CRS football team wins first place at the Business Fives Charity Football Tournament held in Portsmouth. The team has chosen to support the Movember Foundation as their charitable cause. 

Some of our employees from all CRS brands in CRS Portsmouth HQ, regularly get together to play football on a Monday night. This has created a great bond between a lot of our colleagues and therefore they decided to enter the Business Fives Charity Football Tournament.

This was a five-a-side corporate event held in Portsmouth for teams of all abilities. A total of £2,080 was raised at the event for various local and national charities, along with a £350 donation by Business Fives towards the Movember Foundation on behalf of the win secured by CRS.

Managing Consultant, Franklin Brown, has written a commentary on the tournament itself, why the team decided to take part and why they chose to support the Movember Foundation.

The CRS football team included the following:

• Franklin Brown – Managing Consultant, Compass Associates
• James Pryke – Design Executive, CRS
• Lijani Cherry – Senior Consultant, Compass Associates
• Jon Burke – Head of Development (Specialist Care), Compass Associates
• Beth Burgess – Consultant, Compass Associates
• Josh Cooper – Senior Consultant, Compass Associates
• Ross Mason – Consultant, Compass Associates

How did you guys from CRS decide to get involved?

We had an email from Business Fives asking if we would like to get involved in their charity 5 Aside event in Portsmouth. We all play together on a Monday night anyway and we thought it would be great if we could actually do it for charity and represent the CRS brand. It was a great opportunity to raise money for a great cause and also get to play a bit of footy at the same time!

Why did you choose to support Movember?

Mental health is such a huge topic across society. We felt it was important to support the cause and raise as much awareness as possible for the Movember Foundation. Men’s mental health is something that is incredibly personal and something I am very passionate about. The other guys and girls in the team also shared the same view and we all believe this is something that we need to promote more of.

Thoughts on winning the tournament?

I am so incredibly proud of everyone who took part, and I couldn’t thank them enough for their efforts. It was emotional from beginning to end but we stuck together as a team. I’m sure it’s something we will all never forget and the pure joy on everyone’s faces when the final whistle went was something special.

Franklin’s tournament commentary

In his own words, Franklin has written a commentary on the tournament and how the tournament went for the CRS team.

13 teams. 1 winner.

The team were all in high spirits leading up to the day, starting the day with a team lunch to discuss tactics we knew it was going to be an incredibly tough day. Arriving at the venue, we are dwarfed by some very big teams, physically strong and looking to take down anyone who they play against.

Nervously looking around we await our first game, tensions rising and the adrenaline beginning to take over. Drawn into group C, we look around to see we are playing Total Security and Temp cover. 2 very big teams, all with personalised and branded kits.

Game 1

The atmosphere was buzzing, and the football was electric. Kane scores a screamer after 2 mins to settle the nerves with a brilliant assist from Franklin. Franklin keeps the pace and assists Ross for another cool finish. 2-0 compass. Games in control and the other team are surprised by the tenacity of the compass quintet. Ross finds another assist with the ball bundled home by Frank.

3-0 Compass. GAME OVER.

Game 2

Coming up against Temp cover we were extremely confident. Lijani, Beth, James, and Josh all piling on the pressure, controlling the game. We shoot, its saved! Over and over again we continue to carve out opportunities, hit the post, hit the crossbar, hit everywhere apart from the back of the net. Frustrations begin to rise. It should be 8-0.

Game ends 0-0. However, we still finish top of group C.

Game 3

Qualifying for the Champions League group phase. Confidence is still good. We are playing a group called Trethowans. Again, we start brightly, controlling the game, carving out chances but again, we come up against a goal keeper having the game of his life. Fatigue starting to kick in… opposition goal and we are 1-0 down! We go to push on an get an equaliser but it’s just not working out… not getting the luck of the bounce, second to the ball and we still can’t score a goal…

Trethowans score. 2-0. Game over. CRS lose.

Game 4

BIG GAME! Needing a confidence boost the CRS spirits are really down. We have been the better team once again! Shots being saved from the opposition goalkeeper over and over again. Some great play between the team and the pressure comes good! PENALTY CRS. Frank steps up and converts. 1-0. This is what we needed, and we are hoping to continue the good work.

Its 1-1. A lack of concentration from CRS and we concede a scrappy goal. Thoroughly not deserved we once find ourselves in a horrid position. We may be bottom of this group. Pushing for the winning goal we concede a second. Knights win 2-1. Compass finish bottom of Champions League Group B.

We are clearly visibly down. Frustrated and deflated. We have played well and everyone has ran their socks off. James, Beth and Lijani were absolutely fantastic! Job B excellent once again keeping the ship steady.

Quarter Finals

Even though we finished bottom of the group. We still qualified for the Quarter finals. We go onto to play Dodd group. The highest scorers in the tournament by far and one of the favourites to win the whole thing! If we win, we progress to the Champions League semi-finals. If we lose, we drop down to Europa League with maybe a better chance of winning.

Very tough game. End to end stuff. Amazing saves from Jon Burke keep us in. Ross was tenacious as ever, winning every ball he could and making an absolute nuisance of himself. CRS go 2-0 up in an emphatic fashion. Frank finding some cool finishes to take the pressure off. The lad does it again.

Dodd group come back 2-1, 2-2 and then 3-2! WHAT A GAME! 30 seconds left. Josh bundles it home from a James Pryke assist. 3-3. GAME OVER. Penalties.

Penalties is straight sudden death. James steps up. Goal. Bottom Corner… all eyes on JB… Can he make the save?

SAVE! Down to his left! Unbelievable scenes. COMPASS ARE THROUGH TO THE CHAMPIONS LEAGUE SEMI FINAL!

Semi Final

Huge game. Playing against the team we beat 3-0 in the first game, we knew they would be here at the end. Very good team and deserved to be in the finals. Compass are full of confidence. Kane Beth, Ross and Frank all on fire. Playing like a prime Barcelona. One touch. Two touch you name it, it was phenomenal. 1-0 CRS, Kane steps up with a crucial goal, another rocket into the corner. Total security have had enough of him. Josh continues to have an outstanding tournament and plays some great football, James and Lijani have not stopped running all day. What an effort by the guys. We score another and are 2-0. Another great performance!

Total security come back into the game,  some good play from the opposing team. 2-2. Tough to lose another lead but we have been outstanding.

Full time whistle. 2-2. Sudden death penalties.

Frank, Beth, Kane , Josh all score – its 4-3 on penalties. The opposition walks up to the spot. He steps up, JON BURKE SAVES! WHAT A SAVE! WHAT A PERFORMANCE!

CRS WIN ON PENTALIES AGAIN – WE ARE IN THE FINAL AND GUARNTEED A PLACE IN THE NATIONAL FINALS!

FINAL!

The underdogs vs the favourites. A team unbeaten vs a team who refuses to be beaten. CRS VS Liberty Leasing.

Kick off. CRS quickly taking control of the game. Keeping the ball, crisp passing by everyone. Lijani, James, Beth, Josh, Ross, Kane and Frank all playing a part in the final. Blisters red raw, busted lips and pulled hips. We weren’t letting this go!

GOAL! Lijani with an unbelievable finish 1-0 to CRS. 7 minutes to go. We still remain in control the other team are flabbergasted, coming up against a prime AC Milan defence. Kane, wrapping up their best player and putting him in his pocket. Frank, unbelievable performance in the final. Beth solid as ever. Ross with a fine performance. Josh was incredible one again. JB amazing in goal, James working his absolute socks off and Lijani was brilliant all day and scored the crucial goal!

The other team are out of ideas. Jon makes one save all game.

What a performance from the compass group. 1-0. FULL TIME WHISTLE.

CRS CHAMPIONS!!!

Massive congratulations also goes to Beth and Franklin for winning awards during the tournament.

• Beth won Best Female Player of the Tournament
• Franklin won Player of the Match (Final)

About the Movember Foundation

The Movember Foundation is a leading global charity supporting men’s mental health and suicide prevention, prostate cancer and testicular cancer by fund groundbreaking projects all over the world, engaging men where they are to understand what works best and accelerate change.

Find out more here. 

Donate to the CRS team fundraiser here.

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