Our Over 60’s Blues walking footballers took part in the Kent FA Tournament on Saturday, the County’s equivalent to the FA Cup. The winners gain automatic entry into the National Walking Football Cup Finals.
We started off with comfortable 4-0 win over Whitstable with goals from Nigel Bragg (2), Kelvin Champion and Steve Elliott. Our second match was much tougher against a very well organised Ramsgate team who had just held Bexley to a draw. Our goalkeeper Martin Brindley wasn’t really troubled but the Ramsgate defence was very strong and repelled everything we threw at them. Finally, a slip by the defender let Champion slide a low shot past the unsighted keeper to give us the points we needed to qualify as Group winners.
Our final group game was a very tetchy affair against the National Champions Bexley who were crammed with current England Internationals. It was a close game but Bexley found a way past Brindley to give them a 1-0 win.
In the semi finals we were drawn against Ethelbert Wanderers, who like their East Kent colleagues Ramsgate, carried little threat going forward but defended for their lives. Their goalkeeper had an outstanding game and kept us out. The game went to penalties and our guys scored every time and with Brindley making a stunning save to deny Ethelbert we were through to the final.
Once again we were up against Bexley and, already without regular goalkeeper and Player of the Year, Mike Hurn, we had to substitute Brindley as he injured his hand saving the penalty. Alan Kane took over and put in great performance. Once again a very slow and cagey game with both teams recognised for the ability to retain possession for long periods. Both defences were strong and it was a miskicked shot which took a deflection to give Bexley their winner. They maintain their many years’ unbeaten run and held aloft the trophy yet again.
The Angels, though, had pushed them hard. We had a number of first team regulars missing and our performance shows that the strength in depth is building and we can compete with the best. We are now recognised as a force to be reckoned within Kent Walking Football.
Report by Glyn Hollands
Back Row (L-R) Glyn Hollands, Nigel Bragg, Kelvin Champion, Steve Rice
Front Row (L-R) Gary Roden, Martin Brindley, Alan Kane, Steve Elliott
