Hampshire-based telecoms and IT business Onecom have won the Southern Regional Finals of The Big Goal, run by the Street Soccer Foundation and hosted alongside Brentford FC Community Sports Trust at Gunnersbury Park Sports Hub, West London on Friday, April 11th.
In the final, Onecom beat last year’s winners Focus Group with a fine brace from Product Manager Ross Oulton, a former Northampton Town FC apprentice. Onecom were undefeated across the entire tournament scoring 11 goals and only conceding three.
Afterwards CEO Martin Flick commented:
“Seeing the industry come together with Keith Mabbutt from The Street Soccer Foundation, Terry O’Brien from Giacom and Nigel Sergent from Comms Dealer was enough for us because the initiative they have launched is changing the lives of disadvantaged young people across the country. Winning the southern regionals was the icing on the cake and we can’t wait for the finals at St George’s Park in September.”
In scorching heat, the games were played with passion and sportsmanship, reflected by Zenzero, who lifted the Spirt of the Tournament Award after losing to Giacom in a penalty shoot-out in the Plate final.
CEO Michael Bateman was understandably disappointed but was full of praise for the tournament:
“There was good spirit and friendly rivalry from all the teams, and it was great to see so many supporting such a great cause. The Big Goal brings the industry together in a brilliant way but, more importantly, the way that disadvantaged young people engage through the football clubs at the Street Soccer Academies gives them a safe space where they can feel empowered. And hopefully the confidence they gain will translate into work skills they can take through into the tech industry.”
Giacom will now go through to the finals to be staged at St George’s Park – the Home of England Football – alongside Onecom, Focus Group, Sky Business (South) and Comms Dealer FC. All will now compete against qualifiers from the Northern Regionals being hosted by Sheffield Wednesday FC (April 25th) and the Midlands Regionals hosted by Derby County FC (May 9th).
The overall winners of the tournament will go on to represent England in the Corporate World Cup in Morocco in October.
CEO of Giacom, the headline sponsor, Terry O’Brien added:
“This was a fabulous day, and I’d like to thank the Street Soccer Foundation team and Brentford FC for putting together such a well organised and professional tournament. Obviously, we’re delighted to qualify for the finals after a real nail-biter and we now have the chance to go on and represent England in the Corporate World Cup. What an incentive that is for us and all the teams that qualify for the finals.”
All the winners at the Southern Regionals were:
Onecom – Southern Regional Champions
Giacom – Plate Winners
Thomas Ellis, Comms Dealer FC – Golden Boot Award
Lee Alyward, Focus Group – Golden Glove Award
Lewis Croal, Global 4 – Player of the Tournament
Zenzero – Spirit of the Tournament Award
Owain Heal, Zenzero – World’s Smallest Goal Award!
We are thrilled to announce that the venues for the Regional Finals and National Final have been locked in for this year’s national The Big Goal 5-a-side football tournament.
Thanks to our partnership with FIFCO and the Corporate World Cup, this year’s winners of our Big Goal five-a-side football tournament will go on to represent England in the Corporate World Cup in Morocco.
