5 a side Football Business Fives Food Drink And Hospitality Event

Brewers, Distillers and Food producers qualify as Business Fives 5 a side football events heads North.  With just two Northern qualifiers of the winter season remaining, Thursday saw the food, drink and hospitality sector come together in Edinburgh as 8 companies from across the sector looked to become one of the three qualifying teams.

Nairn’s Oatcakes went one better than their final appearance in 2017 as the team scored 39 of the 127 goals scored in the tournament and also kindly donated a signed Leigh Griffiths top to be auctioned for Charity.

The 8 teams that took part included two teams from distillers, Glenmorangie, two Edinburgh based Novotel chains combined, Apex Hotels, brewers Innis & Gunn, eco-friendly food packagers Vegware, Grand Central Hotel Glasgow and Nairn’s Oatcakes who have been keeping Business Fives players fuelled with biscuits throughout the winter season.

It was Apex Hotels, Glenmorangie, Nairn’s and Novotel who set the early pace reaching the champions league semi-final stage with some high scoring victories.

On the other side of the draw Grand Central Hotel Glasgow came up against Innis & Gunn in the Europa league semi-final with a Glenmorangie team overcoming Vegware on penalties in the adjacent semi-final after a 1 all draw.

Nairn’s Oatcakes ran out comfortable winners against Novotel to set up a final against Glenmorangie, who edged past Apex Hotels 4-2 thanks to goals from Keith Cairns.

A hattrick from standout player Paul Tansey in the final was enough to secure the win for Nairn’s Oatcakes as he was singled out by tournament ambassadors Gary Locke and Pat Stanton as Man of the Match in the final for his contribution. Keith Cairns couldn’t add to his tally but still finished as joint top scorer in a Business Fives first as himself and Paul Tansey shared the honour.

In the Europa League final, Innis & Gunn were hitting form at the right time after a 5 nil semi-final victory the brewers overcame the distillers 3 nil to book their spot in the national final on March 14th in Glasgow.  They will go on to join teams from Edinburgh, Glasgow and Aberdeen in the finals.

The Innis & Gunn team will go on to play for Alzheimer Scotland, with Glenmorangie playing for the Marine Conservation Charity and Nairn’s Oatcakes going on to win their donation for the Royal Hospital for Sick Children, Edinburgh with all proceeds from the signed Leigh Griffiths shirt raffle going to their cause as well.