Friday 25th June was the day that football truly came home! After weeks and weeks of build up, the Pinks faced the Blues in the Synchronicity Insurance Cup.
23 different companies were represented in the game and we were delighted to see so many people get involved. It was also great to see so many come along and watch the game.
The game kicked off at 2pm and the Pinks instantly took the initiative and looked the far stronger team in the opening 15-20 minutes. This however proved to be a false dawn! The Blues had lured the Pinks into a false sense of security and Darren Fletcher of GBG banged in a long range effort that left keeper Paul Firkins (Hood Group) no chance at all. Umberto Oliva (Verlingue) followed suit around 5 minutes later with another net buster that rocketed into the top corner of the Pinks net.
Bal ‘Inzaghi’ Basra (Aetna) then popped up like a fox in the box to coolly slot home from close range to make the score 2-1 and restore some hope for the Pink team.
Bal’s goal unfortunately only spurred the Blues on to greater heights and Nick Hale (Engage Healthcare) scored with a cool flick at the near post before Daniel Woods (Now Health) scored with another fine long range effort. 4 goal of the season contenders in one half!
HT score : 4-1 to the Blues.
The half time team talk was more like an episode of Dad’s Army rather than Escape to Victory as numerous risks assessments were carried out and decisions were made as to who could still just about run!
The game really opened up in the second half and chances came and went at both ends. The younger legs of the Pink team threatened to take control but the older heads of the Blue team regrouped and passed the ball around the younger opposition. Nick Hale bagged another goal with a Shearer-esq style header from a Paul Russell (Bupa Global) cross from the right, Umberto Oliva claimed another with a cool finish and then Richard Grover (Wingate Employee Benefits) banged in the goal of the game with a Beckham-esq strike from 40 yards to seal victory for the Blues.
FT score : 7 – 1 to the Blues.
Onto the awards. Richard Grover as captain of the Blue team picked up the trophy from match sponsor Martyn Hardy of Pinnacle Cost Claims Solutions. Claire Hargreaves of GBG presented the Player of the Match for the Blue Team to John McQuillan (Teladoc) and Darren Ovenden of Capulus presented Player of the Match for the Pink team to Bruno Coelho (Aetna).
The game was not about winning and losing but purely about getting together and having a laugh! This objective was 100% achieved and we have received lots of lovely messages of thanks. Rest assured, this will not be the last game we play and we will be organising other events soon.
