Capel Plough Under-13 Girls’ team offered girls tickets the chance to see England Women's FIFA World Cup Qualifier versus Kazakhstan at the home of Colchester United on Tuesday evening if they attended two training sessions.

Matt Hudson, Colchester United’s Media Manager, also arranged for two Colchester United players – Eoin McKeown and Ryan Clamplin – to attend a training session for the club’s four girls’ teams.

Many of the girls, who are aged 7 to 14, live in Colchester and actively support the U’s, so it was particularly good timing ahead of the England Lionesses playing at the Weston Homes Community Stadium as all the girls have tickets for the match.

Player Aimee Collins aged 14, who attends Colchester County High School, said: “It is great to know that our local professional club, Colchester United want to help us local girl footballers by allowing their players to train with us. It’s amazing! Hopefully we girls can return the favour by being United’s’ ball girls at a match soon.”

Adrian Goodwin, the Head of Capel Plough FC Youth Football, said: “The football industry needs more people like Matt who go out of their way to promote local girls’ football. It was great to see the two players supporting the work we are all doing for girls’ football at grassroots level.

“Both players were brilliant ambassadors for their club and we look forward to working more closely with the club in the near future.”

Matt Hudson said: “We were really pleased to be able to send two of our up-and-coming players to visit the girls. Female football is really starting to flourish both nationally and on a local level and we were keen to support the great work that Capel Plough are doing with their teams.

“We hope that they enjoyed the visit and we look forward to keeping track of their progress this season!”