THAT excellent film "Bend It Like Beckham" is being blamed for an upsurge in the number of females playing fooball.

In fact, soccer has apparently taken over from netball as the sport for women, with more than 61,000 females now competing in clubs affiliated to the Football Association and many schools and clubs with girls' teams.

Psychologists reckon that it's all down to women breaking down the sex barriers and going more and more into male-dominated areas.

Just a word of warning, lads.

If you feel like re-imposing a spot of male superiority by challenging them to a game, watch out.

I've seen local females playing netball and rounders, and I can assure you that they take no prisoners.

Bend what like Beckham?