The third annual Aspire Sports Trust Football tournament in aid of the Aspire to Africa programme was held this Sunday 10th July 2016.
This year 14 teams entered the competition, all playing to make their way to the final and claim the title. Billesley Primary school were in attendance as the returning champions, looking to retain their crown.
The day started well with the sun shining in time for the kickoff. The group games flowed with some excellent football on show, plenty of goals on view for the neutrals and some very closely fought matches.
After the round of group games, the four teams to advance to the semi-finals were as follows:
Group A winners: Aspire Sports
Group B winners: Midshire
Group C winners: Perry Barrcelona
Best-placed runner-up: Billesley, Primary school
Both semi-finals were played at a high level and both extremely close.
Aspire Sports and Perry Barrcelona played an end-to-end game. Perry Barrcelona taking a 1-0 lead early on forced Aspire Sports into wave after wave of attacking football. However, the Perry Barrcelona goalkeeper was in inspirational form. Aspire finally got the breakthrough and got the score back to 1-1. Within two minutes of the equaliser, Perry Barrcelona made a break for goal and scored. The game ending 2-1 to Perry Barrcelona.
The other semi was a cagey affair with both teams playing a similar brand of possession football. Billesley took the lead in the game and looked good to see out the game. However, within the final few minutes, Midshire created an attack that resulted in a goal to equalise and end the game 1-1. The game then went to a best of five penalty shoot-out. Unfortunately for Midshire, they found the Billesley goalkeeper in equally as good form as Perry Barrcelona’s. After four penalties against him, he saved three and sent Billesley through to the final.
The final started off with pace to suggest neither team wanted to lose. Both teams were creating chances, but they were few and far between. Around the mid-point of the game, Billesley took the lead. As Perry Barrcelona pressed for an equaliser, they were given a lifeline as they earned a stone-wall penalty for a handball. But, just as we saw in the semi-finals, the Billesley goalkeeper went the right way and saved the penalty. It went from bad to worse for Perry Barrcelona as, at 1-0 down, a player had to leave the field through injury, leaving them a man down. The inevitable then occurred as Billesley took advantage of the extra man and went 2-0 and 3-0 up in quick succession. And this is the way the game ended. 3-0 to Billesley Primary School, the returning champions retaining the Aspire Sports Trust trophy for another year.
2016 Winners Billesley, Primary school
Overall the whole day was brilliant. All players played hard to win, but also in the spirit that a charity tournament demanded.
The Trust would like to thank all those that took part for your support; it is very much appreciated. Also, a thank you to everyone who helped run the event and help make it the success it was. Focus has already turned to the 2017 tournament which we are sure will be bigger and better.
Team List
Aspire Sports 1
Aspire Sports 2
Billesley Primary School
Chateau Bravado
Evolve
FC Kitchen Craft
Haslehursts
(In) Active Dads
Joblogic Allstars
Kitchen Craft Reserves
Michael Page
Midshire
Perry Barccelona
Stones Throw