Brixham Devon Soccer Challenge Report

The R&T Tours U8’s Devon Soccer Challenge at Brixham, South Devon.

Oxford City Colts Squad: Tremayne Barrett, Leyton Brandon Lester Davies, Cameron Gray, Cameron Innes, Kieron Massingham, Ross McMahon, Robbie Morton, Tate Rogers, Jack Tutton.

Below are the entire league group games with scorers, all these goals scored by the individual and for the team are special to everyone, but others prevent goals being scored and are often not mentioned or do not have the opportunity to score but we all know who you are ! Everyone in the above squad contributed to these scorelines and all the lads played a lot of football over last weekend. I can honestly say that all the lads showed great all round team performances and team sprit throughout the weekend and Tournament and were all very well behaved whilst on club duty.

Games 8 minutes each way

10.20am Sat 26th May 2007

OCC 1 v Chelston JFC (From Torquay) 0
Goalscorer: Tremayne Barrett

11.40am Sat 26th May 2007

OCC 2 v Stoke Damerel ‘A’ (From Plymouth) 0
Goalscorers: Ross McMahon, Leyton Brandon

1.30pm Sat 26th May 2007

OCC 3 v Civil Service FC (From Newport, South Wales) 0
Goalscorers: Ross McMahon, Jack Tutton 2

After the mornings football the lads all had a swim in the Riviera Bay Holiday Site and everyone got something to eat and plenty to drink !!!

9.50am Sun 27th May 2007

OCC 5 v Stoke Gabriel FC (Hosts of Tournament) 0
Goalscorers: Tremayne Barrett, Ross McMahon 2, Leyton Brandon 2

11.10am Sun 27th May 2007

OCC 1 v Stoke Damerel ‘B’ (From Plymouth) 1
Goalscorer: Jack Tutton

We finished top of the group and were then going to meet Stoke Damerel ‘A’ in the final of an 8 minutes each way final, as first and second placed teams play off in the final, we all knew that a 2-0 win in the group, now meant nothing going into the final…

The final started at a terrific pace considering these two teams had played in five games in two days and two games before this final at 1.00pm on the Sunday, The first half saw us play up the sloping pitch at the Stoke Gabriel FC Ground who play in the South West Peninsula league, The football in the first half was evenly matched in possession, chances and general play, but we conceded a goal mouth scramble goal which when I looked around the team faces it seemed to have knock the last bit of stuffing out of them, after losing the last three Tournament finals by the odd goal or conceding the only goal of the Tournaments attended in the final we have reached this season, I was thinking here we go again. At Half time we regrouped and spoke about keeping our positions and shape and if we could get one goal back our tails would be up and we would find an extra gear, Cameron Innes came on at half time for Lester Davies who had run his heart out all weekend on the right side of midfield and responded with a well taken low drive after picking up a loose ball from just outside the box to lift our belief and sprits, the players all went mad with a huge mass of all our players and subs celebrating together, Our tails and confidence was now sky high from the restart with every player now believing they could win, every ball was now being won back, passed and chances created constantly, the winning goal came with only a few minutes remaining to go before the dreaded penalties, Jack Tutton made a run from centre midfield and made a surging run on to the left side of midfield and finished to the goalies right whilst evading two challenges, sending players, parents, grandparents and managers into orbit in a draining four minute spell of goals and emotion.

The lads have worked so hard and been so consistent throughout the two years I have had them with me, this was all worth the sweat and tears, to see their individual faces at the presentation night was fantastic with each player receiving a boxed crystal glass trophy presented to them from Ex England, West Ham and Everton player Tony Cottee.

Thank you to all the Players, Parents and Supporters of our team who joined us or enabled us to go on Tour and have such a lovely weekend.

Everyone enjoyed themselves, a few gallons of drink was sunk on the Sunday night and there was a few gate crashes in my chalet, not of the two legged human type but many legged crab variety type in the basin !!

Hope everyone enjoyed it as much as Rachel, I and Jack did and I have had nearly everyone ask me about booking next year already and possibly do two !!!

Madness !!

See you all on Presentation night on Friday 15th June 2007 at the Clubhouse 7.00 pm for 7.30 pm start.

Rob Tutton