DUKE of Albany captured the honours for the second successive year at the Gary Allen Five-a-Side Memorial Tourn-ament at Redlands.

Allen set up the charity event several years ago to raise money for the Dorset Prosphetic Centre after losing both lower legs in a car accident in 2002.

Sadly, the former Upwey & Broadwey player passed away earlier this year after losing his battle with cancer but Luke Tomlin has since taken over the reins of the popular competition, which this year was even more poignant for obvious reasons.

Tomlin said: “The event was always going to be more poignant this year and the turnout was fantastic, much better than we thought it would be.

“We knew we would get a few up there but people stayed around all day and all night, and we had nothing but positive feedback afterwards, which was great.”

In a fitting tribute to Allen, his widowed partner Carole McAuley has decided to split the proceeds from this year’s event between the DPC and the cancer and children’s wards at Dorset County Hospital.

Tomlin added: “That was completely Carole’s decision and I think it is a nice touch considering everything the staff at DCH did for Gary. The event raised £498.76, which is fantastic, and we are hoping to hold the tournament again next year. We want to keep it an annual event.”

Twelve teams and around 75 players took part in the tournament but it was Tomlin’s Duke side that triumphed after a nail-biting final against Bridport Celtic.

Tournament top-scorer Chris Sweet-ser-Hawkes and Don McAllister traded goals before the clash was eventually decided via a penalty shootout, which saw Richard Frost score the winner. That enabled skipper Steve Perry to pick up the trophy, while Winchester United’s John Stone was named player of the tournament.

Tomlin said: “The tournament itself was fantastic and the final went right to the wire. I didn’t actually play but it was good to see the Duke win it again for the second successive year and I would like to say a big thank you to all those that took part and made it such a competitive but friendly competition.

“I would also like to thank Carole and her friends for providing hot food and selling raffle tickets. Mandy and the Duke of Albany for providing a cold buffet, Dean Hetherington and Redlands for giving us the hall for free, Micky Boucher for donating some fantastic auction items, and Dill Butcher for taking the presentation photos.

“We would also like to show our appreciation to R&B Trophies, who supplied us the medals at a discounted price, and Vaughan Carter, who refereed most of the games and hosted the auction and the raffle. A huge thank you also goes to all those people that donated raffle prizes.”