Business Fives Stoke shines as winter season kicks off
Business fives kicked off their winter events in England for the 2019/20 season with their first event under the Shadow of the bet365 Stadium in Stoke.
Companies from across stoke and the Staffordshire area made their bid to reach the England National final which takes place on April 10th where they will be playing to win their share of £5,000 for their chosen charities.
Off the pitch players charitable efforts for the winter season got off to a flying start with companies combining to raise £2,703 for local charities with Douglas MacMillan Stoke being the major benefactors as Fletcher Moorland raised £1,200 for their cause other notable fundraising totals game from Verint who raised £720 for Acorns Hospice and Bowers Electrical who raised £400 and counting for Pancreatic Cancer.
With 84 goals across 24 matches amongst companies taking part It was top fundraisers Fletcher Moorland, Searchability and Uniting Ambition who made their way into the Champions League groups and we’re eventually joined by Safeguard Global in the semi-final stages.
Searchability suffered their only defeat of the event at the hands of Feltcher Moorland who set up a final against Uniting Ambition who eased passed Safeguard Global 4-0 in their semi-final.
With the score finishing one each in normal time it was Uniting Ambition who held their nerve and goalkeeper Josef Lodge making the difference in the penalty shootout to be crowned Champions of Stoke. Business Fives Stoke event also hosted our ambassador Jon Parkin, who was on hand to single out Shane Leary from Fletcher Moorland is his man of the match in the final. Jon shared stories from an eventful playing career that saw him play against the likes of Cannavaro, Lampard, Sergio Ramos and rub shoulders with stars such as Elton John and Pele.
With both finalists of the champions league securing qualification the final spot up for grabs went to the Europa League section winners.
In the semi-final of that competition Bowers Electrical and Radius Payment Solutions faced two teams from XPO Logistics.
It was the XPO Logistics H & M team who matched up against Radius in the final. Radius had began to find their scoring form with Josh Mainwaring bagging 12 goals to lift the top goal scorer award and help his side to a 4-1 victory in the final to book their place at the nationals.
Business Fives action continues on Thursday in Bradford before they visit Nottingham on Tuesday 21st November and a trip to Glasgow at the end of the month. They then take a Christmas break and the action returns with 10 further events in England in February and March
