North East Lincolnshire MIND Charity Football Tournament

After losing in the final for the last two years we finally won!

There were a few changes to the team this year, in came goalkeeper Tom Jackson and midfielder Jack Stevens.

Tom proved a great pick, commanded his area well and only conceded one goal. Jack was a bit shaky before the start but the nerves soon went and he showed us what he is all about and proved a great addition, he even got in a no-look pass, a tribute to his Scunthorpe hero Ivan Toney.

Managing Partner, Kevin Hopper, showed his capabilities in the heart of the defence once again, proving difficult to get around. Manager, Mike Hall, fresh from Docks Fest eased himself in and soon started playing his trademark long balls that were well received on the pitch behind us. Partner, Adam Millson and Ethan Scott, the team superstars, ran the midfield and were both on the scoresheet. James Lilley and Rhys Smith provided the firepower up top, both were keen to advise each other in between games and then do the complete opposite of what they had said the game after. Manager, Alex Shreeve played crucial roles in defence and midfield and stepped up for the penalties at the end.

We were drawn in a tough group but managed to push on to the knock-out stages with 2 wins and a draw seeing us go head-to-head with Card industry professionals. After a steady start, we soon got going and triumphed 2-0.

The final was a tense affair with few chances, both teams were tired and in the end, we had to settle for penalties.

Ethan and Alex produced 2 cold finishes. After a quick glance at his water bottle to gather information Tom stood tall and saved our opponent's second penalty brilliantly. This allowed Adam the chance to secure our win, with a casual stroll to the spot and a calm finish, the trophy was ours.

Big thank you to Wilkin Chapman for organising the event for an amazing charity. We look forward to showing our support next year and defending the title!