Building partnerships one goal at a time

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Rachel Waller
  • 100th Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs
MILDENHALL, England --  After two months of preparation, the RAF Mildenhall soccer team played against the Mildenhall Town Football Club in a soccer match in the pouring rain July 29 at the MTFC pitch in Mildenhall, England.

The MTFC is a British semi-professional team and the base team consisted of Airmen and their dependents.

"The MTFC approached us and asked if we wanted to play," said Shane Roten, 100th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron and the player coach. "We were delighted at the challenge, so we accepted."

Before the game began, players from both sides shook hands. After the pleasantries were exchanged the game began with a kick off.

Three minutes into the first half, the MTFC scored the first of their eight goals in the first half. After a 15-minute halftime, both teams returned to a rain-soaked pitch, ready to play the second half.

MTFC scored three goals to bring to the score 11-0 before the base team answered with a single goal at 78 minutes. After the goal, MTFC scored three more goals, bringing the final score to 14-1 in favor of the home team.

Although, his team lost, the player coach said he enjoyed the game.

"This was a great opportunity to expand our off-base relationships with the local community," said Roten.

A player from the MTFC agreed the feelings were mutual.

"It was a good game," said Darryl Coakley, MTFC left back. "It was good playing with the base and I would like to play them again."