NINE years is a long time to go without winning your own football tournament.

But that is what is happening in Burnley at the annual Disharee Support Group seven-a-side soccer tournament.

But it is not for want of trying.

For Burnley's Bengal Star have finished as runners-up no fewer than three times while this year Burnley Dream Team fell at the semi final stage this time around before winning their third and fourth placed play-off.

Organiser Apu Choudary said: "The main purpose of this event is to bring teams together from across Lancashire.

"However it is a little strange that we have yet to produce a side that has managed to win its own tournament."

The event was held at Prairie playing fields in Burnley and attracted 16 top Asian seven-a-side teams, including three from Burnley, one from Clayton-le-Moors while other teams travelled from Leeds, Liverpool and Oldham.

The competition was split into four groups of four teams with the top two qualifying for the knockout stages.

And it all started brightly for the local based teams with all three Burnley teams making it through to the quarter finals.

Clayton-le-Moors' BR Milon were knocked out in the group stages. Burnley Dream Team qualified as runners-up to Milon FC of Keighley in Group A.

Bengal Star 'B' were runners-up in Group B behind Longside FC from Manchester.

Group C was headed by Far Pavilion with Bengal Star 'A' making it through as runners-up.

And in Group D, Gubodhal of Bradford were top with Hyde Bengal Tigers in second spot.

However Burnley's involvement was greatly reduced come the end of the quarter finals with both Bengal Star sides crashing out.

Bengal Star 'B' lost 1-0 to Gubodhal while Bengal Star 'A' suffered the heartache of losing on a penalty shoot-out when the lost to Milon FC.

In fact, three of the four quarter finals were settled by penalty shoot-outs when Longside beat Hyde and Burnley Dream Team beat Far Pavilion.

The semi finals were settled in normal time with Longside cruising to the final after an impressive 4-1 win against Milon FC.

The second match was a tighter affair and was decided by a single goal when Gubodhal beat Burnley Dream Team 1-0.

It was a blow for the town because the Dream Team looked like they were capable of breaking Burnley's losing streak.

However they managed to bounce back after the disappointment of losing in the semi final to beat Milon FC in a penalty shoot-out in the third and fourth place play-off.

With so many matches decided on penalty shoot-outs, it was on the cards the final would go the same way -- and so it proved.

Goalless at the end of normal play and still level after the first round of penalties, Longside finally beat Gubodhal in sudden death.

It was Longside's second success in the event having won it back in 1997.