At the start of the second half it was Slavoj Consumer who started the brighter and Michal Dudon was proving to be the main threat. He had two good chances well saved by Andrew Stubbings in the Fi Tighe FC goal before just failing to get the finishing touch to driven ball across goal. The Czechs were knocking at the door.

 

Slavoj did not have it all their own way as Ben Harris hit one from distance resulting in a corner. Fi Tighe FC had weathered the storm and the game evened up a bit before a break from Martin Cepek saw him whistle a shot just wide. Next it was Graeme Stewart of Fi Tighe winning a corner as the game became end to end like basketball. To prove a point Michal Dudon headed a tough chance over bar. Although there were chances 0-0 was looking the favourite result.

 

Ben Harris hit another one from distance again to produce a good save from Jan Bartos to turn it wide for corner and at the very end a thunderous free kick from Martin Cepek looked to be heading to the corner but Andrew Stubbings was equal to it. This was the last action as the game finished 0-0 but certainly not a dull 0-0. We were into Golden Goal extra time but there were not too many chances and we failed to produce a goal. So, to the dreaded penalty shoot-out;

 

It was Slavoj Consumer to go first and up stepped Martin Cepek. Andrew Stubbings covered himself in glory by making the save. Kim Jones then struck his penalty right down the middle for 1-0 Fi Tighe FC. The pressure was now on Slavoj's Michal Dudon. Miss now and Fi Tighe FC had one hand on the trophy – but he didn't. Struck into the bottom left of the goal for 1-1. That's how it stayed as Jan Bartos in the Slavoj goal saved Ross McAnlis's spot kick low down and into the goalkeeper's body.

 

Slavoj had the chance to take the lead for the first time when Lukas Pokorny stepped up. It was a stunning penalty high into top of net, 2-1. The pressure was immense on Ben Harris but the man had nerves of steel as he thumped his penalty right down the middle for 2-2. We were now into sudden death penalties…this Plate Final had to end at some point!

 

David Blaha and Daniel Lemer converted the next two Slavoj Consumer penalties whilst Graeme Stewart and Peter Lane converted the next two for Fi Tighe FC. We were still level at 4-4 before what was the decisive round of penalties. Slavoj Consumer had used all their (fit) outfield players and wanted their outfield players to start taking them again…however goalkeeper Jan Bartos was yet to take a penalty. Cometh the hour cometh the man as he confidently put his penalty away. It then fell to Anton Illsley who struck his penalty down the middle and Bartos kicked it away with his trailing leg before being mobbed by his Slavoj team-mates.

 

We offer huge commiserations to our Runners-Up, Fi Tighe FC. For today though, we present you the 2013 JNJ Euro Soccer Tournament Plate Winners – Slavoj Consumer.