Britain's pluckiest football team is refusing to hang up its boots despite losing every game they have ever played.

Castletown Rangers Girls must have the worst record in Britain after playing 24 matches. They've won none, drawn none, lost the lot, haven't scored - and have conceded 97 goals!

As the only girl team in an all-boys league they have found life hard since they formed at the start of the season.

But the Sunderland seven-year-olds refuse to call it a day and recently celebrated their best result - a 1-0 defeat.

The struggling squad and their anxious manager have their fingers crossed that this weekend might be the one when they finally get the ball past their opponents to end their losing streak.

Despite their poor performance on the pitch, the team - which plays in the Russell Foster Tyne and Wear Under-eights' league - still come off smiling.

Defender Abby Colclough, seven, who joined the team in September, was optimistic for the team's first victory before the end of the season.

She said: "I know we haven't won a game yet but I love playing football. It doesn't matter that we always get beat because I like playing.

"We play every Saturday and train once a week after school. It's great fun and I don't mind playing against the boys - they are good sports.

"I keep saying to my friends that we will win the next match. I hope we do, we all want to win a game."

Manager Pam Curry said: "We have come to the opinion that there is definitely something wrong with our defence, so that is something we'll be working on.

"Every time they lose - which has been all 24 matches since September - the girls always come off with a smile on their faces.

"They love playing, but I think they're getting to the stage now where they'd actually like to win a game. I know I am.

"The parents have been fantastic, coming along to give their support, so we'd like to put a few in the back of the net for them, too."

Pam, 37, says the girls regularly turn up to practice at Castletown Primary School and are determined to move up from the bottom.

She added: "We have quite a good goalkeeper who is fairly competitive, although she doesn't boss the other girls about.

"The main thing as far as I'm concerned is that they are enjoying every minute of the matches. You can't ask for much more than that."

Castletown Rangers president Jackie Grimes said: "Those lasses try their hearts out every week, usually get hammered and always come off the pitch smiling.

"They might have lost every match but they're getting better. At the start of the season we were losing 12 and 14 nil. Now we've narrowed it to 1-0.

"I just want to see one of those girls put the ball in the back of the net, that would be a glorious moment - we'll have a party when it happens."

The girls are facing a battle off the pitch too. They want sponsorship to buy them the same blue and white kits worn by the other six Castletown Rangers teams.

Mr Grimes said: "Our colours are blue and white but the lasses have to wear yellow because their isn't a sponsor for them.

"Maybe a change of kit will give them the confidence to put the ball in the back of the net."