Bath storm to victory in the final of the UK Maths Postgraduate Football Tournament 2012
The ATASS Sponsored Bath team battled ten teams from eight universities in the UK Maths Postgraduate football tournament to bring the competition home in 2013 for the first time since it was founded in 2009.
This year's event was hosted by last year's winners from the University of Strathclyde, in Glasgow, and Bath fought hard to win the tournament for next year's event, which is to be sponsored by ATASS Sports.
The event was formed by ATASS' Geoff Littler and fellow student Fynn Scheben, while studying at Bath University and this year ATASS supported the Bath team by providing their team shirts and paying the Bath pitch fees for the tournament.
On paper Bath were in the easier of the two groups and opened up with a sluggish 0-0 draw against a hard-working Reading side.
They then demolished Strathclyde B with a 3-0 win. A 1-1 draw against
group favourites Leeds was followed by a comfortable 3-0 victory
against Imperial B. Other results went their way and 8 points was
enough to see Bath through as group winners.
The semi-final pitted them against the runners-up from Group A; a
solid, defensive Birmingham unit that were yet to concede a goal. In a
game of few chances, the 0-0 final scoreline was inevitable and Bath
held their nerve to win the penalty shoot-out to set up a final against
group rivals Leeds who had come past Imperial A in the other semi-final.
Birmingham again drew 0-0 in with Imperial in the 3rd/4th place
play-off to end the tournament without conceding a goal, but this time
they won the shoot-out to take 3rd place. The 5th/6th, 7th/8th and
9th/10th place matches were also played out to leave just the final remaining.
In the final, Leeds's goalkeeping hero of the group match again looked
like he would thwart the Bath team, but after two goals in quick
succession the floodgates opened. Bath raced into a 6-0 lead before
Leeds scored a late consolation, making the final score Bath 6-1 Leeds
and sending the trophy home to Bath.
Geoff Littler said: "It was a tough competition, but it was really great to see so much support for the tournament and we're really pleased to take the trophy back home to Bath."
