News and Events

Victory sends BU to national football final

5 March 2010

Football team is just one win away from lifting the national championship for the first time in BU history.

BU’s men’s football team has booked their place in this year’s British Universities & Colleges Sport (BUCS) Championship final after a 2-1 extra-time victory over Nottingham Trent.

The Bournemouth students will now travel to Sheffield next week to take on Loughborough University who overcame University of West of England-Hartpury in the other semi-final.

The showcase final at the Don Valley Stadium is scheduled for Wednesday 10 March and comes on day one of the four-day BUCS Championships for 2010.

Goals from Darren Parnell and Jake Rowley secured BU’s first ever trip to the national final. Coach Chris Knowles also praised the efforts of Peter O’Conner who “played superbly in goal and pulled off two great saves” and Ashley Dudgale who “worked tirelessly in the middle of the park.”

“If I’m honest, all of the lads were superb so its difficult to pick out individuals,” said Knowles, a former GB international at University level.

The win over Nottingham Trent extended BU’s winning streak to eight consecutive games and was the 10th in their last 11 starts.

That streak has helped Bournemouth win this year’s BUCS Western Conference title. Their cup run began with a 2-0 victory away at Cardiff University and continued at home with a 4-3 defeat of Birmingham University.

BU’s football team won’t be alone in Sheffield. The University’s netball team will face the University of Wales Institute-Cardiff in the finals of the Western Conference Cup and the men’s futsal (indoor football) team has reached the last 16 of their national championship tournament.

Individual students will also represent BU in boxing and indoor archery to give the University its largest contingent of representatives at the BUCS Championship.