St Christopher's Cup 2007

31 August 2007

This year's St Christopher's Cup was the most thrilling and competitive yet, featuring some outstanding performances and a nail-biting final, won by Bridge Close.

The annual cross-organisational five-a-side football tournament took place at Brixton's Ferndale Recreation Centre this month, and was an exciting day for spectators and players alike.

The atmosphere was good, even as the tension mounted in the semi-finals and final. The standards of football were higher this year than ever, with teams made up of staff and service users, men, women and children representing St Christopher's services across the British Isles.

Last year's winners, Lewisham, were confident of building on their success, and proudly turned up in professional-looking football kits, sponsored by their local police force. They made it through to the semi-final, which they lost to the Isle of Man staff team. As a consolation, Lewisham won the award for most sporting team.

Bridge close won the other semi, against Greenwich. They then went on to win a thrilling final against the Isle of Man staff. It was a much more closely-run thing than the 5-2 final score suggests.

The tournament's top scorer was Bobby from Bridge Close with 18 goals, followed by Conall Hughes from the Isle of Man, who scored 10. The most spectacular goal of the tournament was scored by Lawrence, a service user playing as guest striker for the head office team.

This magnificent celebration of the wealth of diversity and sporting talent of St Christopher's staff and service users was greatly enjoyed by all who took part, as players and as spectators.