On a balmy sun stained Saturday

On a balmy sun stained Saturday in Staffordshire 200 of the best teams from across the UK converged on Cannock to succeed the Autumn 2009 winners Northwich and be crowned Spring 2009 6-a-side National Champions, and lift the two foot silver cup.

As usual, the group stages saw a series of highly competitive matches and surprises with fancied teams not progressing to the last 64 stage including Northwich, who were knocked out on goal difference, Tamworth and Burntwood, finalists last year, and local Cannock sides who failed to perform on the day.

Surprisingly also, there were excellent performances from teams who had travelled the farthest. Weston Super Mare gave a good account of themselves whilst Worthing from the South Coast fought bravely despite travel fatigue having travelled on the day of the Championships.

Glenrothes from Fife in Scotland almost sneaked into the last 64 but stayed on to support both Inverness representative sides who had covered almost 1000 miles to represent the northern Scottish city - Inverness B managing to progress to the last eight until their punishing schedule, the draw meaning they played three matches without a rest, put paid to their title aspirations.

Wales had a number of strong challengers as usual, although whilst both Neath and Llanelli progressed to the knockout stages, neither could quite overcome strengthening opposition in sometimes oppressive heat.

In the end it was two fancied sides, Solihull and Lincoln, and two less fancied outfits in Widnes and Leicester who progressed to the semi-finals.

Widnes showed greater nerve in overcoming the highly touted Lincoln side in a tense penalty shoot out, with Solihull showing wonderful sportsmanship at the end after what must have been a bitter disappointment after starting the quarter finals as favourites.

While Leicester battled past a stubborn Solihull side as the only goal of the game was enough, with Solihull showing wonderful sportsmanship at the end after what must have been a bitter disappointment after starting the quarter finals as favourites.

The final was a fast and dramatic encounter with Widnes taking an early lead, and adding another on the break. In the final few minutes Leicester clawed one back but Widnes remained strong and added a third in the last minute to convincingly win the title and be crowned National 6-a-side Champions.

* Click here for a slide show of team pictures taken on the day.

* Click here for a slide show of memorable photographs taken on the day.