Skipton Business Finance's 6-a-side football team competed well in this year's annual Skipton Building Society football tournament and reached the semi-final stage, before losing to eventual winners SBS Finance.
Read our very own Dan Iwanczuk's report on the tournament below:
With last year’s crushing defeat and ‘Nul Points’ still fresh in everyone’s memory Team Skipton Business Finance (SBF) were hungry for glory... or to at least make it past the first stage!
Squad:
- Dan Iwanczuk
- Ashley Peters
- Jordan Lang
- Tom Lawless
- Ross Stephenson
- Kent Broomhead
- Sam Waterhouse
Group Stages
Spirits were high as SBF took to the pitch for their first match of the evening awaiting the hooter and soon they were ahead thanks to a wonderful strike by Waterhouse; 1-0! Alas the tables would turn, and come the final hooter, it was the bitter taste of defeat once again by 5 goals to 2 (Both goals by Waterhouse), 3 points to SBS Finance. The memory of last year’s bottom of the table results came flooding back to all involved.
Classing the first match as a warm-up, SBF rallied the troops for match number two which, fought with blood, sweat and tears, resulted in a gruelling 1-1 draw (Goal by Waterhouse). The first point of the tournament already bettered 2012’s overall points tally!
Glory was now in sight and SBF were ready for more; this time a clash with SBS HR department saw another hard-fought match ended in a 1-1 draw, as Broomhead’s goalkeeping skills brought frustration to the opposition and massive confidence to SBF leading to a fantastic goal by Lang.
As the results had fallen in their favour, SBF were the last team to play in the group and were already though to the next round regardless of their final result in the group stages! Would they coast through and just take it easy? That wasn’t even considered an option as both teams set out with an all-guns-blazing attitude, both gunning for the last 3 points of the group. Playing flat out with the will to win, Waterhouse hammered home the only goal to see SBF finish confidently mid table and raring to go as quarter finalists.
By this point the team was feeding off each other’s energy and adrenaline as they had the smallest squad in the tournament, 9 is the maximum squad size and SBF had 7 (6-a-side plus 1 sub) - they needed this camaraderie to keep them going!
Moments after the final hooter for the last group stage, there was no downtime for team SBF as they took to the pitch once again for a ferocious quarter final. They had already surpassed all expectations as the underdogs... but they weren’t finished yet.
Quarter-Final
As the entire team ploughed everything they had into this match the dividends paid off thanks to sharp shooter Waterhouse yet again making it 1-0! A semi final place for SBF! Could they have inherited Bradford City’s Dare To Dream attitude!? The tournament’s underdogs were now to face SBS Finance again (The team from the opening match who comfortably beat SBF 5-2). SBF were inspired and ready to go!
Semi-Final
Another battling match was played with lots of heart but the squad size started to take its toll. SBF ultimately lacked the finishing touch as numerous shots were hammered on target but none found the back of the net. Every member of the team was giving their all in an effort to make it to the final. Unfortunately it was not in the cards as fatigue began to show and the game finished 2-0 to SBS Finance. So twice SBF had lost to SBS Finance, who in turn became the champions on the night of the coveted ‘Skipton Building Society Football Trophy 2013’.
An excellent time was had by all and a massive improvement was made by SBF. At this rate SBF will definitely be finalists in 2014!
Fantasy Football
Skipton Business Finance has set up a Fantasy Football League for the Premier League Season 13/14. To find out more, click here