The Royal Navy’s football squad swept through a triumphant tour of Portugal – and managed to deliver coaching clinics to local youngsters along the way.

The tour, organised by POPTs Fraser Quirke and Paul Willetts in conjunction with the CinCSOUTHLANT NATO base near Lisbon, saw the sailors play three full matches and a six-a-side tournament, all of which they won.

Based at the Estoril Eden Hotel in Estoril – a hotel which won high praise from the touring party – the squad travelled to matches by minibus, the first fixture being against the NATO base.

That game was comfortably won 7-2, with the three youngest members of the party – LMEA Allen, WEA Lister and OM Preston – all scoring twice and Cpl Foster also adding his name to the scoresheet.

The second match, against the U19s of Portuguese Division 2 side Odivelas, proved a much stiffer test as the young Portuguese were technically very good.

But by early in the second half the tourists were confident that they had worked out their opposition’s patterns and style of play, and this – allied to their superior strength – saw them impose themselves on the match, scoring twice in the last 20 minutes with goals from CCWEA Johnson and Capt Price RM without conceding.

An eventful third match was a special occasion for two of the Navy players. CPOPT Riley made his 200th RN appearance, and CCWEA Johnson his 229th and final appearance for the team.

The referee left the pitch half-way through after a torrent of abuse from local side Casino Estoril, so the match continued with one of the Navy men in charge. It did nothing to detract from the two milestones, and fittingly it was Johnson’s hat-trick which secured a 7-4 win and set the seal on an outstanding Royal navy football career.

The six a side competition was a locally organised event held at St Julian’s International School, and although it came the day after the Casino Estoril match, the fitness levels of the Royal Marines who made up the majority of the team ensured that the RN were the eventual winners.

During the tour there were two opportunities to arrange coaching clinics. The first was at a local Portuguese school in Lisbon, where six FA-qualified coaches from the squad worked with around 50 children, and afterwards presented England kit that had been donated by the FA.

The second session was held at St Julian’s International School for approximately 75 students, which again proved enjoyable and rewarding for both parties and helped to raise the NATO and RN profile in the area.

With the squad acting as fine ambassadors for the Senior Service, and well-pitched competitive matches to sharpen the squad for the forthcoming season, future RNFA tours to Lisbon look likely.