There were goals galore at Horsham FC’s Camping World Community Stadium last Friday as the Capulus and Pinnacle-sponsored Pinks took on the FJN and Health & Protection-sponsored Blues in a football match for the ages.
The players ranged from recruitment consultants to benefits and insurance professionals and it was the Blues who opened the scoring. Paul Paddock despatched the opener from the penalty spot but a goal from Dan Woods brought the Pinks back into the game.
The Blues then threatened to take the game away from the Pinks with two goals from Paddy Lawlor before an own goal meant the Pinks were just one goal down at 3-2 as the referee blew the half time whistle.
In the second half Paul Paddock added his second to make it 4-2 before Dan Purchase picked out the top corner in perhaps the pick of the goals to make it 5-2. But there was still time for James Walker to add another goal for the Pinks before the referee brought an end to proceedings – 5-3 the final score.
But there was a serious point to Friday’s festival of football as FJN MD Dan Small told Health & Protection before kick-off.
“We ran a game last year as a trial,” Small said. “This year we are sponsoring a charity called Wolfram Syndrome UK, a charity for the rare genetic disorder and degenerative condition and ASD Academy which is a football academy for autistic children.
“There is a match fee for everyone playing. So everyone playing chips in at least a tenner. I said at least, hopefully it’s a bit more and whatever is in the pot, I’ll match it and the charities split it 50/50.”
And it certainly amounted to a lot more as in the end £1,000 was raised for the two charities.