Thorntons short-circuit ScottishPower to take title
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On a sweltering Friday in May, teams from across Scotland’s technology sector arrived in Edinburgh for the highlight of the football season.
Summary
Teams from Exactive, brightsolid, Memex, Thorntons Law, Lumison, Converged Communication, Conscia, ScottishPower, 9-20 Recruitment, Bright Purple and ScotlandIS took part in the group stages, but gradually skill and superior numbers began to pay off. The semi finals featured two veterans of the tournament; ScottishPower and 9-20 Recruitment and two tournament debutants in the shape of Thorntons Law and Converged Communications.
After a hard fought final, the youthful team from Thorntons’ grit and determination overcame the highly experienced ScottishPower , beating them by two goals to nil to win the 2011 ScotlandIS 5-a-side football trophy.
Full Match Report, by our roving reporter, Chick McFootie
On a sweltering day in Edinburgh, twelve of the tech sectors finest teams arrived in Edinburgh for the highlight of the season; the 2011 ScotlandIS 5-a-side football tournament.
Divided into two groups, the teams fought it out in search of football’s greatest prize – the stunning ScotlandIS 5-a-side trophy.
Group Stages - Group A
In Group A, the 2010 winners ScotlandIS were joined by last years’ runners up Scottish Power, 9-20 Recruitment, Memex 1, brightsolid and Bright Purple.
The group was eventually won by 9-20 Recruitment who managed to beat ScottishPower to first spot having finished on maximum points whilst scoring an impressive 18 goals in the process. After last years high of winning the tournament, the ScotlandIS team failed to rediscover their form and after only managing two wins, were eliminated at the group stage.
Brightsolid unfortunately regained their wooden spoon from last year; however their overall performance was an improvement, scoring in each of their games.
|
Group A |
P |
W |
D |
L |
F |
A |
GD |
Pts |
|
9-20 Recruitment |
5 |
5 |
0 |
0 |
18 |
4 |
14 |
15 |
|
Scottish Power |
5 |
4 |
0 |
1 |
9 |
4 |
5 |
12 |
|
ScotlandIS |
5 |
2 |
0 |
3 |
8 |
7 |
1 |
6 |
|
Bright Purple |
5 |
2 |
0 |
3 |
7 |
14 |
-7 |
6 |
|
Memex 1 |
5 |
1 |
1 |
3 |
5 |
8 |
-3 |
4 |
|
bright solid |
5 |
0 |
1 |
4 |
5 |
15 |
-10 |
1 |
Conscia and Lumison returned this year determined to succeed, after turning in disappointing performances last year. They were joined by debutants, Converged Communications, Thorntons, and Exactive and Memex’s second team.
Converged Communications topped the group, beating Thorntons Law to first place on goal difference, and conceding only 3 goals in the process. Although the second Memex team ended the day propping up group B, they can take some encouragement from picking up their only points beating group runners up Thorntons’ 2-0.
|
Group B |
P |
W |
D |
L |
F |
A |
GD |
Pts |
|
Converged Communications |
5 |
4 |
0 |
1 |
10 |
3 |
7 |
12 |
|
Thorntons Law LLP |
5 |
4 |
0 |
1 |
8 |
2 |
6 |
12 |
|
Exactive |
5 |
3 |
0 |
2 |
6 |
5 |
1 |
9 |
|
Conscia |
5 |
1 |
1 |
3 |
8 |
9 |
-1 |
4 |
|
Lumison |
5 |
1 |
1 |
3 |
7 |
13 |
-6 |
4 |
|
Memex 2 |
5 |
1 |
0 |
4 |
2 |
9 |
-7 |
3 |
Semi Finals
With four teams progressing from the group stages, the tournament moved onto the knockout phase.
The first semi-final was a hard fought contest between 9-20 Recruitment and Thorntons. 9-20 were knocked out of the tournament at this stage last year, so were keen to avoid the same fate. The semi final was a close encounter with both teams having opportunities to progress, however their efforts cancelled each other and the match was to be decided by a penalty shootout. Both teams put away their first penalties with ease but it was the Thorntons’ goalkeeper who saved well to put them in the driving seat. 9-20 converted their third however this was not enough to prevent Thorntons progressing when their third penalty was converted to give them a 3-2 win.
In the other semi final, previous winners ScottishPower took on tournament new boys, Converged Communications. Like the first semi final, this was a close contest and it took a great goal to break the deadlock, with one of the ScottishPower players superbly chipping the Converged ‘keeper. Converged battled back but the experience of ScottishPower was too much for them, and they were eventually beaten 3-1.
Thirty-three games had been played, ninety-three goals scored. Blood, sweat and tears shed, hundreds of oranges devoured and a super injunction imposed. Only two teams from the starting twelve remained standing (many already recovering at the bar). ScottishPower, 2009 winners and 2010 runners up, were facing Thorntons Law, tournament debutants and the team with the best defensive record, having only conceded two goals on their road to the final.
The final started brightly with both teams having attempts at goal. Thorntons broke the deadlock with a shot from an angle which the ‘keeper was unlucky not to keep out. They had chances to further their lead but a combination of solid keeping and a lack of shooting boots kept the score at 1-0. ScottishPowers’ experience was clear and they played some glorious football which wouldn’t look out of place in the Nou Camp, but as they pushed for the equaliser Thorntons doubled their lead and managed to hold on in the closing stages to triumph 2-0.
