MIDDLESEX FA WALKING FOOTBALL COUNTY CUPS ARE A RESOUNDING SUCCESS
This season’s tournament took place at Rectory Park on Sunday last, 2nd June. The weather was unexpectedly kind and we had a dry and bright but not uncomfortably warm day.
A splendid day’s football was enjoyed by everyone involved. The time sped by as the crowded programme of matches moved seamlessly to its conclusion, under the expert supervision of Andy Perren, the Middlesex FA’s Participation Development Officer.
The 8 referees contributed to the success of the event, which they helped to ensure ran to its timetable. Their specialist knowledge and experience in refereeing this form of the game was invaluable and their handling was perfect for the occasion.
The tournament consisted of 2 separate competitions, one for teams of players over 50 years of age and one for those over 60, which ran concurrently on the 8 available pitches.
13 teams had entered the over 50’s competition but London Peruvians did not show up. 9 had entered the over 60’s competition. Both competitions were initially played in 2 groups, in a league format. In the group matches, 3 points were awarded for a win and 1 for a draw. The group winners and runners-up contested the Cup semi-finals and the 3rd and 4th placed sides competed for the Plate.
The matches were played under the Walking Football Laws of the Game and were of 15 minutes duration (7.5 minutes each way). They were 6-a-side matches, with up to 6 rolling substitutes permitted.
No extra time was played. Drawn matches in the knock-out stages were decided by a penalty shoot-out, initially consisting of 3 kicks per team and then by sudden death pairs of kicks, if needed.
50s COMPETITION
GROUP A
London Irish and Bounds Green dominated this group. London Irish finished top by winning 4 of their 5 matches and drawing the other one against second placed Bounds Green, who were also undefeated. Bounds Green also drew their game against Wealdstone. Barnet Orange and Staines Town, each on 5 points, qualified for the Plate semi-finals.
The results were:
| Staines Town Strollers | 1 | Barnet Orange | 1 |
| Wealdstone | 0 | London Irish | 2 |
| Uxbridge Amblers | 0 | Bounds Green | 2 |
| London Irish | 2 | Barnet Orange | 0 |
| Wealdstone | 1 | Uxbridge Amblers | 2 |
| Staines Town Strollers | 0 | Bounds Green | 1 |
| London Irish | 1 | Uxbridge Amblers | 0 |
| Staines Town Strollers | 0 | Wealdstone | 0 |
| Barnet Orange | 0 | Bounds Green | 2 |
| London Irish | 5 | Staines Town Strollers | 0 |
| Uxbridge Amblers | 0 | Barnet Orange | 2 |
| Bounds Green | 1 | Wealdstone | 1 |
| Bounds Green | 1 | London Irish | 1 |
| Barnet Orange | 1 | Wealdstone | 1 |
| Uxbridge Amblers | 0 | Staines Town Strollers | 2 |
GROUP B
Goal difference separated 3 teams at the top of the group, who each recorded 3 wins, a draw and a defeat. Cheshunt moved into top spot in the penultimate match of the group with a 5-1 win against Barnet Red. However, a win for either Hemel Hempstead or Watford in the final group match, against each other, would have put the winners ahead of Cheshunt but that game ended in a 1-1 draw. Watford finished 2nd with Hemel Hempstead 3rd. Tottenham Hotsteppers finished in 4th place.
The results were:
| Barnet Red | 0 | Tottenham Hotsteppers | 1 |
| Watford | 1 | Cheshunt | 0 |
| Cheshunt | 1 | Hemel Hempstead | 0 |
| Tottenham Hotsteppers | 0 | Cove | 0 |
| Hemel Hempstead | 1 | Cove | 0 |
| Watford | 0 | Tottenham Hotsteppers | 1 |
| Tottenham Hotsteppers | 0 | Hemel Hempstead | 1 |
| Cove | 3 | Barnet Red | 0 |
| Watford | 2 | Barnet Red | 0 |
| Cheshunt | 2 | Cove | 0 |
| Tottenham Hotsteppers | 0 | Cheshunt | 0 |
| Cove | 0 | Watford | 2 |
| Barnet Red | 0 | Hemel Hempstead | 2 |
| Barnet Red | 1 | Cheshunt | 5 |
| Hemel Hempstead | 1 | Watford | 1 |
THE KNOCK-OUT STAGES
THE CUP
Both finalists came from Group B. Watford overcame the previously unbeaten London Irish in the first semi- final and group winners, Cheshunt beat Bounds Green in the second semi-final.
Watford had beaten Cheshunt 1-0 in their opening group match and the final was even tighter. It finished goalless before Cheshunt triumphed 3-2 in the penalty shoot-out.
Results:
| 1st Semi-final | Watford | 2 | London Irish | 0 | |
| 2nd Semi-final | Cheshunt | 2 | Bounds Green | 1 | |
| Final | Cheshunt | 0 | Watford | 0 | Penalties 3-2 |
Cup Winners: Cheshunt
THE PLATE
Both finalists also came from Group B. In the final Hemel Hempstead beat Tottenham Hotsteppers by the odd goal in three, having beaten them by a single goal in their group match.
Results:
| 1st semi-final | Tottenham Hotsteppers | 2 | Barnet Orange | 0 |
| 2nd semi-final | Hemel Hempstead | 2 | Staines Town Strollers | 0 |
| Final | Hemel Hempstead | 2 | Tottenham Hotsteppers | 1 |
Plate Winners: Hemel Hempstead
The Referees in charge of the 50s tournament were Costas Tanti, Steve Harrington, Gregg Dalmar, Rob Wilks and Damien O’Reilly.
60s COMPETITION
GROUP A
Godalming won this group of 4 teams with 7 points. They had a goalless draw in their first match against Watford and then won the other 2. Barnet Black/Ambers’ opening game victory over Cheshunt Ravens and a goalless draw against Watford in their final match was enough to put them in the runners up position. Watford finished in 3rd place having recorded scoreless draws in all 3 of their group games. Cheshunt Ravens’ single point put them into 4th spot.
The results were:
| Cheshunt Ravens | 0 | Barnet Black/Amber | 2 |
| Godalming | 0 | Watford | 0 |
| Watford | 0 | Cheshunt Ravens | 0 |
| Barnet Black/Amber | 0 | Godalming | 3 |
| Watford | 0 | Barnet Black/Amber | 0 |
| Cheshunt Ravens | 0 | Godalming | 2 |
GROUP B
Uxbridge Amblers were the clear winners of this 5 team group. They won all 4 of their games without conceding a goal. Feltham were runners up with 5 points. Staines Town Strollers and London Irish, each with 4 points moved into the Plate semi-finals.
The results were:
| Barnet Blue | 0 | Staines Town Strollers | 2 |
| Feltham | 1 | London Irish | 0 |
| London Irish | 1 | Barnet Blue | 1 |
| Staines Town Strollers | 0 | Uxbridge Amblers | 2 |
| Uxbridge Amblers | 2 | London Irish | 0 |
| Barnet Blue | 0 | Feltham | 0 |
| Feltham | 0 | Uxbridge Amblers | 1 |
| London Irish | 1 | Staines Town Strollers | 0 |
| Staines Town Strollers | 0 | Feltham | 0 |
| Uxbridge Amblers | 2 | Barnet Blue | 0 |
THE KNOCK-OUT STAGES
THE CUP
Both semi-finals went according to the form previously shown and the group winners progressed to the final. However, Uxbridge Amblers required a penalty shoot-out to overcome Barnet Black/Amber.
A very keenly contested final also needed a penalty shoot-out to separate the teams.
Results:
| 1st Semi-final | Godalming | 2 | Feltham | 1 | |
| 2nd Semi-final | Uxbridge Amblers | 0 | Barnet Black/Amber | 0 | penalties 5-4 |
| Final | Uxbridge Amblers | 0 | Godalming | 0 | penalties 2-1 |
Cup Winners: Uxbridge Amblers
THE PLATE
The finalists both came from group A with both semi-finals finishing 1-0. Watford and Cheshunt Ravens each scored their first goals of the competition in their victories against London Irish and Staines Town Strollers respectively. Watford won a comparatively free-scoring final.
Results:
| 1st Semi-final | Watford | 1 | London Irish | 0 |
| 2nd Semi-final | Cheshunt Ravens | 1 | Staines Town Strollers | 0 |
| Final | Watford | 2 | Cheshunt Ravens | 1 |
Plate Winners: Watford
The Referees in charge of the 60s matches were Richard Andrews, Harry Day and Peter Harris.
The trophies were presented to the winning teams and individual mementoes were presented to the winning players and to the referees at the end of an enjoyable but exhausting days football, by the Guest of Honour, Middlesex FA Vice Chairman Doug Douglas, who is a Walking Footballer himself.
Report: Jim Taylor
Photography: Chris Benn