ST JAMES’ Primary School under-11s did themselves proud despite missing out on Kids Cup glory against Bolton School at Wembley.

The youngsters, representing Cherries, were defeated 3-1 by Bolton Wanderers’ representatives in the curtain-raiser to the Championship play-off final.

Liam Finnigan opened the scoring for the Dorset school but Bolton hit back to win at the home of English football.

Head of the Community Sports Trust, Steve Cuss, believes the St James’ players will take a lot from the experience.

He told the club website: “The boys were disappointed because they lost the game. They are young players so that disappointment hit them quite hard.

"But they soon remembered what they had achieved and where they had just been playing and the smiles were back on their faces within five minutes.

“They will look back on it and realise they’ve played at Wembley and for the one young man that scored, he has always got that to remember.

“For all eight boys and for the teachers and myself, we can all look back on it and say what a fantastic achievement it was to get to Wembley and finish runners-up in the competition.

“All the little bits that go with it, like walking up the steps at the end of the game, make it a really fantastic experience.”

The boys are the second team to have represented Cherries at Wembley this season, after Broadstone Middle School under-13 girls triumphed ahead of the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy final in March.

Cuss added: “To have gone there with both teams in the same year was a magnificent achievement for us.

“We’re really proud to say that we went to Wembley twice and on the back of the first team and their season in the Championship, it has been a season to remember.”

St James’ School: Lyle Simpson, Miles Bartram, Ethan Quarchioni, Liam Finnigan, Ryan Finnigan, Liam Etheridge, Callum Davis, Tarik Manneh.