Two Callington youth football teams travelled to Brittany, France, to compete against 94 teams from all over Europe, as well as some from Brazil and Africa, at the Challenge Du Printemps international football tournament.

The under-tens and under-12s pitted their wits against a number French Division One youth sides, as well as German giants Shalke 04, Sampdoria from Italy, Standard Liege of Belgium and Senec from Slovakia.

These clubs were joined by Alexandrov of Russia, African outfit Dakar of Senegal, and the stars of the show – Curitiba of Brazil.

Their first game was against French Division One outfit FC Nantes and were unlucky to lose 2-0, before suffering the same scoreline at the hands of PL Lambe of (Brittany).

They completed the first day with a 4-0 reverse against the host club, GDR Guipavas.

Callington fared slightly better on the Sunday but sadly finished the tournament with two 1-0 defeats – against OC Vannes, whose adult side compete in French Division Two, and St Guenole, another Breton team.

There was better news for the under-12s, who had the daunting task of being the first team to meet the Brazilian stars of the future.

Callington battled well before going down to a deflected late goal.

However, they picked themselves up well in the next match to draw with top Breton side Bohars before finishing the first day with a fine 4-0 victory over GDR Guipavas, with Dan Ashman hitting a hat-trick and Blaine Sperring the other.

They were undone again on

Sunday morning by a single goal against Nantes, but fought back to beat Plougonvelin 1-0, with Ashman again on target, which secured them third place in their mini-league and a place in the Challenge d'Espoirs competition.

The first of the afternoon games saw them draw 0-0 with Coataudon before they claimed their biggest scalp of the day – a 1-0 victory over Laval courtesy of a fifth tournament goal by Ashman.

Needing a win to progress to the semi-finals they found themselves up against another French Division One outfit in Lorient, eventually going down 1-0.

Tony Horton and Martyn Hill were full of praise for their sides' determination and thanked the organisers, in Guipavas and Callington, who made the trip possible.