Cottage Farm Ladies  - sponsored by

    Cottage Farm Ladies, comprising of Emily Cotterill, Alex Dockray, Kate Harker, Kayleigh Hewitt, Stephanie Parker, Vicky Roe and Jo Fowler spent the weekend of the 12th and 13th June 2004 in New Brighton at a 5-a-side Beach Tournament. Although not ultimately successful, the Ladies played some very good football, apart from one game against some very good teams and had a very good weekend.

    The squad, led by manager Roger "Hot Legs" White (ask him!) and coach Kevin Dyer, travelled up in glorious sunshine on the Saturday arriving just after lunch. The other group of driver Alex Dockray and navigators Steph Parker and Kayleigh Hewitt didn't have such a good journey as they managed to get lost and ended up going through the Mersey Tunnel and ending up in Liverpool! They met up with the others later.

After exploring the local area, the group had an impromptu training session just off the seafront, before seeking out some liquid refreshment. The evening was spent seeking out and enjoying some good food followed by some more liquid refreshment in the local taverns. Having found a pool table, the Ladies and the gents? proceeded to have some fun on the tables, not literally, although not everything that went on was strictly within the rules, not even close in some instances. Back at the hotel, a lot of the group stayed up talking into the early hours, what a surprise!, and trying desperately to quench their thirsts, honestly!

After a  lovely full English breakfast, the group packed up and left the hotel and made their way down to the beach in preparation for the afternoon's exertions. As the tide went out, a tractor was busy levelling off the sand, as best they could, whilst a small army was setting up goals and marking out the pitches. In blistering hot conditions, it was hot wasn't it Rog and Vicky, the Ladies played 10 games, in which they played very well in all except one. They finished fifth, one place off qualifying for the next round, which at the first attempt was very good.

The group had to hit the road after their final game to head home to watch the England v France game, we just made it.