Students at a North London school took part in a piece of sporting history as they helped draw the teams for the fifth round of the SSE Women’s FA Cup.

Pupils at Hornsey School for Girls selected the balls for the fifth round, with the help of Arsenal Ladies defender Jemma Rose, as fellow students and teachers watched the 16-team draw.

And the audience at gasped and cheered when it was revealed that the two big sides in the area, Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur, would battle it out for a place in the quarter-finals, to be played on Sunday March 19.

Students Julianna Guerra Calvo, 15, and Jessica Mendes, 15 picked the balls out of the red velvet bag, with the SSE Women’s FA Cup trophy on display, and both were delighted to be a part of the draw.

“It feels amazing, because I represent PE for Hornsey and now I represent the draw too, so that’s great,” Year 11 pupil Juliana said.

“My teacher told me when I was coaching the Year 7 and 8 at football – it was just so exciting, I was so happy when I found out.

“My friends said it was amazing to represent women’s football.”

Year 10 student Jessica added: “It was an amazing opportunity to have the draw down at Hornsey School for Girls. I was excited – at the same time I was nervous, but not too nervous!

“I also told my mum and she said ‘you love playing football, it’s what you want to do so take your opportunity’.

“My best friend told me she was proud of me, and my other friends told me to go for it.”

Hornsey School for Girls was chosen to host the draw thanks to its partnership with Teach First, a charity supported by SSE that aims to address educational inequalities in English and Welsh schools.

Head teacher Kuljit Rahelu said students initially reacted with shock after being told the news of the draw, and said the girls would be driven on to keep up their sports by the mere presence of the SSE Women’s FA Cup trophy.

“I think it’s a fantastic opportunity for our students to see both a real-life player and also the mechanics of the draw,” she said.

“The girls are inspired by what they’ve seen. We were delighted to get the draw.

“Initially among students, there was general disbelief that something like that would happen, akin to the draw they picked out for Arsenal against Tottenham, that’s going to be something that’s very close to our heart in north London.”

Ms Rahelu added today's event would live long in the memory and would be a catalyst to the school's message for its pupils to keep up participation in football and sport in general.

"We’re really conscious that at a certain age, sport tends to have slight decline among students, so it’s a great platform to show the benefits of it," she said.

"Having someone like Jemma Rose representing the SSE Women’s FA Cup is a fantastic way of showing that journey.

"There is a big rise in football among our students generally, and I think that mimics what is happening across the game, but to have something like that happen here, it’s something tangible that allows our students to take part in the developing picture."

Rose, who took questions and answers from pupils and helped out with a training session with youngsters, said the talent on show could produce the next generation of youngsters.

“Having the SSE Women’s FA Cup down here inspires the pupils to want to achieve in women’s football and sport in general and, ultimately to be part of the SSE Women’s FA Cup when they grow up, to have that as a goal to achieve throughout their footballing careers,” she said.

“There was a few more knees and feet involved in the keepy-up session we did, but I’m sure they’ll be able to show off their talent one day.

“The session was exciting and it was good to be part of it.”

Tickets are now on sale for the SSE Women’s FA Cup Final on Saturday 13th May at Wembley Stadium connected by EE. For the second consecutive year, kids go free to the final. Adult tickets cost £15 and can be purchased here: https://ticketing.thefa.com/