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The Adam Tennant Memorial Match: Spa Athletic
4-0 Kirk Deighton.
"Adam would have been proud," commented Kirk
Deighton player manager Neil Bould after the match, which was staged as a
remembrance for a true family man.
There is not doubt that Adam Tennant would have
been proud of the large contingent of players and friends that turned up in
Starbeck whose lives were enriched by him.
His death last year in Harrogate and District
League tie between the two teams, sent shockwaves around the community that
had a lost a popular, married family man of three.
This was a match that was true to the nitty-gritty
Sunday league standard in driving rain.
So bad was the rain, that the match only lasted
one half. That one half of football however was enough to symbolise
true sportsmanship and professionalism, two skills that the man of the
trophy set upon his life.
A large number of players, past and present, made
up the Spa Squad, speaking up the volume of how highly Adam was regarded
within his football club. Those players who were on the field for the
first half made sure they held that respect with a superb first half
performance.
Spa took the lead after just one minute with Dave
Parry slotting past Nick Lancaster in the Deighton goal in a one-on-one
situation. Just minutes later, Spa doubled their lead with Andrew
Dakes finishing home superbly in the box as heavy rain ferociously pebbled
down on the pitch.
With the first half already halfway, Dakes got his
second of the match with an easy shot into the net after a good passing move
left Deighton bewildered.
Spa continued to put the pressure on with Dakes
desperate to get his hat trick, forcing a good save by Lancaster.
The striker was also unluckily caught off side on
a few occasions as Athletic kept the pressure on. That pressure
however took its test as the qualify of the football worsened due to the
pitch being overcome by the worst conditions of the season.
Although Deighton dominated possession in the
latter part of the half Spa came to life again as Gerard Berkeley made it
4-0 with a comfortable effort going past the keeper in the box. This
was the last notable point of the game as referee for the day, Raymond Pike,
put a halt to the match due to the weather. Football had lost which
was s fitting conclusion, as there was clearly only one man who had won.
"It was just great for both sides to get together
for this match," said Kirk Feighton player manager Neil Bould in the
dressing room after the game.
"Adam would have been proud of today and I'm sure
his family will be as well."
The event helped raise funds for Cardiac Risk in
the Young. £1,180 was raised for Cardiac Risk in the Young at Adam Tennant's
Memorial Trophy.
Despite the weather the main objective of
celebrating Adam's life and raising money for charity was achieved and an
enjoyable day was had by all who attended.
Spa Athletic would like to thank Harrogate Railway
FC, Kirk Deighton FC Ken Welford, The Harrogate Advertiser, Stray FM,
officials Gordon Coleman and Ray Pyke and everyone who turned up on the day
to give their support
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