Plate Semi-Final time and things were getting interesting. First up was Kings Old Boys versus Deportivo. Both had overcome tough Quarter-Finals to reach this stage with Kings Old Boys defeating Team Also Ran 2-1 and Deportivo overcoming Panteras 1-0.

Deportivo were the form team of the two having won three games in a row and they were certainly finding form at the right time. Kings Old Boys form had been a little bit up and down but over the years we'd seen they were a match for anybody on their day.

Both teams went at it but half-time came and went with no score, 0-0. Full-time also came and went still with no score, 0-0. The teams would have to rely on their penalty taking technique to reach the Plate Final.

After the first round of penalties we were still without a goal. Then finally a breakthrough as Deportivo lead 1-0 after the second round of penalties. Deportivo needed one successful spot kick to go through but they couldn't manage it. Kings Old Boys converted and we were all level again at 1-1. We now had sudden death penalties – Deportivo scored, Kings Old Boys failed to convert and it was Deportivo who were through to the Plate Final.

It was game over for Kings Old Boys in their pursuit of being the first team to successfully defend a Plate win. There would be a new Valencia Fives Plate winner this year and we look forward to seeing all members of the Kings Old Boys squad on their next adventure…..wherever those travels may take them.

The second Semi-Final was an encounter between Club Tropicana Drinks FC and The Mavericks. Whilst the competitors in the first Semi-Final had both qualified through tough Quarter-Finals the teams in this second Semi-Final had seemingly qualified with greater ease (4-1 for Club Tropicana Drinks FC, 4-0 for The Mavericks).

Kings Old Boys and Deportivo had served up plenty of drama with the penalty shoot – could these two teams match it? In a word, yes.

At the end of normal time the two teams were locked together at 1-1 thanks to two men who had so far had a great day in front of goal. Mark Frampton scored his 6th goal of the tournament for Club Tropicana Drinks FC and Manish Madhvani scored his 10th goal of the tournament for The Mavericks. Madhvani was now level with FC Miracle's Laszlo Zsolt in the race for the Top Goalscorer prize.

The penalty shoot out followed a similar pattern to the first Semi-Final. Both teams missed their first penalties. In the second round of penalties it was the away-named team (The Mavericks) who took the lead but then conceded the advantage in Round 3 as the teams finished 1-1 to go into sudden death penalties. This is where the similarities ended though as rather than the away team progressing in the first round of sudden death it was the home team on this occasion and it was therefore Club Tropicana Drinks FC who would progress.

We sadly had to say adios to The Mavericks who have already declared an interest in competing in the 2013 Barcelona Fives so we look forward to seeing them all again then.