Shooting star

CHRISTMAS, so we're told, is all about the giving. And diminutive footballer Lilly Kelleher is the first to appreciate that.

The 4ft 5in 11-year-old was the first female player to compete in Alderney's Junior Sunday league.

She was playing bruising games of football for local side the Colts against boys up to 16, some almost twice her size. But it didn't stop her from scoring two goals in her first pitch outing and holding the title of Top Goal Scorer of the Season for the first few weeks.

But, she explained, it was somewhat lonely being the only girl on the team.

Now, some generous Guernsey football enthusiasts have put an end to her bruised toes and lack of female company. They have found a private sponsor to fly her over to Guernsey to play with other girls at the island's Girls Central Venue.

She and her dad, Danny, will first watch Guernsey FC play and in later weeks Lilly will play in the seven-a-side matches arranged for the 34 under-16s at the Venue.

The club also has links with Jersey and teams in Eastleigh, Southampton.

Lilly is excited not only about playing football with other girls, but travelling to Guernsey for the first time.

'I feel really excited because I'll be playing with girls more than boys now,' she said. 'That's nice for me because the boys I play with in Alderney are a bit rough. When I run and I'm trying to get the ball off them, they step on my feet, so I always have bruised toes.

'I've never been to Guernsey before, so that will be kind of fun. It will be extra nice because my dad will come along.'

Coach Paul Wheatley and Brian Horsepool put on five- to seven-a-side games for pupils from different schools across Guernsey to address the gap in football provision at school for soccer-mad girls.

'Football is a minor sport for girls,' explained Paul. 'Girls do get football at school, but it usually stops by the February half-term.'

They were especially keen to help Lilly, he said, because she reminded them of their daughters.

'Brian and I have daughters who play football, so we thought somehow we had to help,' he said.

'We basically felt that the only way to help was to get her across to Guernsey for a session.

'A private sponsor has agreed to pay for her flights.'

And the public's generosity didn't stop there.

After reading about her determination, MPC – an Alderney mining parts company – gifted her with a brand new pair of pink-trimmed Nike football boots, which she hopes will help her continue to get the ball in the back of the net.

'If someone wants to help sponsor her to get across a few times in the year, that would be great,' said Paul.