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 Team Also Ran and Kings Old Boys.

Kings Old Boys would go into this game hoping it would be the first of three fixtures on their way to retaining the Valencia Fives Plate crown. To date, no-one had ever successfully defended a Plate title in any of our European destinations so history perhaps beckoned for Kings Old Boys. Team Also Ran would be hoping to put a spanner in those particular works.

Team Also Ran had reached this stage in the 2011 Prague Masters and were looking to go at least one stage further on this occasion. They were unfortunate 12 months ago in the Czech Republic as they narrowly lost by just the one goal to eventual winners, Wafty Crankers. Sadly for them history would repeat itself as they lost this one narrowly by 2-1.

Paul O'Byrne was the man on the scoresheet for Team Also Ran but Kings Old Boys made progress courtesy of strikes from Paul Tucker and Mike Diprose. They would hope history would repeat itself with Team Also Ran losing to the Plate Winners again.

It was time to say farewell to Team Also Ran. Hopefully it will be third time lucky for them next time out to progress beyond the Plate Quarter-Finals.

The second Semi-Final saw Deportivo play Panteras – the final remaining Spanish team in the draw. Deportivo finished third in Group C and came into the game on a fine run of form having won their previous two fixtures scoring seven goals in the process.

Panteras were another form team though – they lost their first two games but then went three games unbeaten (1 win, 2 draws) so this game promised to be a belter between two teams on the up and up.

Deportivo took the early initiative when Mathew Foster scored his fourth goal of the tournament for his team to lead 1-0. Although the goal was scored early it was to be decisive as Deportivo defended their lead superbly and although Panteras did their best to get back on terms the goal they craved proved elusive. By the same token, Deportivo where unable to extend their lead and get a bit of breathing space. They wouldn't care though as the final whistle went and Deportivo were safely through. Panteras were out.

The final Quarter-Final was Gotti United versus The Mavericks. Like Club Tropicana Drinks FC, Gotti United were unlucky not to be in the Cup having lead Group D from Rounds 1 to 4 only to miss out at the final hurdle. The Mavericks had only lost the one game thus far and were very difficult to beat but too many draws had prevented them from further progress and making the Cup.

This was arguably the closest of all the Quarter-Finals on paper but on the pitch it proved to be the most one-sided…..in terms of scoreline anyway if not in general play. In fact you could say the teams were evenly matched on the pitch too but there was one man who made the difference.

That man was Manish Madhvani, he scored all four goals in the game taking his tally for the day to 9 – just one goal behind the current tournament top goalscorer. His goals powered his team, The Mavericks, through to the Semi-Finals.

Sadly for Gotti United their day on the pitch was over. They had started so well but their form had tailed off a little. They had a small squad so if they had a couple of subs and could have rotated their players a little we think they probably would have made the Cup and from there who knows. They had certainly proven they have what it takes to compete in a eurofootballfives.com tournament and maybe with this experience under their belts next time they can go further.