Courtesy: This is Gloucester


Futsal gold for Hartpury

Friday, March 20, 2009

HARTPURY COLLEGE landed gold at the National University Futsal Championships.

More than 5,000 students descended on Sheffield last week for the 2009 BUCS Championships.

After last year's penalty shoot-out defeat in the final, Hartpury took gold after two days of intense competition.
The team, drawn in a difficult group against Worcester, Hertfordshire and York, showed their credentials by coming from behind on a number of occasions.
They found themselves drawn against Stirling University in the quarter-finals and after taking a comfortable lead, slipped up to allow the opposition back in the game and went behind in the closing stages.

A final push saw them grab a winner with two seconds remaining to go through 8-7.

Hartpury were improving with every game and in the semi-final the team rectified all of their previous mistakes to put in a superb performance and cruise past Leeds Met 5-1, setting up a mouth watering finale with Bath University.

Hartpury when fell two goals behind and lost heroic keeper, Pierce Morrison, with a suspected fractured ankle.

Spurred on by the loss, Hartpury showed great passion and desire to get themselves back into the match.
Both sides were desperate for the victory but it was a goal from Jonathan Else in the dying moments that made the score 5-4 and crowned Hartpury National University Futsal champions.

In addition, Steve Davies received the top goal scorer award with a startling 12 in six matches, rounding off a magnificent championship for the Hartpury team.

Hartpury College Futsal manager Paul Tassell was delighted with the win and the attitude shown by the college's players.

"I am so proud of the team," said Tassell.
"They never accepted defeat and showed great heart, passion and desire to fight back on a number of occasions.
"In the midst of defeat, the boys demonstrated a fighting spirit and togetherness that is central to the Hartpury ethos and integral to its success."

In addition to Futsal, Hartpury competed in the Kukri Netball Western Conference Cup Final against Cardiff.

With a depleted squad, Hartpury worked hard but were eventually beaten 12-53 in Sheffield at the EISS arena.
Hartpury: Pierce Morrison, John-Paul Podvoiskis, Luke Buttery, Steve Davies, Jonathan Else, Marc Richards, Lee Molyneaux, Sean Seavill, Paul Casey, Harry Etheridge
Results: Group Stage: UWE Hartpury 4-3 Worcester University; UWE Hartpury 7-6 University of Hertfordshire; UWE Hartpury 3-1 University of York; Quarter final: UWE Hartpury 8-7 Stirling University; Semi Final: UWE Hartpury 5-1 Leeds Met Carnegie; Final: UWE Hartpury 5-4 Bath University.







Posted by Luca Ranocchiari --> luca.ranocchiari@futsalplanet.com