Vale of White Horse Under 11 were heading for a 100 per cent record in the ESFA Festival at North Tyneside until they facey bogey team South Northumberland in their final match.
A strong second-half strike past Vale keeper Eddie Cavanagh sealed a 1-0 victory for the north-east side, who have not lost to Vale in three festival meetings.
Until that game, it had been victory all the way for the Vale youngsters.
In their first outing, they romped home 5-1 against Shepway from Kent, after the game had been switched to an all-weather pitch due to heavy rain.
Alex Thomas gave Vale a 2-0 half-time lead, before Jack Brown, Ashley Bayliss and Sam Barder - with a rasping drive - completed a resounding win.
Vale also won 5-1 against another Kent side, Dover, the next day. Their goals came from Tom White, Scott Grove, Thomas Alexander and Brown.
The unheralded Vale defence of Cavanagh, Matthew Taylor, Eima Meade, Max Gannicott and Joel Washbourn Calcutt held their next opponents, Wallsend, at bay in the early stages after Brown had put them in front.
A goal either side of half-time by Thomas completed their 3-1 victory.
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