Series news 2010-07-28

SF United crowned Human Table Football champions!

Superleague Formula by Sonangol claimed the inaugural Human Table Football Cup at Brands Hatch last Thursday thanks to a best-of-three victory over circuit owners MotorSport Vision.

The Kent venue's hallowed turf was graced by Superleague Formula drivers Craig Dolby (Tottenham), Duncan Tappy (Flamengo) and John Martin (Beijing Guoan) who had each taken time out from their respective club duties to team up with members of the local media.

Just like its bar room equivalent, the 40x20 foot inflatable foosball table features a series of polls running horizontally across the pitch which players attach their wrists too. The line of goalkeeper, defence and attack must then each work together moving sideways back and forwards in an effort to score.

That was the theory anyway. In reality, the racing drivers' ultra-competitive spirit took over with the trio spending more time flailing around on the floor than playing anything remotely comparable to the Beautiful Game.

A tight first match saw Superleague Formula race into a three-goal lead before MSV hit back to level the scores. But the circuit owners' First V couldn't maintain their momentum in the second half, eventually slumping to a 5-3 defeat.

Unmoved, MSV struck back in the second match with some style, routing the opposition 6-2 to set up a tense decider.

The final best-of-three encounter was a cagey affair with both goalkeepers particularly impressive at either end, Tappy proving more adept at keeping balls out of his net than he had at putting them away!

The match was finely balanced at 1-1 before a change of personnel up front at the start of the second half turned the game. Alan Docking Racing team mates Dolby and Martin proved a dynamic strike force on their way to netting three goals which helped SF United run out narrow 4-3 winners on the night, enough to see them crowned champions.

Craig Dolby, Tottenham: "That was crazy and really good fun! It combines the motorsport and football side really well. We ended up falling on the floor most of the time, at one point me and Duncan were on the ground more than on our feet! But it was a good laugh and something to look forward to again in the future, especially if we can involve the fans. It would be a great way for the fans to take on the drivers. Having said that, I was shocking! Give me a steering wheel any day."

Duncan Tappy, Flamengo: "Personally I think I was man of the match; scored two and was confident in my performance! It's been a good crack and all part of the Superleague Formula experience. You don't get this in any other championship and we should definitely do more of it."

John Martin, Beijing Guoan: "I was alright, I'm just not very good at football! I definitely think the skills need to be improved so I'll have to work on that. I'm not going to give up my day job, that's for sure! I played a bit at school when I was about ten and that was about it. I wasn't very good then either, as I remember!"

Superleague Formula's seventh round of the season comes from Brands Hatch on July 31 and August 1.

-source: sf