Charity 5-a-side football tournament for the Ron Lobb Trophy on Saturday.

At Fort Regent, St Michael’s defeated holders De La Salle in the final of the 27-team tournament 1-0 – Jack Hodges scoring in the closing minute of the five-minute final.

The final brought to a close over three hours of play as boys and girls displayed their skills on the indoor courts, two in the Gloucester Hall and one in the Queen’s Hall with around 250 spectators in both arenas.

Organiser Andy Willis said: ‘The event ran like clockwork and I’m delighted.

The standard was again good and the sportsmanship exemplary.

Everyone really enjoyed themselves and it was a valuable experience for all the players.’ Stuart Wheeldon, Head of PE at St Michael’s, said: ‘It was a nice surprise to win, the players were thrilled.

De La Salle have won this tournament nine times in the past 11 years so to win was a great achievement.

‘The tournament is a roller-coaster ride at times, one minute your second in your group and a couple of games later your fifth.

We qualified for the second group of matches and then went through to the knock-out stages on goal-difference.

‘Our squad functioned very well, they kept their shape, they controlled the ball well and passed it cleanly.

As the tournament progressed we also started to get a lot more shots in and that was a key factor in our success in the end.’ Paul Hickling’s shot cannoned off the De La Salle goalkeeper back to Hodges who fired into a bottom right-hand corner for what turned out to be the only goal in the final.

Impressed Alan Jouanny, of runners-up De La Salle, said: ‘It was great to get to the final again but it was not to be this time.

Our effort was good and goalkeeper Sam Lumbourg and defender Christopher Mallett impressed me throughout the whole morning.

‘We started the tournament slowly but once we began to use the boards around the court we got stronger and that was pleasing.

‘This is an excellent tournament and 27 schools taking part is phenomenal.

It’s great to see players enjoying themselves; the standard of the football clearly rises during the morning, it’s just wonderful to see and be involved in.

Andy Cox, one of four Jersey Football Referees’ Association officials who officiated, said: ‘What an excellent tournament this is, there is so much enthusiasm and determination from all the players.

‘There’s no moaning and groaning when you award a free kick, the players just put the ball down and get on with it which is great from my point of view.’ Chris Dixon, who played for St John’s School, said: ‘I enjoyed it very much, it was great fun.

It was hard but not as hard as last year when I played as a Year-5.

‘We did pretty well too because it is six years since our school qualified from the first group.

The highlight for me was threading a pass through to Aston Myatt against d’Auvergne and he finished the chance off really well.’ Headway will profit from the tournament to the tune of around £650 by way of entry fees and programmes sold on the day.

De La Salle: Sam Lumbourg, Kristian Lamb, Christopher Mallett, Glenn Horman, Samuel Luce, Harry Cardwell, Harrison Pickstock and Jonathon Glendenning.

St Michael’s: George Baron, Jack Hodges, Tom Burke, Paul Hickling, Jonathon Dann and Henry Crane.

Play offs: Mont Nicolle 0, La Moye 2; VCP Prep 2, St Michael 1; Rouge Bouillon 0, De La Salle 1; Janvrin 1, Springfield 0; Mont Nicolle 0, St.

John 1; VCP Prep 0, St Lawrence 1; Rouge Bouillon 2, Grouville 0; Janvrin 1, D’Auvergne 1; La Moye 2, St John 1; St Michael 1, St Lawrence 0; De La Salle 1, Grouville 0; Springfield 0, D’Auvergne 1.

Semis: La Moye 0, St Michael 1; De La Salle 1, D’Auvergne 0.

3rd 4th play off: La Moye 0, D’Auvergne 0.

Final: De La Salle 0, St Michael 1.