SATURDAY mornings are still packed with action for young footballers in the midst of their league’s winter breaks.

Under-sevens teams from the Barrow and District Junior Football League have found a new outlet for their skills while the competition enjoys a brief hibernation.

With January and February left blank on the fixture calendars, 12 sides have taken the opportunity for some high-octane action at Pulse Soccer.

The small 3G pitches at the Barrow football centre have been taken over each week by teams eager to stay sharp and keep children engaged in the game.

A mini league is taking place every Saturday morning and Pulse general manager Keith Holmes is delighted to see the youngsters taking a lot of enjoyment from it.

He said: “The under-sevens normally have no fixtures on grass scheduled in January and February, so the whole concept of it all is to keep the youngsters active and engaged until March.

“We are providing the coaches and clubs with plenty of non-competitive fixtures, while their players are getting plenty of touches of the ball and being introduced to the small-sided game.”

Players from Holker Old Boys Hurricanes, Dalton Juniors, Walney Island, Millom A, Millom B, Furness Rovers A, Furness Rovers B, Vickerstown, Barrow Island, Barrow Wanderers, Barrow Celtic and Crooklands Casuals are taking part in the league.

Pulse hope the current under-sevens event will be the first of many football initiatives they will hold during the year.

They plan to use their five-a-side and seven-a-side pitches with clubs and schools throughout the area, as well as expanding elsewhere, and Holmes added: “This is a great example of what’s to come in the year of 2016 for minis football as the FA plan to inject roughly £50m into grass roots football with the plan of opening 150 new football hubs across the country.

“It’s all part of the FA’s development plan for grass roots football, where they would like to see 50 per cent of all minis football being played at facilities like this.

“Pulse are now working alongside the FA and Sheffield Council to establish the first of many centres to open in the country like ours in Barrow.

“What has been achieved at the centre in Barrow and our counterparts in Wednesbury is fantastic for grass roots football.”