Birmingham Walking Football Club entered two teams into this year’s Dick Kerr Ladies Cup held at UCLan, Preston on a very hot Sunday 8th July. This was the second year this 6-a-side competition has been held with last year’s being the very first national women’s walking football tournament.
Our Over 40s squad of 7, comprised of Caroline Reid, Truly Griffin, Allison Wayley, Lorraine Robinson, Kelly O’Donnell, Sonya Compton and Alexa Davies, who competed with six other teams in a league format with the top four qualifying for the final playoffs. Birmingham opened with a 5-1 victory against Lancashire Law School and this was followed by a 0-0 draw with Newcastle United (last year’s winners) and a 1-1 draw against Bolton Ambassadors. The morning’s final game saw us run out 7-0 victors against Poolfoot Belles, leaving us in a strong position for a playoff place but with Alexa’s ankle swollen badly. The injury meant she could play no further part and the squad was reduced to a bare 6 with no substitutes for the remaining games and our final two league games after lunch to be played back-to-back.
However, Birmingham were victorious in both games – a 3-0 victory against Sheffield United and a feisty 1-0 win against Phoenix. This saw us complete our programme in second place overall on goal difference and with a semi-final against Phoenix, who finished third, as our reward!
Birmingham went on to win this hard-fought semi-final against Phoenix 2-0 which meant a place in the final against Newcastle United who were defending champions. Birmingham’s Kelly O’Donnell scored first but Newcastle came back to equalise minutes later. Newcastle then scored again following a free kick move which allowed their leading goal scorer a long range shot. Caroline was unsighted by defending players and the ball flew into the net giving Newcastle the lead. Birmingham pressed hard for the remainder of the game and Caroline made some incredible saves to prevent Newcastle increasing their lead but it was not to be. Birmingham finished as Runners up.
