A CHARITY football match has helped an outstanding fund-raiser generate so much money it can now support two battling children.

The Alfie Curran Memorial Match was first played in 2019, to raise money in memory of Alfie Curran, who died in 2019 after living with cerebral palsy.

The group held another match in 2021 which raised over £2,500 to help buy Calum McBlane a state-of-the-art wheelchair.

This year, a match was organised in an effort to support Ava Nelson, a Kilwinning kid battling a brain tumour.

At the end of last week, Ava began her second round of chemotherapy as she continues to fight.

Money raised was going to help send Ava and her family on a dream trip to Blackpool - though the fund-raising goal was met before the match due to a generous £2,500 donation from GRO Coffee.

Though this didn’t stop the outstanding charitable efforts of the determined players and supports of Saltcoats Sunday amateur sides Bobby’s Bar and Crown Inn AFC.

The match was played in good spirits, with Crown Inn AFC winning 6-0, and more importantly it helped push the total money raised to a staggering £4,000.

This allowed for the gofundme which was set up for Ava to help not only the Pennyburn Primary School, but another battling Ayrshire kid, Harrison from Ardrossan.

A spokesperson for the match, on social media, said: “With us smashing our record and being able to send Ava to Blackpool when she is fit to travel we feel we can help out another local kid.

“This is Harrison he has hydrocephalus and is also blind.

“To keep him safe we are going to get him a wee play house for out his back garden so he can play safely.”

Hydrocephalus is a condition in which fluid accumulates in the brain, enlarging the head and sometimes causing brain damage.

The day itself was fantastic fun, with stalls and entertainment aplenty, including a performance from dance troop Dance Mafia, as well as the football match.

Sean McMillan, manager of Crown Inn AFC, spoke to the Herald about his delight at the successful day.

He said: “It’s such a great thing that Stuart, Donna and family (Alfie Curran’s family) do every year. It is a real honour to be involved.

“The guys in the team also love this fixture, it has such a feel good factor on the day and the money raised is phenomenal.

“Thank you to all that donated and came along to watch the game.”

Highlights from the match can be found here.