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On Thursday, 26th September, Vulcan Seals hosted our annual charity football tournament in collaboration with Metlase at the Transport Ground, Meadowhead, Sheffield. This year's event was once again filled with excitement, camaraderie, and a shared commitment to raising funds for a great cause.
The Build-Up: Ready for the challenge
Prior to the tournament, following last year’s inspired run to the semi-finals, we were quietly confident of going all the way. However, the team was dealt a body blow when goalkeeper Mick Barnes abruptly withdrew from the squad on advice from his significant other, due to still suffering both the physical and mental effects of his broken finger during last year’s tournament. Thankfully, additional signings were secured to bolster the ranks, with Spencer Reynolds, Toby Vogelberg, and Simon Hussey joining Rob Pearson, Andrew Thompson, Dan Davis, Jordan Voyse, Jamie Butt, and Elliott Groves in the squad.
Kickoff: Facing the storm
After several meetings to discuss tactics and all scenarios, the day finally arrived. However, Vulcan Seals’ management team did not draft plans for tactics when playing in a category 2 storm, so we were initially blown away by the challenging conditions. Nevertheless, our squad showed great character and poise, starting the tournament well with a 2-2 draw with CBE+ Ltd thanks to two sublime Toby Vogelberg debut goals.
Battling the elements
As temperatures dropped and rain increased, the consistency of our team’s performances sadly suffered. Usual top marksman Rob Pearson was an unfortunate victim of a late-night sniper rifle test shot when bearing down on goal against Advanced Manufacturing, resulting in our all-time top goalscorer being dramatically sandwiched between several opposition players. Last year’s midfield engine Jordan Voyse switched to ankles made of glass this year, which reduced his minutes significantly.
However, this meant Jordan could stand on the sidelines and cheer on Jamie Butt, who signed off from Vulcan Seals in some style with several defense-splitting runs garnering him multiple chances. Yet, for all his excellent work, Jamie could not find the net, with his frustration eventually boiling over to the point of shooting from an indirect freekick to try and score. It still went over the bar.
Highlights and heartbreak
Our 3rd game against Metlase was a much-improved performance. A piece of genius gave Vulcan Seals the lead, with Elliott Groves making up for last year’s saved penalty by scoring directly from a corner when spotting the keeper moving off his line. As our team tried to hold on, figurately and literally in Dan Davis' case, who did his best impression of Diego Maradona’s hand of god, Metlase turned the game around to win 2-1 despite some cat-like reflexes from Spencer Reynolds in goal, who definitely adhered to the rules and stayed inside his penalty box at all times.
We thought that a point was rescued late on, with late substitute Simon Hussey dribbling his way through rapidly thanks to his streamlined attire. However, Simon managed a feat matched by none of his teammates; striking the ball only for it to literally not move, bringing a regrettable end to a great piece of play. Even our team’s equivalent to James Milner, Andrew Thompson, scoring against Pressure Technologies could not stem the flow. As a result, we did not contest the final as hoped.
The Grand final: A worthy winner
The grand final was between Advanced Manufacturing and Pressure Technologies, who both played some excellent football over the course of the evening. After a hard-fought contest, Advanced Manufacturing ran out 1-0 winners and were presented the trophy by Vulcan Seals founder Gerry Quinn. Thankfully, this was done back indoors with a full bar and BBQ well underway.
Supporting a great cause
The event was a great success, raising over £600 for the Sheffield Cathedral Schools Singing Programme through the Master Cutler’s Challenge. Vulcan Seals extends a heartfelt thank you to all the local companies for their participation and fundraising efforts.
A special thanks to Louise Ebdon and Amy Harrison for their dedication in organizing such a fantastic event. Their hard work ensured a memorable day for everyone involved.