Football-mad youngsters from Kirtlington Church of England Primary School defied the odds to be crowned national champions in the Sainsbury's English Schools' FA Under 11s Cup.

Despite being the smallest school in the mixed small schools' six-a-side finals at Keele University, Staffordshire - which attracts 4,000 entries - Kirtlington swept aside the opposition.

They lifted the cup with an impressive 3-0 win over Probus Primary School, from St Austell, Cornwall, with captain Josh Ruffels hitting a hat-trick.

It capped an impressive sequence of results for the Kirtlington team in a competition which has featured the likes of England heroes David Beckham and Michael Owen in the past.

They hammered St Ippolyts (Hertfordshire) 4-0 in the semi-finals after topping their group.

An opening 6-0 drubbing of Uphcurch Hollywell (Kent) was followed by a 3-1 win over Minsterley (Shropshire) and a 3-0 success against Corpus Christ (Mersey- side).

Team manager Steve Ross said: "They just can't believe they have done it because we found out we were the smallest school entered from 4,000.

"We have only got 84 kids at the school, including the pre-school, and there are only 14 in that year of which I used seven and one from year five.

"They are all winners in whatever they do, whether it is swimming or running they make a competition of it and have to do well. They are born winners."

The team were presented with a trophy and plaques by Sainsbury's chief executive Justin King, and ESFA chairman Steve Abson.

They also received a goody bag each, which included a full football strip with kit-bag.

And it's not the end of the celebrations, as they have been rewarded with an open-top bus tour from Kirtlington to Sainsbury's at Kidlington on Thursday, July 7.