So who would claim the Wooden Spoon in the 2011 Algarve Open? This was only the sixth time we had run such a competition and the roll call of winners reads;

Moss Deb FC, Portgugal – 2009 Algarve Open

Milton FC, Portugal - 2010 Algarve Open

Dot Cotton's Flaps, Ireland – 2010 Prague Masters

Warranty Direct FC, England – 2010 Valencia Fives

Whiteley VII, England – 2011 Budapest Fives

As you can see the 2009 and 2010 Algarve Open Wooden Spoons were both won by Portuguese teams. Could Maritimo make it a Portugal hat-trick against England's Misfits FC.

You wondered if Misfits FC may have an advantage as they had a rest during the Semi-Finals due to a walkover whereas Maritimo were taking through extra time to penalties and may not be quite as fresh. The other way of looking at it is that Misfits may well have got cold and rusty due to the time lag from the group stage whereas Maritimo FC were warmed up and raring to go. Only time would tell.

At the end of the first-half we were no closer to knowing who would take the Wooden Spoon prize as the teams were locked together at 0-0. The second half was a relative goal-fest as we witnessed four goals and there was one man in particular who stamped his authority in this final and can deservedly claim he's scored a hat-trick in a Europen final. That man was Thomas Carroll who took his tournament tally to a very respectable 5 goals. The hat-trick sealed victory and rendered Pedro Xavier's strike for Maritino as purely academic.

The 2011 Algarve Open Wooden Spoon Winners – Misfits FC.