Dehns recently took the win in the annual CIPA mixed 5-a-side football tournament!

The squad was made up of Engineering Associate, Rebecca Graves, Trade Mark Attorney, Tiernan Graham and Patent Paralegal, Zac Walker, all from our London office. They were joined by Technical Assistants, Alex Crick and Jack Clark and Patent Paralegal, Sam Clingan from our Brighton office, as well as Technical Assistant, Scott Graham, from our Manchester office.

There was drama before a ball was even kicked, with train delays (and a trip to Greggs) meaning that the Brighton contingent arrived after the tournament had started, but fortunately just before Dehns’ first match in the group stage.

Much like 2010 World Cup winners Spain, Dehns lost their first match, with Reddie & Grose scoring a very fortunate goal in the closing stages to give them a 2-1 victory. However, Dehns quickly found their form and won all three remaining group matches against Murgitroyd and two teams from Kilburn & Strode to qualify second in the group.

The quarter final brought the challenge of D Young & Co, who won their group. However, Dehns made light work of them, with Tiernan and Sam scoring too many goals to remember. Dehns also kept a rare clean sheet, with Alex in goal receiving a powerful shot to the face for his troubles!

The semi final, against Marks & Clerk, was a much more tense affair. Tiernan gave Dehns an early lead but a wonderstrike from long range brought Marks & Clerk level. The tie looked to be heading towards a draw until Jack Clark stepped up in the team’s hour of need with a thunderous strike to put Dehns back in front. From there, Dehns added more goals to seal their place in the final.

Waiting in the final were Mewburn Ellis, who went into the match on the back of a victory against Reddie & Grose (the only team to inflict defeat on Dehns). Again, Dehns took an early lead, but it was far from one-way traffic. It has to be said that Alex produced an inspired goalkeeping performance to keep out their star striker, who grew increasingly frustrated at the number and quality of saves he was witnessing.

In the end, Dehns won the final comfortably to take home the main prize for the first time in the firm’s history (or at least in living memory).