FANCY FOOTWORK FOR A GREAT CAUSE

This week saw Harris Lamb compete in the Higgs & Sons charity football tournament in aid of Dudley Mind. The event raised a massive £10,000 and saw 43 teams take part.

Captain Tom Morley (or Tomaldo as we’re calling him this week) reports:

We were in a tough qualifying group which included Lloyds Bank; the previous tournament winners and hot favorites. It also included BDO, Legal Insurance Management and Mazars. We started our campaign with a fine victory against BDO which was the perfect start to the campaign. Next, we faced Lloyds Bank and despite a very even contest against very tough opposition we lost 1-0. In the following games we did enough to qualify for the knock out stages where the competition got serious.

The mid tournament interval was next and the team took advantage of the free beef burgers and ice cream to fuel their conquest of bringing home silverware to add to the Harris Lamb trophy cabinet.

In the first knock-out game we faced a very good team and were soon 2-0 down, facing an early exit from the competition.  After a tremendous effort and two fine goals (one a piece from Mason and Rob H) we were back in the game. We managed to hold on to the draw and penalties were required to settle the contest. All Harris Lamb outfield players relished the pressure cooker situation dispatching their penalties with confidence.

The game winner was Harris Lamb’s goal keeper, Rob Pinks, who saved a penalty while also scoring his own spot kick, which sent Harris Lamb on to the Quarter Finals to the eruption of the crowds.

In the Quarter Finals Harris Lamb dominated the game playing a brand of football that was effective, although not pretty, playing it long to their pacey forwards. Rob H finished a fine effort and Harris Lamb were looking onwards to the heady heights of the Semi-Finals.

Unfortunately a dubious penalty in the last seconds of open play levelled the game and again the contest was going to be decided by penalties. The atmosphere was electric and again, the Harris Lamb outfield players put the ball in the proverbial onion bag with confidence. Mason was subject to particular intimidation prior to taking his important kick but stood tall and slotted home without even looking at the ball or goal. Alas, though, it was not to be our day with a missed penalty costing us our place in the Semi-Finals.

Big congratulations to tournament winners PKF Cooper Parry, and huge thanks to Higgs & Sons for hosting a fantastic day for a very worthy cause