RICHARDSON House made it two wins out of two on home soil after clinching the RNID Football Tournament in dramatic style.
While the Blackburn team have shown that they don't travel well -- they've twice finished bottom in events held in Manchester -- they showed it is a different matter when it comes to playing at home.
But the Meins Road team had to do it the hard way as they overcame hot favourites from Leeds to win in a nail-biting penalty shoot-out.
The competition, held at the JJB Soccerdome, only attracted four teams after a number of late withdrawals -- but that did not take anything away from the competition as every player gave their all in the search for honours.
The four teams, RNIB Richardson House, RNIB Ransdale House from Middlesbrough, Manchester Sign, Balsall Road and Leeds Sign, Constance Way, played each other four times in a mini league basis.
The top two sides qualified for the final with the Leeds team installed as firm favourites after winning all of their group matches, including four victories over Richardson House.
But the Blackburn team were in inspired form in the final with support worker and event organiser, Joni Avery, proving to be one of the key players after scoring a stunning hat-trick.
However, it wasn't enough to clinch victory as Richardson House and Leeds Sign drew 3-3 to take the game to penalties.
That hard work seemed to be in vain as Leeds Sign opened up a 2-0 lead as Blackburn missed their first two spot kicks.
But again, Richardson House refused to give up and thanks to two superb penalty saves from Terry Alwood, and successful spot kicks by Avery and Bernard Cullen, they were back on level terms.
And it was left to Alwood to show he could score penalties as well as save them as he scored the decisive spot kick to clinch victory.
It was a fitting farewell for Richardson House which is to close and move to Cleveleys in the near future.
Support worker, Joni Avery, who organised the event, was delighted with his team's success.
He said: "It's funny, when we have played in the competition in Manchester we have finished bottom. But when it has been held in Blackburn we have managed to win it on each occasion."
Joni praised the JJB Soccerdome staff for helping to make the day a memorable one.
"They couldn't do enough for us and were very helpful. When we ran over at the end, they let us use the pitches free of charge so I must thank them for that."
He added: "We're hoping that this will become an annual event and it would be great to attract more teams next year."
The RNID Richardson House team included Joni Avery, Bernard Cullen, Terry Alwood, Clive Jones, Nigel Barnsley, Graham McCormack, Bryan James, Steve Brookes, Mick Smith and Arlene Hargreaves.
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