THE chance of glory in a national football competition has been snatched from a Tavistock team because of a last-minute decision by the organisers. Tavistock College U16 girls? side beat more than 60 teams to reach the final of the English Schools Football Association RAF U16 Cup. Overnight accommdation had been booked and the girls were eager to take to the pitch at West Bromwich Albion?s Hawthorns ground. But last Wednesday, less than a week before the final, they received the shock news that they had been disqualified. The ESFA said the college had fielded ?ineligible players? ? not older students, but girls from year 9. College principal Colin Eaves said the players, many in tears, were ?devastated? when they heard the news, just five days before they were due to travel to the Midlands. ?This is a massive disappointment and a real shock to the team and to the college.? He admitted the error was the college?s fault, but said it was understandable. He said the competition had different rules for the county qualifying rounds and the national competition. According to Devon FA rules, players could be drawn from years 9, 10 and 11 for U16 matches. It has now emerged that the ESFA changed this rule three years ago, to exclude year 9 players ? but the county?s original rule was still operating. Mr Eves said: ?We were completely satisfied we played this competition in accordance with what has been custom and practice and played within the spirit of the rules. ?Even if according to the letter of the law we have not complied, I would have thought the right thing to do would be to complete this year?s competition and make sure this unpleasant situation doesn?t happen again in the future.? Mr Eves said he and the team coach had assured the distraught girls they were a credit to the school and town and had reached the final ?completely on merit?. ?They were all looking forward to this final so much. As some compensation we are going to organise a special trip for them, because they have brought huge credit to themselves, and to the college.? Sue Hammond, of Tavistock Girls? Football Club, the driving force behind girls? soccer in the town, said she felt ?absolutely gutted? for the girls. ?I feel very sorry for them because they are such a good team ? and I think the way it?s been handled is appalling,? said Mrs Hammond. ?This should have been sorted out at the beginning, not left until the final. I could have understood it if they had been playing older kids.? But John Read, chief executive of the ESFA, said it was absolutely clear that only year 10 and 11 students were eligible to play in U16 competitions and this was clearly stipulated in rules, entry forms and ?every relevant piece of paperwork? which left his head office. ?We have 15,000 schools entering our competitions and we?d be crazy if we didn?t have rules. ?If we turned round at this stage and said ?You can break the rules? there would be anarchy ? and it would be unfair on schools who didn?t enter the competition because they had abided by those rules,? said Mr Read.