Food, Drink & Hospitality heat serves up spicy event

Edinburgh’s Food, Drink & Hospitality heat of Business Fives indoor winter season proved a mouth-watering affair at the World of Football. 12 companies from across Scotland took place and battled it out for their place in the national final at the Oriam Centre on February 9th. 

The heat, sponsored by managed business communications firm, Difference Corp finished with a Q & A session with Business Fives ambassadors and former Hearts & Hibernian players Gary Mackay & Pat Stanton. 

Pat Stanton shared his mixed emotions on the result from the resounding Hibs win over Bonnyrigg Rose in the cup and he relishes the prospect of potentially matching up against the old enemy in the next round of the Scottish Cup. Gary Mackay was open in his feelings towards Tynecastle’s current management citing the growing trend of conceding leads becoming a worrying concern. Gary again posed the question hanging over Tynecastle about how much control a certain Director of Football has on the team selection and affairs on the park.  Both ex-professionals agreed the modern game lacks the passion and pride of playing for a club that was so abundant in their glory days. 

Business Fives charity partner, Street Soccer Scotland and was on hand to tell the participants about the fantastic work the charity is currently involved in supporting positive change through football. They also encouraged Business Fives participants to walk for them in the Kiltwalk with an offer to pay the entry fee for those walking and fundraising for Street Soccer Scotland. Business Fives is supporting their efforts with ten per cent of proceeds from the winter season going towards the charity. 

The tournament group stages proved tight encounters with only Nairn’s Oatcakes winning all their matches scoring 19 goals in the process.  After finishing level on points, goal difference, goals scored and goals conceded the winners of Group B was decided via penalty shootout with iMultiply Resourcing winning out against FreeAgent. DoubleTree by Hilton Dunblane Hydro were the other group toppers and looked in a confident mood.

The Quarter final play offs were free scoring affairs with 18 goals across the 4 matches. The Royal Yacht Britannia lost out to the National Museum of Scotland who booked their place in the quarter finals with a 6-nil victory. Creative Agency and long term Street Soccer Scotland supporters, Contagious were hitting form at the right time winning 5-1 against catering and events firm, Hickory Food. 

Law firm Shoosmiths failed to register a goal as they lost 2-0 to IBM, who finished second in their group. In the last playoff, the Rutland Hotel came through winners against the SECC Glasgow by a margin of 3 goals to 1, having just missed out on qualifying for the national final over summer surely the Rutland Hotel fancied their chances of booking a place at Oriam. 

It wasn’t to be though despite playing the better football against a resilient iMultiply team they could only muster a 2-2 draw. With the resourcing firms, previous penalty practise they came through in the shoot out to book their place in the semi-finals. Nairn’s oatcakes recorded a comfortable win against Contagious to seal their place in the semi-finals. Victories for both IBM and DoubleTree by Hilton Dunblane Hydro against FreeAgent and the National Museums Scotland respectively saw them through to the last four.

The semi-final matches were closely fought and intense games, a testament to the standard on display throughout the tournament. 2 goals were enough to see Nairn’s Oatcakes and DoubleTree by Hilton Dunblane Hydro through to the final.

The Final was a similarly tight affair with only one goal separating the two sides. Nairn’s Oatcakes talisman Michael Hunter driving his team on but it was teammate Paul Tansey who pipped him to the top goal scorer award on the day registering 10 goals for the tournament. However, this was merely a consolation prize as the team lost out 4-3 to team from Dunblane. Sean Barrett was chosen as the man of the match by Gary Mackay for his determination and passion to get the best out of his fellow players as well as himself. Melvyn Aranaha scored the pick of the goals with a rare headed goal that looped over the keeper and proved to be decisive. 

The action continues later this week with our Housing and Property in Glasgow ahead of the national finals 

Business Fives has now launched, Business Fours Scotland’s national business golf tournament, with the Links season taking place this Spring at Craigielaw and Scottish Open venue, Dundonald Links with the national final at St Andrews Fairmont.