Team BTC sent their best 11 footballers down to Plymouth to compete in the Association of Colleges (AoC) Sport South West Regional Tournament, aiming to win the competition and be rewarded with a place in Nottingham, competing at the National Championships.

Team BTC found themselves in a very challenging group, facing colleges Yeovil, SGS, Exeter, Cornwall, and Strode. Despite the daunting challenge, Team BTC qualified for the quarter finals with four wins, one draw, no goals conceded and beating the eventual winners (Exeter) 1 – 0.

The tournament began with a difficult fixture against SGS which eventually finished 1 – 0 thanks to a long range effort that looped over the goalkeeper’s head with two minutes remaining. The hard work out of possession really setting the standard for the rest of competition. Team BTC went on to beat Exeter and Strode 1 – 0, Cornwall 3 – 0 and drawing 0 – 0 with the finalists Yeovil in a hard fought contest.

Richard Huish were drawn in the quarter finals and Team BTC made it really difficult for themselves when they finally went through to the semi-final after winning 9 – 8 on penalties! Josh Evans scored on the stroke of half time to give the men in orange a 1 – 0 advantage going into the interval. However, they found themselves going into a penalty shoot-out following a routine tap in from close range following Liam Kingston’s crossbar being rattled from distance. Two penalties were missed by either side which took the shootout into sudden death. Kingston was the hero, saving Huish’s penalty which took his side into the semi-final to play Yeovil.

The semi-final was a difficult contest against a Yeovil side who had brushed teams a side throughout the competition. They took the lead midway through the first period, scoring from close range following Kingston’s save. No defender from Team BTC followed the runner to prevent the goal. On the stroke of half time, the referee surprised everyone from both Team BTC and Yeovil College by awarding a penalty kick to Yeovil. The spot kick was routinely put away for a 2 – 0 lead going into the interval. Chasing the game TEAM BTC changed formation and began to put Yeovil under pressure with some good opportunities. Another long ball clearance from Kingston lobbed the Yeovil keeper to take the game to 2 – 1. Despite the surge for an equaliser, Yeovil countered and smashed home their third goal of the game to take themselves into the final.

Dan Wright, Team BTC Football Coach said,

“It was a day to be really proud of the players we have at Bridgwater & Taunton College. The entire squad played its part in a challenging competition which we are not familiar with – playing seven a side, narrow pitches and limited time. The boys adapted well and were tactically brilliant. Myself and Jamie are extremely proud and cannot wait for Monday morning’s training session and our fixture on Wednesday.”