Debbie plays for WFA North Women

 On a blustery day at Rossett, the rain that had been predicted never really arrived to dampen the spirits on Harrogate Strays' latest club day. A 5-team tournament unfolded with some lively walking football, proved to be very evenly contested and witnessed fluctuating fortunes.

In the first two rounds, the Yellows were anything but mellow, surging to two 1-0 victories to set the early pace at the top of the table and looking like the team to beat. That proved misleading, as the Yellows subsequently lost their next two matches to end up on 6 points. The Reds did the reverse, opening up with two narrow defeats before turning the tables with two wins in their final games to also complete their fixtures with 6 points. Would that same pattern repeat with the Blues, who, albeit courtesy of a couple of deflected goals, won their first two games only to fall foul of the resurgent Greys in game three? At the same time as the Greys were notching their second victory, on the adjoining pitch any suggestion of a collapse was put to bed as the Blues comfortably beat the Greens by three goals to top the table on 9 points.

In the final analysis the Blues had three wins out of four, while the Reds, Greys and Yellows all won two and lost two. Had the Greens beaten the Blues in that final game, all five teams would have ended with 6 points, but defeat left the Greens at the bottom of the pile on 3 points. But the most satisfying thing was that everyone enjoyed the football and played in the right spirit. 

Thanks to Phil Solity for refereeing throughout on Pitch 1 and to the various referees who officiated on Pitch 2. And finally thanks to our media maestro Paul Rogers for attending and recording events. For more photos, click on the image above or go to our  2025 Gallery.

Bernie, Rod and Tom