We arrived at the Plate Quarter-Final stage and we would shortly see eight teams reduced to four teams. The first two teams to do battle were JNJ Pinewood and Team Baltic.

The teams had qualified for this stage by being the third best 3rd placed team in the case of JNJ Pinewood and the best 6th placed team in the case of Team Baltic. This seeding would certainly suggest that JNJ Pinewood would be favourites for the tie given the two league records and results so far today. JNJ Pinewood also came into the game on a fine run of form – unbeaten in 3 games and collecting 7 points out of 9. The Baltic Team had so far lost 5 out of 5 but in at least a couple of those games they were unfortunate to get no reward for their performance….the 1-0 last minute defeat to JNJ Serbia springs to mind.

If the league tables suggested JNJ Pinewood were strong favourites it didn't look that way as Team Baltic put in a strong performance and produced a close match. The Baltic Team could not prevent JNJ Pinewood going ahead though as Eshan Sebastian made it 1-0 in the first half.

JNJ Pinewood were unable to extend their lead as Team Baltic defended well. Scoring goals had been a problem all day for Team Baltic and it was at this end of the pitch they struggled again and a clean sheet for Steve Broomhall ensured it would be victory for JNJ Pinewood. They qualified for the Plate Semi-Finals.

Sadly, it was the end of the day for Team Baltic (on the pitch anyway). We looked forward to hopefully seeing them on tour again in the future.

It was Czech Republic versus Switzerland in the third Quarter-Final as GBS Reds A met Team Zug. GBS Reds were in familiar territory and had a good record in eurofootballfives.com Plate competitions – winning two of them! It would not be easy today though as injury had robbed them of some important legs and were down to their only fit 5 players.

Team Zug had started well with two victories but after good early form had slipped to three defeats in a row at just the wrong time. This was not the form they needed going into a crucial Quarter-Final tie. Could they turn this form around?

It didn't look good early in the tie as Josef Salatek gave GBS Reds A the lead. Salatek was having a superb day as the goal represented his fifth in six games and he was up amongst the leaders in the race for the top goalscorer award. In the second half things got even better for GBS Reds A as Anis Kateb made it 2-0 but the game was not won just yet. Team Zug had a penalty but Gordon MacIntosh made a final double save to preserve the two goal advantage – first with his hands and then a brave save with his face! A brave moment for the cause!

With the missed penalty ended Team Zug's chances of a comeback and with it their day was over. Team Zug had been a great credit to the tournament, with great support and creating a great atmosphere. We thank them for their participation.

The final Quarter-Final was England's JNJ Medical versus the Czech Republic's Slavoj Consumer. JNJ Medical had a tough morning but they could consider themselves a bit unlucky as their last two defeats were by the odd goal, both 2-1, and on another day the points may well have gone to them. It was not to be though and they qualified for the Plate in 5th place in Group B.

Slavoj Consumer were another team who had been competitive all day and arguably hadn't received the rewards their performances merited. They'd pulled out a couple of 1-1 draws, a couple of narrow 1-0 defeats but ended Group C on a high with a spectacular 8-0 victory. They would come into this game on a high.

It looked like Slavoj Consumer were still riding the crest of the wave of that 8-0 win as they took a first half lead through Michal Dudon. They were on a great run and had now scored 9 goals without reply….make that 10 as Dudon scored his second of the game. JNJ Medical were up against it now and as no-one had scored more than once against the Czechs it looked like a bit of a mountain to climb.

That mountain got taller as Martin Panzner made it 3-0 to Slavoj Consumer and with that confirmed their place in the Plate Semi-Final for a tie against GBS Reds A. JNJ Medical's challenge was over for this year but there was much to show that they had the ability to compete in eurofootballfives.com competition. It was a tournament of fine margins for them.