Fleetwood Town’s Development Squad won the first annual Clitheroe Football Festival after coming from behind to beat Accrington Stanley in the final on Sunday.
After finishing top of the group stage, Town’s youngsters went on to take on Accy’s youth team in the final stage of the competition at Shawbridge, which saw Fleetwood win out after goals from Carl Johnston and Akiel Raffie.
Accrington did take the lead in the game through a perfectly placed free-kick from Matty Carson, who also hit the woodwork from a set-piece soon after.
Johnston set Fleetwood level at the end of the first-half as Tom Hoyle played a lobbed through ball over the top, finding the Northern Irishman, who slotted the ball home comfortably.
With 20 minutes to go, the young Cods finally took the lead in the game, after dominating the possession for the majority of the game when Raffie fired into the bottom corner from the edge of the box.
Stephen Crainey, Development Squad Coach, said: “We got a lot out of it. The teams we have been playing against have been really physical, so to test the lads in that way has been really beneficial and hopefully, we can potentially do it again next year.
“We have been made very welcome from every time we've come over and it's been a joy and, hopefully, we can do it again at some point. I am prepping my lads for the next level, which is first-team level, and to get into that winning habit as early as they can is going to benefit them moving forward.
“Even though it's a wee tournament that you have provided it's great for their mentality and their mindset to strive to be the best they can and win at everything they do. That's one thing I drive every day in training, that winning mentality.”
Congrats lads!