THE LAST-ever Neil Cousins Memorial Match will be held at Okehampton Argyle Football Club on Saturday August 26. Neil Cousins died of leukemia, aged just 24, in 1997. He played both football and rugby for Okehampton. Each year since his death, the respective clubs have played each other in his memory. This year, it is the turn of Okehampton Rugby Club to challenge Okehampton Argyle to a game of football. This will be the tenth and final time that the event will be held. Andrew Luxton of the Memorial Match Committee said: ?So far there have been no upsets with no team losing to the other at its own game. ?The rugby club, no doubt, will be keen to upset the form book for the first time, though, and beat the football club, who equally will be keen to keep up the home side?s winning record. The match will be keenly contested.? In addition to the main match, there will also be a match between the sides? under 18s sides, a penalty shoot-out challenge, a magic show by Chris James, live music from local band Revolving Door, and a disco. Food will be available throughout the day from the Lions and there will be a skittles competition and face painting to keep children amused. A charity auction and a prize draw will also be held, with the use of a holiday apartment in Portugal for one week as the main draw prize, and memorabilia from numerous football and rugby clubs among the auction lots. Over the previous nine years of the event, over £40,000 has been raised for charity ? mainly for the Exeter Leukemia Fund (ELF) based at the Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital. This year, as in the last two years, the proceeds from the event will be divided equally between ELF, the football club, and the rugby club.
