Mindset under-9s produced their best performances of the season in an emotionally fuelled day in Hertfordshire.

Missing keys players heading into the tournament, little was expected of Mindset considering the level of the teams involved.

However Mindset got off to fantastic start and won the opening group game 1-0 thanks to a top corner finish by Riley Daly.

Next up was football league club Stevenage, who would be expected to breeze pass Mindset, but Mindset were not to be intimidated and took it to them from the off and were unlucky to not go into the lead when Teddy Quinton fired just over the bar after a great build up play from Elsley and Forde.

Stevenage then took the lead with a great finish, but Mindset kept up the fight and grabbed their just rewards when Forde slotted home after great work from Augustus-Williams.

With a win and two draws from their first three group games Mindset’s place in the quarter finals was still very much in the balance and anything but a win from the fourth fixture would have put them under real pressure going into the final group game.

Coming up against a very strong outfit from Cheshunt, Mindset battled to a hard fought win with the winner coming from Dylan Armstrong after tenacious work by captain, Page-Murray to cross for him to score at the back post for the winner.

Going into the final group game knowing they were already through to the next round, Mindset played some good football with Elsley and Forde combining well, only for the keeper to make a great save.

The game finished 0-0 with Mindset finishing second in their group to Stevenage which should theoretically have given them an easier quarter final.

With just a couple of minutes left on the clock Teddy Quinton broke down the right hand side and sent in a low drive which squeezed in at the near post to put Mindset into the semi final.

After a tight encounter with not many chances created by either side the place in the final was going to be decided by a penalty shoot out.

Mindset went through to the final and the players, coaches and parents into pandemonium.

Up against Stevenage in the final in a hard fought encounter Mindset went two down before Armstrong pulled once back just before the end, but they fell just short to finish as runners up.

The Mindset players were in tears at the final whistle, but will realise in time what an amazing performance they put in to get to the final.

Mindset: Wright, B Quinton, Page-Murray, T Quinton, Augustus-Williams, Forde, Elsley, Armstrong and Daly.