They say that lightening does not strike twice but it did at the second weekend of the Summer Festival of Football sponsored by Wilkins Vardy Estate Agents. 
 
A New Tupton Ivanhoe FC team has never won their home tournament, the closest a team has come is being crowned runners-up, would this be the weekend? 

Saturday 25th June – U9s Tournament

Saturday morning, we welcomed U9’s teams from across the region to the recreation ground to take part in the competition sponsored by Future Mini Mix. 

Three Tupton teams were taking part, and all fought hard in their groups. The Gold team went into the final fixture needing a 4-0 win to progress. They controlled the game and created chances, but the 1-0 win was not enough to see them progress. Unbeknown at the time a theme for the weekend was being set on Pitch 2. The U9’s Black finished level on points, goal difference and head-to-head. Penalties would decide who would go through! Narrowly beaten in the shootout it was not to be Tupton’s day. 

Sporting Markfield Foxes went on to win the final. The team from Leicestershire enjoyed their day and promised they would be back to defend their crown in 2023. 

Sunday 25th June – U10’s and U13’s tournaments

Sunday started with the U10’s tournament sponsored by Focus Foods. This year’s under 10’s competition had two Tupton teams taking part. On pitch one the team battled to their best tournament performance keeping numerous clean sheets along the way. T

The celebrations and the happiness of these players and coaches on the day is what grassroots football should be all about. 

Over on pitch two the other Tupton team had worked their way through the group and through to the semi-finals. Some inspired goalkeeping secured them a place in the final through a penalty shootout. Beaten finalists last year, was this going to be the year that a Tupton team lifted the crown?

The largest crowd of the day, so far, gathered on pitch one to cheer out New Tupton Ivanhoe FC and G3A Rangers. A keenly contested final finished all square, so we headed to penalties again. Nothing could sperate the sides as we went into sudden death. It was not to be for Tupton as G3A won the shoot out and celebrated winning this year’s under 10’s competition.

Would the U13’s bring home the Trophy? 

The afternoon session was the first 11 v 11 games, welcoming under 13’s teams to play in the competition sponsored by Tor Electrical and the final match ball by Mascot Management. 

If you asked many of the New Tupton Ivanhoe coaches before we started the tournament the club’s U13’s Gold were the most likely to win at the tournament following their league and cup successes this season. 
 
The U13’s Black were also taking part and competed in a tough group on pitch one, some fine play was not enough to see them make it through the group stages. 

Over on pitch 2 the Gold team had safely navigated the group stages and faced Ibstock Utd in the quarter finals. Ibstock took the lead and looked to be heading for victory with time running out. Ibstock conceded a clumsy free kick on the rugby club side of the pitch with seconds remaining. The excellently whipped free kick beat the goalkeeper to equalise with the last kick of the game! Tupton calmly went on to win the penalty shoot-out and head into the semi-finals. 

Following a comfortable win in the semi-finals for Tupton they would line up to face Springwell Storm. The two had been inseparable in the group stages, so was going to be an intriguing final. 

New Tupton Ivanhoe in the Final

The crowd and the atmosphere for this final was amazing, more reminiscent of a non-league football game than grassroots football. Both sets of parents cheering their teams on in a friendly and supportive manner. 

Not to be too cliché but it was a game of two halves. The first half was all Tupton, shots cleared off the line before finally taking the lead through another brilliant free kick. A lovely touch by the players running across to celebrate with the club secretary. 

At half time it felt like it was going to be Tupton’s year, in control and dominant. Springwell’s half time team talk must have done the trick though as in the second half they were the better team and deserved their equaliser. Once that went it, there was only one outcome we were heading to another penalty shootout to decide the champions. 
 
Both sides missed as the teams traded advantage, but Springwell held their nerve to triumph in the end. Congratulations to them for winning the U13’s Trophy. 

Thank you to everyone who took part

Well done to all the winners and thank you to all the teams that took part over the weekend at the Summer Festival of Football sponsored by Wilkins Vardy. 

For New Tupton Ivanhoe FC, the Summer Festival of Football hoodoo continues but we are proud of all our teams and how they performed throughout the tournament so far. Our U14’s and U16’s will be up next in the final weekend of the festival. 

Find out more about the New Tupton Ivanhoe FC Summer Festival of Football