Oak Flats Falcons retained their Illawarra District League Second Grade title with a victory on penalties over Balgownie Rangers at WIN Stadium in the Grand Final on Saturday.
Luke Vandenbergh put Oak Flats in front just after the half-hour mark, before Mitchell Davis restored parity.
Despite chances falling both ways, the teams required penalties to decide a winner as the Falcons prevailed 5-4.
The game got off to a fast-paced start as the teams battled for control of the ball.
The first major chance came 25 minutes in when the Falcons won a free-kick on the edge of the box. Jason Forrester sent a strike towards the right of the goal and forced Rangers’ goalkeeper Liam Stevenson into a top save.
Balgownie responded to this chance five minutes later, as Mitchell Golding escaped down the left and crossed it in towards Branden Waeger, who headed over the bar.
However, moments later, the Falcons took the lead. Chase Allchin worked hard to get into the right of the box and drive the ball across to Vandenbergh. The forward had his original effort saved but he followed up and poked the ball in.
The game continued at a rapid pace, and in the 42nd minute, the Rangers restored parity. Matthew McCoy whipped in a right-sided cross from a free-kick that bounced all the way through to Davis, who blasted the ball high into the goal.
The side carried on this momentum and almost went in front seconds later. Luke McDonald with a powerful, low strike from outside the box that was tipped around the right post by Oak Flats goalkeeper Chris Jarman.
A frantic first half ended with the teams level.
Oak Flats could have re-established their lead eight minutes in when Allchin reacted fastest to a scramble in the box but scuffed the ball wide of the right post.
As the game wore on, chances were harder to come by as the next goal looked like it would be definitive.
In the 79th minute, Walkerden mazed his way into the right of the box and arced a shot towards the left post but Jarman pulled off an excellent save.
The teams were unable to be separated at halftime, meaning they would need extra time to decide a winner.
Six minutes into extra time, Oak Flats threatened again. Jarryd Vinton received the ball in the left of the box, clipping a shot narrowly over the bar.
Neither side could find a winner in extra time as the teams were destined for penalties.
Despite an early miss from Balgownie’s Matthew Bubb, Matthew Vandenberg also missed for Oak Flats as the same went into sudden death.
Davis could not find the net for the Rangers and Nathan Minutillo made it count, scoring his spot kick for the Falcons to see the side retain their Second Grade title.
Report by Tim Gibson
Photos courtesy of Graham Brown
