Contracting crews battle for football supremacy

The FIFA Women’s World Cup may be the talk of the football community at the moment - but try telling that to an enthusiastic group of vineyard workers who began their annual competition with a series of matches on Sunday.

Under sunny skies, 10 teams kicked off the Winter Vineyard Football League, a competition organised by local vineyard contracting companies which will run each Sunday throughout August and culminate in a grand final on August 27.

Round one was contested at the Vinepower football ground, in Riverlands.

Some players were barefoot, some teams in mufti as their playing shirts had not yet arrived, but the competitive juices flowed. Tackles were fierce and energy levels high, while some of the skills on display would not be out of place in the local Saturday league. Despite such spirited competition, the matches were played in fine spirits.

All the while a large, vocal crowd ringed the field, offering advice, loudly cheering goal-bound strikes and ungainly slip-ups, while relishing the opportunity to support their respective contracting crews.

The competition, in various guises, has been running for a number of years, before COVID put a halt to it.

Hortus RSE Events manager Laure Carre was one of the main drivers in getting the popular event up and running again, along with Vinepower pastoral care manager

Kay Lawrence.

“There had been various summer and winter competitions for a few years but COVID brought it to a halt,” explained Laurel.

“I think it is really good to get it up and running again.

“There are so many people within the district that are keen, and there is obviously a lot of talent around.”

She contacted Kay and suggested that, as they both had trophies for various competitions, they join forces and kick off with a combined competition in August.

A referee was provided by Marlborough Football, the draw was made and 10 teams expressed interest – three from Vinepower, three from Vinecraft, two from Hortus and one each from Thornhill and Focus.

After the initial round, Laurel said, “It was great to bring everyone together on a Sunday. There was a really good feel about the event when I got back to the Village on Monday … it just creates such a nice community vibe”.