5 ASIDE TEAM NEWS, FIXTURES & RESULTS
Back Row: Darren Bowie, Stevie Crawford, Jo Davidson, Jamie Gunn (Manager). Front Row: Chris Adams, Ross Fisher, Darrell Young (Player and Sponsor - Darrell Young Painter & Decorator, email club for contact details) Steven Adams.
5's Team seal Historic treble
3 weeks ago, Milton's 5 aside team took part in the Coca-Cola tournament at the Power League in Portobello, the tournament seen the return of long serving player and new amateur player coach, Steven Adams. It was a tournament the Barca would go onto win and gain free entry into the Nivea Brittish 5 aside regional qualifiers.
Friday 20th of June 2008 seen the 5's side take part in a 32 team tournament on home turf at Portobello, the tournament was a great occassion and was in honor of the late Craig Gowans, the Falkirk FC youth player who sadly died in a tragic accident almost 3 years ago. It was an honor to be involved in such a tournament and to see the effect its success had on the Gowans family was simply breathtaking, an occassion where over 150 football players took part in a very competative, but highly sportsman like tournament and for it to pass by with everyone ending up in the lounge in support of the very worthy cause was a sign of the love and great appreciation for the life of a young man which was cut tragically short. As chairman of the committee and owner of the club it is with great pride that I not only watched, took part in and supported the whole event in which the 5's side done the club thoroughly proud in the way in which it conducted itself both on and off the park. As winners of the tournament we would like to thank the Gowans family for inviting us into the event and hope all 32 teams which took part represented football in such a way the the Gowans family can look on and be proud of not only what their son acheived in his short life, but what he has acheived in his passing to help others in need at the Sick Kids Hospital. A Family from which I knew no one prior to this tournament, and to be honest I had found myself asking "who is Craig Gowans" prior to the kick off.....Craig Gowans is now a name which will live with us for the rest of our lives and will be remembered by many for years to come, this all because of a fitting tribute by a fine family to a fine young man. R.I.P CRAIG GOWANS.
Sunday 22nd of June 2008 was the regional qualifiers for the National Nivea 5's tournament, it was a tough, hard hitting tournament with takles flying in left right and centre, some of which raised many an eyebrow in the on looking bar, it was easy to see just what this would mean to those involved. Barca edged out the group by 1 point winning by Margins of 4-3 v Dalkeith, 2-1 v AC Bingham and drawing 3-3 with league rivals Joga Juniors, with the result sitting at 3-2 with less than a minute to go it was repeated fouls on Stevie Crawford which cost Barca all 3 points as Crawford was fouled off the ball the referee allowed play to continue at which point Joga equalised on the stroke of full time. So the script was to be.....goal difference between Joga and Barca and who would survive the fight, Joga looking in the driving seat as Barca only had a plus 2 goal difference, however AC Bingham hadn't read the same script and managed to put Joga to the sword, Joga who were further embarrassed by a defeat to Dalkeith finished rock bottom of the group, a result which left Barca topping the group and sitting in the Semi Finals. The Semi Final against Gel Boyz was sealed with a 1-0 victory with Barca dominating the last 5 minutes of proceedings by keeping total control of the football and not allowing Gel Boyz any possession what so ever. The final was to be contested againt a very experienced Liberton side who had former Hibs youth player Jamie Carter & LEAFA Premier League player John Manson in ranks, it was to be a cracking game of attacking football for both teams and any suspicions that referee Tam Carter would show favouratism to his sons side were soon quasehed. Barca took the Lead early in the encounter with Steven Adams scoring his second goal in a final in as many finals. Liberton were soon on level terms but it was again short lived. Stevie Crawford turned his man on the left wing and passed 2 men at the half way line before sliding a side foot shot mid height into the net to make it 2-1, the mention of Golden Goal had just been heard and a shout of "theres the golden goal" could be heard from a distance away. That however would not be the golden goal and it was scorer turned villian as Crawford was turned on the edge of the box and the Liberton forward duly dipatched the ball into Gordon McConnells bottom corner. 10 minutes of normal time could not seperate the teams and it was to be a golden goal that would seal an historic treble for Barca. Chris Adams replaced Crawford for Golden Goal and it was his run down the left and low drilled shot into the bottom corner that sealed the win. The gauntlet has truly been thrown down to the Amateur team and time will tell if they can hold up their end of the bargain by adding to the haul of silverwear ever mounting for the 5 aside team.