The 2018 Mallorca Veterans Tournament Plate Final would be contested by Bure Park Old Boys and Legends of the Vale. This was our seventh Veterans Plate competition and the roll of honour so far read:

2014, Mallorca: €agles 3:36 (def. Dickie Dogs, 2-1)

2015, Algarve: Norton Old Boys (def. The Warriors, 1-0)

2016, Lisbon: Pioes (def Crabtree Amblers, 2-0).

2017, Mallorca (June): The Warriors (def. Dickie Dogs, 2-0)

2017, Lisbon (Sep): Jims40yearoldveg (def. Compact Records 3-3 then pens)

2018. Algarve (June): Water Boy (def. Dickie Dogs, 2-0).

Bure Park Old Boys would be making their fifth appearance in a final in our tournaments but the first for 5 years. This includes Plate Runners-Up medals (as Karma FC) in the 2010 Valencia Fives, the 2011 Wooden Spoon title (as Karma FC), claiming the 2012 Valencia Fives Trophy title (as Sporting Abeergut) and finishing runners-up at in the Plate at the 2013 Krakow Trophy. All were open age events – this was their first final in the Vets.

Legends of the Vale continued to break new ground and would contest a final for the first time.

Let's have a look at the two teams' form today:

Bure Park Old Boys

Played 5, Won 2, Drawn 2, Lost 1, For 10, Against 6

Group finish: 4th.

Legends of the Vale

Played 7, Won 1, Drawn 4, Lost 2, For 3, Against 5

Group finish: 4th.

On today's form there was very little to differentiate the two teams and it is often difficult to compare the stats as one group may well have been tougher than the other. This was especially true today as the groups had a different number of teams, a different number of games and different game lengths. It was going to be tough to pick a winner but it is worth noting both teams finished fourth in their group and knocked out higher placed teams in the Semi-Finals.

Bure Park Old Boys may have had the edge in terms of momentum as they came into the game on the back of two successive wins which included the biggest win of the day in the Semi-Final. With the game underway it was Legends of the Vale though who hit the front. Mark Eldridge finishing off a fine sweeping move by poking a left-footed finish home. Could Bure Park Old Boys summon up that one last burst of energy to get back into it?

Not before half-time they couldn't as the two teams changed ends with the score still 1-0 to Legends of the Vale. Bure Park Old Boys job got that bit more difficult in the second period as Mark Eldridge scored his second of the final and third of the tournament to put his team 2-0 up.

This game was not over yet though as Dave Tyrell, with his third of the day, halved the deficit. Could they beat Ian Channing in the Legends of the Vale goal to take this game into penalties? The Legends keeper had been in fine form today with 3 clean sheets and 3 penalty saves. He was beaten once in this final but would not be beaten a second time and with that Legends of the Vale had their victory. Final score, 2-1.

For Bure Park Old Boys it was disappointment to fall just short for the third time in a Plate Final at our events. For now they had to be content with Runners-Up medals but maybe it will be winners medals and trophies waiting for them next time.

We leave the Plate competition for today though by celebrating our winners – huge congratulations to Legends of the Vale! Enjoy your victory.