Venue: UEA Sportspark, Norwich
Report:

The day started off badly, with a number of people being unable to get out of bed in time and some hasty phone calls made to rearrange the fixtures and negotiate a later start time (thanks Lucy B). However, the snow held off and the journey from Norwich to Cambridge was quicker than expected. 

The tournament was arranged into two pools of seven teams each with each team playing the rest in the pool (in 14min matches). After this teams played the equally placed team in the other pool in a final play-off to determine final positions.

City where in a very Norwich-based pool, which includes Norwich Ice, Norwich Knights, and 2 teams each from UEA and Norwich City. Everyone played really well, with some good results (7-1 and 6-1 against UEA 3 and 4), only losing one game (the first game against Norwich Ice), and the goals being shared around the team.

However, in the final group game disaster struck with Simon dislocating his finger courtesy of his defender ‘going through him’ to stop the ball coming into their half. This resulted in a quick trip to A&E for Simon and Cameron.

City finished 2nd in their pool which meant a 3rd/4th place play-off against UEA oldboys (which included Lucy B in their numbers). Despite a valiant effort, and 2 goals from Rob W, City ended up losing this match and finishing 4th overall.

Leaving Rob W and Lucy B in Norwich to enjoy the delights of the tournament social the rest of us started travelling back. However, even that had its trials and tribulations, with John’s car suspension going and him, Mel and Hannah not making it back to Cambridge till about 10pm.

We finished the day (once Mel and Hannah had got back from their trip round Norfolk in a recovery van, and Simon from being bandaged up at Cambridge A&E) with drinks, nibbles and Articulate. What we learnt from Articulate was that the girls are better than the boys (they won the first game and Lucy and Jen the second), that secretary bird is an ‘interesting’ word to describe and that Cameron does a poor impression of a Sea Serpent (sorry Cameron but it really did look like an elephant).

Thanks to all the refs and drivers, and to John for organising.

POOL GAMES (and scorers)

Norwich Ice    1 v 0    Cambridge City 

Lucy H, Jen, Antony, Yan
Mel, Hannah, Rob W, Cameron

Cambridge City    2 v 1    Norwich Knights

Lucy B, Nicki, Simon M (1), Cameron
Lucy H, Jen, Antony (1), John

Cambridge City    3 v 2    Norwich City II

Mel, Hannah, Rob W (1), Yan (1)
Lucy B (1), Nicki, Simon M, John

Cambridge City    7 v 1    UEA III

Lucy H (3), Jen, Cameron, Simon M (1)
Mel, Hannah (1), John, Rob W (2)

Cambridge City     3 v 3     Norwich City III

Lucy B (1), Nicki, Yan, Antony (1)
Lucy H, Jen, Cameron, Rob W (1)

Cambridge City    6 v 1    UEA IV

Mel (1), Hannah (2), John, Antony
Lucy B (2), Nicki, Yan (1), Simon

Final Pool Position – 2nd

PLAY-OFF GAME (3rd v 4th playoff)

Cambridge City    3 v 5    UEA Oldboys

Lucy H/Jen, Nicki, Rob W (2), Yan
Mel, Hannah (1), John/Cam, Antony

Final Position – 4th

SCORERS

Rob W – 6
Lucy B – 4
Hannah – 4
Lucy H – 3
Simon M – 2
Yan – 2
Antony – 2
Mel – 1

MISSED PENALTIES:

Lucy B – 2
Rob W - 1

Antony Proietti (aka ghost photographer)