Fernhill caused a boilover in The Fraternity Club District League First Grade grand final, downing Shellharbour in a 5-3 thriller.
The high-scoring win in scorching conditions comes two weeks on from Fernhill being humiliated 7-2 by league-winning Shellharbour.
Foxes winger Mitchell Turner was sublime, scoring a hattrick on his way to collecting the Matt Horsley Medal for best on ground.
The goal fest began in the 17th minute when Shellharbour goalkeeper Blake Coad made a poor clearance which saw the Foxes capitalise through Turner.
The Foxes doubled their lead 10 minutes later when Turner’s cross was cleared to Brendan Pattman who lashed the ball into the top left corner from the edge of the box.
Turner seemed to put the match to bed in the 32nd minute when he ran onto a Kyle Del through-ball before slotting past Coad.
However, Shellharbour staged a fightback with Tommy Markovski scrambling the ball home in the 41st minute and Yuto Kito scoring in added-on time.
The momentum shifted back to Fernhill in the opening minute of the second half when captain Jordan Hughes roofed the ball past Coad.
Shellharbour were awarded a penalty just after the hour mark which top scorer Michael Trajkovski rifled into the top left corner.
Coad kept Shellharbour in the contest in the final 15 minutes, producing clutch saves against Hughes, Turner and substitute Daniel Swinton.
Shellharbour pressed for an equaliser and managed a couple of half-chances – including a strike from Robbie Delbanco which ricocheted off the back of Fernhill defender Kurt Foluger.
Fernhill secured the trophy in the fifth minute of added-on time when on the counter Hughes cut the ball back for Turner to fire into an empty net.
Shellharbour FC 3 (Tommy Markovski 42′, Yuto Kito 45+2′, Michael Trajkovski 61′)
Fernhill Foxes 5 (Mitchell Turner 17′ 32′ 90+5′, Brendan Pattman 29′, Jordan Hughes 47′)
Matt Horsley Medallist: Mitchell Turner (Fernhill Foxes)
Shellharbour FC: 20. Blake Coad, 5. Luke Debrot, 6. Robbie Delbanco, 7. Kyle Kirkland, 8. Yuto Kito, 11. Tommy Markovski, 2. Valentino Merxhushi, 4. Dylan Perlowski, 10. Nicolas Rouco, 9. Michael Trajkovski, 3. David Trajkovski
Substitutes: 18. Spencer Bailey, 12. Elliot Gurney, 15. Luke Jones, 1. Ryan Noronha, 16. Michael Perinich, Nicholas Rouco (Perlowski 72′)
Yellow Cards: David Trajkovski 84′, Lachlan Martin 90+2′
Red Cards: Nil
Fernhill Foxes: 1. Koju Maruyama, 50. Shayne Ardle, 12. Aidan Breslin, 14. Kyle Del, 6. Dejan Djukic, 9. Daniel Djukic, 4. Kurt Foulger, 7. Jordan Hughes, 5. David Kotrc, 8, Brendan Pattman, 10. Mitchell Turner
Substitutes: 37. Lachlan Brophy, 43. William Cross, 20. Jesse Howard, 51. Mark Jones, 24. Daniel Swinton (Del 87′), 11. Mattias Passlack (Ardle 46′)
Yellow Cards: Mitchell Turner 30′, Dejan Djukic 84′, Daniel Djukic 86′
Red Cards: Nil
Date: Saturday, 16th October 2023
Venue: WIN Stadium, Wollongong
Referee: Jay Walpole
Assistant Referees: Caleb Blanch and Brendon Fortheringham
4th Official: Steven Bozic
Report by Dylan Arvela, on Twitter @dylanarvela
Photos by Graham Brown
