For four of the six teams tt was all to play for as we entered the final round of games. So, what was to decide going into the fifth and final fixture?

Goldsmith Williams: Group A winners regardless.

Wafty Crankers: Finish 2nd if they beat Real Apsley and Real Apsley avoid defeat to DHL Prague. If DHL Prague win then Wafty Crankers will finish 2nd if they win and maintain a better goal difference than their Czech opponents. A draw would be good enough if DHL Prague and Real Apsley also draw. Defeat would mean the Plate.

DHL Prague: Win and finish 2nd if Wafty Crankers fail to beat Real Apsley. If Wafty Crankers beat Real Apsley then DHL Prague would need to win and improve their goal difference by +3 compared to Wafty Crankers. Defeat would mean the Plate. A draw would be good enough if Real Apsley beat Wafty Crankers by less than two goals.

Real Apsley: From their final two games, three points or less would mean the Plate semi-finals. Four or more would mean the Cup semi-finals.

Lucky Leprechauns: Beat Goldsmith Will iams and hope Real Apsley only get 1 point (or less) from their final two games. Or, if Real Apsley draw their last two games Lucky Leprechauns would need to beat Goldsmith Will iams by 7 goals.

Kehar Club: 6th place regardless.

The first fixture to fit into the equation in the three-way fight for the Cup was DHL Prague versus Real Apsley. It was first blood to the Czech side as they took the lead through captain Will McCollum to go 1-0 up. Real Apsley fought back strongly though and were back on level terms thanks to a third tournament goal from Gareth Rigby. The third goal in the game would prove to be decisive not just for this fixture but in the overall outcome of the group. It came from the boot of none other than Lee Carter who took his personal tally for the competition to 10. A goal that consigned DHL Prague to the Plate competition and with it their chances of emulating (and surpassing) their runners-up spot at the 2007 Prague Trophy was gone. Real Apsley's victory meant they pulled level on points with Wafty Crankers in what was now a two-horse race for the prized second position.

Before that though was the Lucky Leprechauns against Goldsmith Will iams. With Real Apsley beating DHL Prague they knew they would finish 5 th and so could relax and relish the challenge of taking on this year's ‘boys to beat' They put up a pretty good fight too and took an awful lot of credit out of the game. In a 10-goal extravaganza the league leaders came out on top but only just as they took victory 6-4. Special mention to Mike Hughes and Adam Spicer who scored a brace and four goals respectively. A second hat-trick for Steve McNamara and a third tournament goal for Thomas Jennings of Lucky Leprechauns. A great tournament for McNamara who finished up with 9 goals from 5 games.

So, the last group game was a befitting struggle between two teams battling it our for their place in the Cup. The game was effectively a Cup quarter-final with the losers having the consolation of the Plate. Wafty Crankers had the better goal difference and as such a draw would be good enough to see them through. The game was a close one throughout and when the referee brought down the final curtain on Group A it would be the odd goal in seven to decide it. The usual suspects, James Rowland (2) and Neill Fraser had put Wafty Crankers in a strong position but four goals from Real Apsley's goal machine Lee Carter had the final say and it was Real Apsley who took the coveted 2 nd place and with it a Cup semi-final berth.