Group C began with the multinational Saipan FC representing Ireland versus Ziar Crew of Slovakia. It was the travelling team who started the brighter and it was they who took an early lead through Ignacio Mochales Cuesta. Saipan FC were on their way and the lead was doubled by the now customary “Captain's goal” from Barry Lysaght.

Saipan FC were in control, they lead 2-0 and although Ziar Crew threatened to break forward, goalkeeper Richie Magniers prevented them from mounting to anything by sweeping up on the edge and/or just outside of his box leading him to be crowned “Neuer” by the onlooking Bede FC. On the stroke of half-time Ziar Crew's Martin Cvejkus reduced the lead to 2-1 and it was game on.

After the break momentum swung from Saipan FC towards Ziar Crew. The Slovakian team achieved parity when Matej Rapcan, the top goalscorer with 13 goals at the 2014 Bratislava Fives, scored to make it 2-2. Not content with a point, Ziar Crew went ahead as Tomas Valko scored what proved to be the decisive and winning goal.

It was quite a game to start Group C and if every game lived up to this standard we would have a great morning of football viewing.

Next up on Pitch C were Tekkerslovakia and Donuts. Tekkerslovakia were no strangers to eurofootballfives.com competition and were the core of the Team Extreme group that have participated in our tournaments since 2012 and most recently reached the Cup Semi-Finals at the 2014 Amsterdam Fives and were so close to knocking out 3 times winners Athletico Do Hollande.

They had the skills and the experience over a Donuts team who were making their eurofootballfives.com debut. Tekkerslovakia put that experience to good use and thanks to a double strike from Nabil Zawadi it was they who lead 2-0 at the break.

To their credit, Donuts fought back well in the second half and one of their own players came up with a brace – Jakub Halak. Goals from Chika Kalu (Tekkerslovakia) and Zdenek Petrovic (Donuts) cancelled each other out to leave us delicately poised at 3-3.

Then in the final moments came the big talking point of the game. Chika Kalu raced on to a ball down the right wing – whilst still putting on his shirt. He beat the goalkeeper to the ball and slotted home from an acute angle but in the process of putting on his shirt his arm inadvertently caught the goalkeeper as they challenged and the referee chalked the goal off which would have given all 3 points to the English team. As it was the game finished 3-3 and the teams took 1 point each.

The last team to get underway on Pitch C in Group C was Bede FC. They made their debut in the 2011 Barcelona Fives and picked up a first European victory with a 2-1 victory over eventual Plate Winners, Bristol Bridge. Other results did not quite go their way and did not reward their performances as they were unlucky to finish 5th on goal difference – going through to the Wooden Spoon Semi-Finals going down to Stamford AC. They played in the 2012 Algarve Open finishing 4th in their group before a narrow 2-1 exit in the Plate Quarter-Finals to Goals Aloud of Wales. A return to the Algarve Open in 2013 saw them struggle in the group phase finishing 6th. In the Wooden Spoon Final they lost on Golden Goal to Norton Old Boys. Like Team Extreme and St Paul's College Old Boys here today they competed in the 2014 Amsterdam Fives where they met the latter in the group phase and went down 3-1. Bede FC finished 5th in their 6 team group before Vodafone Netherlands were responsible for their exit in the Plate Quarter-Finals.

They would begin their Bratislava campaign against Saipan FC. Bede FC were caught cold early in this one as Julian Cornelius scored virtually from the kick-off. They recovered from the early set back and levelled through Troy Grant. It was almost a sense of déjà vu as no sooner had they been level but Cornelius scored again virtually from the re-start. It was 2-1 to Saipan FC at half-time.

After the break Julian Cornelius completed an excellent hat-trick – the second of the tournament and the first in Group C. It was a goal that saw off the Bede FC challenge and earned the Irish team all 3 points.

The next game in Group C was Ziar Crew versus Tekkerslovakia. Ziar Crew were the winners of the Trophy competition at the 2014 Bratislava Fives. They started 2014 well with a 1-1 draw against Skidmarks (2011 Valencia Fives and 2012 Krakow Trophy winners). A narrow defeat followed, 2-1, to DHL Prague before another 1-1 draw to Frankie's Footballing Fantasy. They secured their first win over Dynamo Clapham, 6-4, before a second defeat of the day to #BurstIt.

The knock-out phase saw Ziar Craw move through the gears with an 8-0 win over Lads on Tour, a 7-3 win over Tommie's Guns and then a 5-1 win over Fireball as they surged to victory in the Trophy competition.

With today's opening 3-2 win against Saipan FC the Slovakian team they had 5 wins in 9 eurofootballfives.com games and were on course to make it 6 in 10 when they lead 2-1 at the break against Tekkerslovakia. Martin Cvejkus and Matej Rapcan gave them the advantage over Magid El Amin's strike for the English team.

The lead was only a narrow one and Tekkerslovakia were in it every step of the way. Nabil Zawadi scored a second brace in as many games and Chika Kalu grabbed a goal for the second game in a row. It would not be quite enough though as Ziar Crew scored three second half goals of their own (Martin Cvejkus, Martin Namesny and Tomas Valko). Final score, 5-4.

The game that took us to the halfway stage of Group C was Donuts versus Bede FC. Donuts had the comfort of a draw in their opening fixture but Bede FC were hunting down their first points.

Their chief huntsman was Dave Gatt. He was making his third eurofootballfives.com tour for Bede FC (previously 2011 Barcelona Fives and 2014 Amsterdam Fives) and for the second year in a row he was making the tour all the way from Australia – some commitment. The footballing gods shone favourably on that commitment as Gatt stepped up to put Bede FC 1-0 up. It was a lead that would not last though as Jakub Halak levelled things up before the break at 1-1.

In the second half it was Dave Gatt who for the second time in the game put his team ahead, 2-1. As the game wore on the next goal would be crucial and for all Bede FC fans out there they could not have been happier to see Gatt complete his hat-trick and stretch the lead to 3-1.

It was a first eurofootballfives.com hat-trick by a Bede FC player and it had earned the travelling side all 3 points. What better way to celebrate than with a #threepointselfie (and another beer). At the half-way stage Bede FC were join second and in third position just 1 goal behind Saipan FC.