Parents v Coaches 2

30 years of hurt (ok, 12 months, but it felt just as long) came to an end on Sunday when the Parents beat the coaches 5-4 to reclaim the trophy.

It was a massive turnout, from both players and spectators, as football came home to the hub that we call Mardale.

The build up to the match on social media had centred around the eligibility of Jack English and this was soon to turn into the "Jack English Final", but having got around the red tape by the fact that he had played for the Coaches last season without objection, the game kicked off with anticipation high for both teams.

The coaches had recruited heavily during the year and felt that this was their year. The parents, resembling a local boy band, had the biggest squad available to them for some years due to the high number of children at the club and selection had made sure that only the strongest had survived.

The game kicked off, and the coaches were immediately down to ten men, when it was realised that the Mr Cummings as manager had left his abacus at home and had only selected ten players to start. This was soon rectified and battle commenced.

The coaches took it to the parents and the pressure soon paid off, as they took a 1-0 lead through a sweet English strike into the top corner (ps. Sweet, English and strikes are never normally referred to in the same sentence.) The half carried on in much of the same vain and come half time, parents were 3-1 up and the trophy was being tied with red ribbons and the champagne was being ordered.

Half time saw several changes from the parents, and they came out all guns blazing, the quickly pulled a goal back and the fight back was on. It was end to end stuff but with 5 mins to go, the score was 4-3 to the coaches and panic had set in as the parents looked like they were going to edge it and by now were surely the better side.

It was now time for drastic measures, on came the rearguard, the brawn and muscle of the team to hold onto dear life. The parents continued to batter the goal, only kept out by the superb Coupe in goal. But suddenly a break, a flash of genius, a ball aiming for the top of the parents net and the crown celebrated. 5-3 to the parents, game over.

A fantastic day for all and a big thank you to all the parents for giving us that one final moment of glory before we hang up those boots and also for coming out and spectation on the day.

Football and the trophy have finally come home......