The 3rd SoS OSC Tournament was held on 10th September 2017, with the pre-tournament evening meal held in Don Amici’s restaurant. This year saw 12 Olds participating, with family members in attendance, traveling from as far a field as Venice [and Brentwood(!)].
The Players
Unfortunately, Adam couldn't make the event on the day, so Niefra moved to Group C, to make it 4 Olds in each group...
The games...
The group matches start...
...and Paulo and Niefra are ready to play…
Forza ragazzi!
Niefra stands on the raised platform to get easy reach over the 3 tiers of terracing - nessum problema!
Borto and JLR…
On the ‘Subbuteo and the Beast’ pitch it’s Borto on the attack, heading down the wing along the edge of Atlantica, towards Agrabah!
Gullseye and Sir Macci…
Always time for a quick chat when setting out your players in starting formation. In this instance Gullseye is asking Sir Macci if he will go easy on him. Sir Macci smiles and says yes of course...and then accidentally scores many goals!
The game gets under way…
Gullseye's defensive flick falls half an inch short... ?
That is all Sir Macci needs, and goes on the rampage. the camera was turned off at this point to avoid showing the grotesque carnage that ensued in Gullseye's defence about 3 and a half seconds later! ?
...you're welcome Gully ?
Maltz and Ivo28...
In the garden room on the Castle Ruins pitch.
At the beginning of the day Malts' concentration is 100% focused. He loses about 5% every hour due to showing far to much enjoyment and interest on everything else that is around, so Ivo28 has drawn the short straw in playing him first up...
Surrounded...
Malts appears to have the ball under siege at this point!
Distracting a player...
Fabio ‘Donald Crowhurst’ Bertola unaware that Borto is distracting the player on the end of the fingers in this pic.
The player?
That player is Niefra!
JLR and The Cat…
JLR needing to concentrate playing with Kev ‘The Cat’ Dyson…or is The Cat playing with JLR…(!)
Resting between games...
An unholy trio of Mestre Olds taking time out to watch a game being played in the Stadium of Fingers
Ivo and Gullseye...
Ivo has clearly cracked a joke to distract Gullseye while he builds up his attack. Gullseye falls for it, but if there’s a laugh to be had that always takes priority!
Camera operations...
Niefra - renowned for focus and vigilance in his camerawork!
The view...
Here’s what he is focused on…
In the shed...
Here we discover Ghigliotti09 and Borto having a day out at the seaside.
Borto is working out how to break down the Ghigliotti 'Christmas Tree' defence... ?
Great goal by Marco!
Borto was unsuccessful. Marco, intercepts, breaks away and scores!
Time and tide waits for no Borto! ?
The cup matches...
A couple of Scoundrels...
The games on the seaside pitch are relentless!
John joins Gullseye, who has recovered from the encounter with Sir Macci on the Don Bosco Allotments, and scores twice to advance to the final of the Scoundrels Cup.
Back to the Stadium of Fingers...
JLR seeing off an Ivo28 attack...
He moves down the pitch straight after this pic was taken and scores the only goal of the game to join Gullseye in the of the Scoundrels Cup final.
The camera team
Sir Macci and Borto organising the camerawork...
Unfortunately JLR attacked with a long ball, which was a bit too quick for the camera to rotate around ?♂️
If you watch the video of this game you do get to see Ivan pick the ball out of the net, after JLR has walloped it home! ?
Humble apologies JLR - a bitter-sweet moment...
No Man’s Land...
Paulo meets Malts playing over a dusting of snow.
Malts is on the way to having his most successful of days in Southend-on-Sea!
He scores the only goal of the game to progress to the Old Subby Cup final ?
Old School...Carpet Pitch
The final of the Tournament of the Unfortunate Finger (S'fortunato Finger Cup) is traditionally played on the Carpet Pitch.
John and Ivan battling it out...
Old Subby Cup Final
The final of the Old Subby Cup with Fabio ‘Donald Crowhurst’ Bertola and Gerald ‘Malts’ Brightwell meeting each other on the Anglo-Italian pitch.
Malts is applying pressure at a corner, where he slowly gains the upper hand in his glorious 1-0 victory! ?
The cup results...
The presentations...
The S'fortunato Finger Cup (John & Ivo28)
The Tournament of Scoundrels (Gullseye & JLR)
The Old Subby Cup (Malts & Fabio)
The Stadium of Fingers Cup (The Cat & Marco)
The 'OSC NO ZE UN ZOGO' faithful
A time to breathe after the event – the ‘Venerable Olds’ from the Mestre OldSubbuteo Club
Video footage
Sir Macci & Malts
Sir Macci goes 2 up against Malts. Malts appreciates the skills (more than Sir Macci's first goal!)
Marco & the Cat
Marco's best chance of the final!
The winning goal
The Cat scores to win the Stadium of Fingers Cup for the second time!