Thames Valley Cup Tournament

The Thames Valley WFL Cup Tournament is always an event to look forward to and most of all enjoy. Apart from the TVWFL Teams, Portsmouth and Gosport WFC were invited to join this annual event. Held at the National Sports Centre at Bisham Abbey, the weather was perfiect for a festival of walking football played in the true spirit of the game.

The format of the Tournament was three pools of 5 teams with the top three teams goIng through to the semi-finals joined by the best second placed team across the three pools.

Hemel were drawn in Pool 3, joined by Gosport, Bracknell Town Reds, Woodley and Oxford United.  Our first game was against an unknown quantity in Gosport. Few chances were created, with our solid defence of Cliff Leat and Ken Rose keeping their forwards quiet.  We continued to boss possesion without really troubling the Gosport defence. 0-0 the final score.  Second up was Woodley, who appeared to have several players who play for other teams during the normal season!  However, we again started really well and a well worked goal from Steve Manly from a lovely through ball from Mike Wood put Hemel in a deserved lead.  Woodley equalised from what looked like an impossible angle after keeper Steve Beament had made two world class saves from distance.  Continuing to boss posession, Hemel then hit the woodwork on two occasions with powerful shots from Nigel Walker and Mike Wood. Unfortunately, a loose ball found their striker, (who normally plays for Bracknell) unmarked to score what was to become the winner. 2-1 the final score.  

Next up was a very strong Bracknell Red team, who are so experienced at tournament football and they gave us a lesson in how to win these type of matches. Within minutes of the kick-off, a rare slip from the ever dependable and solid Leat, gave them an easy chance to go into an early lead. However, after that set back, the lads kept their heads up and a lovely worked goal from Andy Balshaw was ruled out for a harsh running decision. Even the watching Gosport players and the Bracknell lads were dumbfounded by the decision!  As the game wore on Bracknell became more dominant and two further goals gave them a comfotable 3-0 lead. However, a last minute penalty for four running offences gave us hope, but it wasn't to be. 3-0 the final score.

Our final game was against Oxford United and once more our lads kept their heads held high and a speculative long distance shot from midfield dynamo Manly found the back of the net.  Another well worked kick-in saw Manly and Balshaw combine for Balshaw to find the back of the net with a sweet left foot shot from distance.  A disallowed goal for being inside the box gave us a slight scare and then a penalty for a foul was well saved by Beament, pushing the ball upewards onto the bar and away to safety. 2-0 the final score.

So, on another day things could have been better, but we came away finishing third in the table behind Bracknell, who won all their matches and Gosport who pipped us by a point.

Squad: Steve Beament, Cliff Leat, Steve Manly, Andy Balshaw, Ken Rose, Nigel Walker, Mike Wood.