Blue Coats School..............2 Hartridge High School.......3

HARTRIDGE High made history last night as they became the first Welsh school ever to win the English Schools FA Cup in the competition's 40-year history.

Liverpool's famous Anfield stadium has seen some come-backs in it's 100-year history and this one will be the remembered by Hartridge's players and fans for a long time to come.

The Newport school got off to the worst possible start going two goals down within the opening 12 minutes thanks to a Jack Rice brace.

But Hartridge - whose team are made up of members of Newport County's youth academy - showed their determination and never-say-die attitude to come back to win 3-2 thanks to goals from striker Lewis Sommers, centre-back Josh Dupres and Richard French.

Only two Welsh schools entered this 880-team tournament back in September - and for one of them to win it should not be underestimated.

There was a party atmosphere last night at Liverpool Football Club's Anfield stadium as bus loads of Hartridge fans travelled up to Merseyside.

The Gwent-side could have taken the lead in the 3rd minute when Matthew Currie struck a dipping right-foot drive from 25 yards out that rattled the Blue Coat bar.

But within 40 seconds, the Newport school got off to the worst possible start as they went a goal down when Blue Coat's prolific strike partnership - who have scored almost 50 goals between them this season - combined to deadly effect.

John Forrest knocked the ball on for Rice to beat the Hartridge defence and slide the ball calmly under keeper Ryan Idze.

And things didn't improve for Hartridge as the deadly duo struck again eight minutes later.

Forest was set free down the left by Andrew Campbell and his pin-point cross to the back post was headed in from six yards out by the unmarked Rice.

It could have been worse for Hartridge with 25 minutes gone as Idze twice saved strikes from Rice from close range.

Wales Schoolboy Under-19 striker Lewis Sommers gained sweet revenge moments later when Currie's ball into the box fell to the tall 18-year-old's feet and his effort trickled into the net, putting Hartridge back in the game.

And it was Allan Stevenson who had the crowd on their feet when his 25-yard shot went inches past Taylor's right-hand post.

With half-time approaching Hartridge's vice- captain Josh Dupres put his side level in front of the Kop - just seconds after substitute keeper Ian Nicholson had gone in goal after Blue Coat keeper Taylor hobbled off with a leg injury.

A throw-in from the left was headed on by Sommers, then Richard French and it was third time lucky as Dupres headed past Nicholson making it 2-all at the break.

Right-winger French gave Hartridge the lead for the first - and most important time - in the 68th minute when he found space at the back-post to head Michael's Evans' left-wing cross home.

But Hartridge goalie Idze deserves a lot of the credit as he pulled off three superb saves in the dying minutes to help Hartridge to a famous victory.

Blue Coat (4-4-2) : I Taylor (M Nicholson, 40); D Fogg, J Henglar, A Campbell (J Hopkins, 89), P Williams (c); D Lovelady (R Kyle, 61 (R Williams, 85)), K Lee, G Homan, B Carson (M Evans, 38); J Rice, J Forrest

Hartridge (4-4-2) : R Idze; L Jones, G Helman (c), J Dupres, M Evans; R French, A Stevenson, D Lewis, M Currie; L Sommers, R Plant (G Jones, 90) Bookings : R Plant 30 (dissent), R French 41 (foul)