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Regional daily live blogs school football match

A regional daily live blogged a school football match in what is thought to be a UK regional press first.

The Worcester News provided the online coverage for the match between King’s School, Worcester, and Royal Grammar School Worcester.

The match between the two rival private schools marked the first time football had been played at Sixways Stadium, home of Worcester Warriors rugby union club.

The stadium has been touted as a potential home for Worcester City Football Club, who currently play in Bromsgrove, and whose search for a new home in Worcester after the sale of their former St George’s Lane ground has been covered extensively by the News.

The victorious King's School team after the match

The victorious King’s School team after the match

Sports reporter Geoff Berkeley told HTFP: “The rivalry between King’s School Worcester and Royal Grammar School Worcester is well known in the city so whenever they lock horns on a sports field it usually attracts plenty of interest.

“Last October, more than 3,000 fans watched their annual rugby match and Wednesday night’s football fixture saw almost 1,000 people turn out.

“But what created extra intrigue around this year’s Challenge Cup was that the two schools became the first to play a competitive 11-a-side football match at Sixways, which has been mooted as a possible venue for exiled Worcester City.

“Due to the amount of interest generated, we decided to run a live blog on our website with match updates and pictures.”

The blog registered 664 page views on the night of the match and reached four figures by the following morning.

Geoff added: “And it was a very entertaining game as well with Richard Newton scoring a late winner for King’s School in a dramatic 3-2 victory.”