CHRISTLETON High School will take on The King’s School tomorrow in one of the most eagerly-awaited schoolboy football matches ever to be staged in Chester (1.45pm).

The rivals meet at Christleton to contest what promises to be an enthralling English Schools FA Under 16s Cup clash.

The sixth-round tie will round off a week to remember for schoolboy football in the city after King’s School’s U13s sealed their place in the semi-finals of the Independent Schools FA U13s Cup yesterday with a 4-2 win over St Bede’s College.

King’s U16s have pedigree having reached the final of the Independent Schools FA U13s Cup three years ago, but they will face a strong Christleton U16s side tomorrow.

Both schools have knocked out five teams on their way to the last 32 of a competition that contained 765 state and private schools at its outset.

Barry Horne, King’s coach and former Everton and Wales captain, said: “It is a tremendous achievement to get this far, especially bearing in mind the relative size of the schools we have been drawn against.

“While it is fantastic that two Chester schools have reached this late stage it is very disappointing to have been drawn against each other as one team will be knocked out.”

Christleton coach Stephan Fisher said: “This is the furthest I’ve ever seen the team go in the competition – and I’ve been here for 30 years!

“The players are all excited and they will be up against boys that they play with and against of the weekend. But most importantly we know for sure that a Chester team will reach the last 16.”

George Back, Sam Pode, Tommy Speed and Stephen Wynne got the goals that fired King’s U13s to victory over Manchester’s St Bede’s yesterday.