St Ivo School suffered penalty shoot-out heartbreak in the final of the PlayStation U13 Schools’ Cup for Girls today.

The local pupils were pipped 6-5 from the spot by Merseyside opponents Chesterfield High School in a super final at Pride Park, the home of Derby County. as they just came up short in their mission to become national champions for the second consecutive year.

Sudden-death was eventually required to split two teams who struck early goals less than 60 seconds apart, and then fought out a pulsating showpiece which ended 1-1 at full-time.

Angel Lyden’s classy first-time finish from a Tia Everdell free-kick gave St Ivo the lead, but Chesterfield High responded almost immediately although their equaliser did come from an incorrectly awarded corner.

Both teams hit the bar later in the first half with Lyden being the St Ivo player denied.

Team-mate Lucy O’Brien then struck a post to trigger a flurry of chances at both ends around the hour mark.

Maya Edwards saw a shot well saved before St Ivo skipper Sasha Brown made a superb goal-saving challenge at the other end.

And there was more goalmouth incident in the dying seconds. Edwards had an effort blocked after a fine O’Brien run before St Ivo keeper Ella Hampton saved brilliantly and bravely at the feet of a Chesterfield High attacker.

O’Brien then whistled a fierce shot millimetres past the angle of post and crossbar as the sides finished 70 minutes of football deadlocked.

And they couldn’t be separated during the first 10 spot-kicks either with O’Brien, Edwards, Lyden, Everdell and Jess Jarah all finding the net for St Ivo.

Captain Brown’s penalty was then saved, but Hampton produced a fantastic stop to keep out the sixth Chesterfield High penalty.

Hampton then took the seventh St Ivo kick but struck the crossbar before Chesterfield High tucked away their next attempt to secure victory.

It was a cruel climax for St Ivo, who performed superbly throughout.

Coach Lisa Trigg said: “I’m immensely proud of the girls to have reached another national final in which both teams did really well.

“And hopefully they are proud of themselves too for being one of the top two teams in their age group in the country.”