2016 Krakow Trophy 5-a-side Football Tournament Report Cup Semi Finals

Results

Spider Mans & Great Hawk (Eng)	0	V	3	Spider Mans & Eagle (Eng)
Tinniedad & Tobacco (Eng)	4	v	2	Nowa Huta Team (Pol)

We were at the 2016 Krakow Trophy Cup Semi-Final stage and from 18 teams who started the day we were down to the final 4. Before the Quarter-Finals we had 5 nationalities vying for glory – having lost teams from the Czech Rep, Italy and Slovakia there was now just 2 nations looking for glory with 1 Polish team and 3 from England still harbouring hopes of success!

Up first were not only two teams from England but two teams from the same group – Spider Mans & Great Hawk versus Spider Mans & Great Hawk. It is not often teams from the same club meet in eurofootballfives competition but when they do it often has a strange atmosphere – sometimes the games can lack a little intensity or sometimes the games can have a bit too much intensity with players determined not to lose to their tour-mates. In this one there was clearly a strong desire from both teams but it was played in a friendly atmosphere and maybe did lack some of the spark that you would expect if these two teams were playing a team from outside their tour party.

That said, it was Spider Mans & Eagle who took the early initiative as Justin Shelley struck first. Liam Stevens then made it 2-0 and the Eagles squad were almost in a first Cup Final.

12 months ago Spider Mans & Eagle missed out 3-1 at this stage to CIS Committee at the Budapest Fives. A year on and on the fields of Krakow it looked certain they would be going one stage further when Nick McIntosh made it 3-0. There was to be no further score and that Cup Final place beckoned – no doubt cheered on by the men they had just defeated to get there.

So, who would take their place in the Final from the second Semi-Final? The two teams set to do battle were Tinniedad & Tobacco against Nowa Huta Team?

These two teams had reached this stage in very different fashions. Tinniedad & Tobacco had stormed into the Semi-Finals with a stunning 9-0 win whilst Nowa Huta Team had a monumental tussle with GSF Drunkerz and reached the Semi-Finals courtesy of penalties. This promised to be an equally gripping and tight encounter for the Polish team.

Tinniedad & Tobacco looked to continue where they left off against DHL Prague and when Jon McKinley made it 1-0 it was now 10 goals without reply for the English team. That was to change though when Janczyk equalized for Nowa Huta Team. The score remained at 1-1 until half-time.

Nowa Huta Team were Poland's last hope of success in this tournament but those hopes drifted a little when Matt Haythorn's second goal in as many games restored the lead for Tinniedad & Tobacco. There was a little breathing space for the English team when Jon McKinley made it 3-1. Nowa Huta Team ensured Tinniedad & Tobacco would not be able to relax in the final stages as Alek reduced the deficit to 3-2.

Tinniedad & Tobacco had conceded a last minute equalizer in each of their previous two Cup Semi-Finals before going out on penalties. Would this play on their minds and lead to a nervous finale? In the final stages of the game and with the final touch of the game Michael Wilkes put the game to bed at 4-2. Tinniedad & Tobacco did not have it all their own way but they were through to the Cup Final.

Click on links below to proceed to

site disclaimer | contact us