HOSTS Hereford Cathedral Junior School retained their Hereford City Schools Football Tournament title after a thrilling shoot-out final win against Marlbrook.

The visitors had taken the lead in the final straight from the kick-off when Cody Walker’s shot sailed past Cathedral keeper Jake Harding with just three seconds played.

Cody Wheeler’s equaliser took the game to extra-time and then into penalties where some nerveless finishes kept the match going until Marlbrook failed with their seventh spot-kick.

Earlier, there had been some upsets in the early stages with fancied St Paul’s and Hampton Dene knocked out at the quarter-final stage.

In the semi-finals, Marlbrook battled their way past Much Birch 2-0 in a penalty shoot-out after the game ended goalless while Cathedral eased to victory, 3-0 against Riverside.

In the semi-finals of the Plate competition, Our Lady’s beat Madley 1-0 while Kingsland saw off St Martin’s by the same scoreline.

And the final also ended 1-0 in favour of Our Lady’s who retained the plate title they had won the previous year. Sixteen schools took part in the tournament.

RESULTS: Plate competition Quarter-finals: Kingsland 0 St Francis Xavier 0 (3-1 on pens), St Thomas Cantilupe 0 St Martin’s 1, Madley 3 St James 0, Lord Scudamore 0 Our Lady’s 1.

Semi-Finals: Kingsland 1 St Martin’s 0, Madley 0 Our Lady’s 1.

Final: Kingsland 0 Our Lady’s 1.

Cup Competition Quarter-finals: Riverside 1 Hampton Dene 0, Hereford Cathedral Junior School 2 Holmer 1, St Paul’s 0 Marlbrook 1, Much Birch 0 Trinity 0 (3-1 on pens).

Semi-finals: Riverside 0 HCJS 3, Marlbrook 0 Much Birch 0 (2-0 on pens). Final: HCJS 1 Marlbrook 1 (7-6 on pens).