Thirroul Thunder edged out Berkeley Sports 1-0 after extra time on Saturday morning to claim the Illawarra District League Second Grade Grand Final.
In a combative match, substitute Bradley Strudwick scored the decisive goal in the first half of extra time.
The game burst into life after a quiet first 25 minutes as the teams battled for some control in the contest.
In the 27th minute, Thirroul produced the best chance of the match so far. Robbie Gyngell picked out Oscar Pruks in the left of the box with the striker forcing Berkeley goalkeeper Mitchell O’Neill into a save.
Moments later, the Goats returned fire through Jon Adams finding space in the right of the area, but Thunder shotstopper Josh Williams caught his effort.
Berkeley created another opportunity 33 minutes in as Jarryd King made first contact with a set piece seeing the ball fall to Justin Mears who hooked a close-range shot over.
The scores remained locked at 0-0 as the teams went into the sheds after a battling first half.
Ten minutes after the break, Thirroul had a great chance to open the scoring. Jake Paine raced through on goal down the left but O’Neill stayed big and smothered the shot.
The Goats had an even better opportunity not long after when Adams’ right-wing cross found Matthew Garnero in plenty of space in the box however, he dragged the shot wide.
As challenges continued to fly in, the wait went on for a goal that could prove decisive in deciding who lifted the trophy. After the 70th minute there were a flurry of shots with both teams having ample opportunity to score.
In the 71st minute, Berkeley knitted together a series of passes on the right before the ball fell to Andrew Rosandic blasting wide of the right post.
The Goats conjured up another chance a couple of minutes later as Adams sent his shot wide from the middle of the area.
Rosandic came close again 75 minutes in as he beat Williams to a ball on the right but his quickly taken shot bounced wide of the near post.
The Thunder moved the ball down the other end swiftly with Strudwick’s dipping volley flying over before O’Neill repelled Pruks’ tight-angled strike.
A tense regular 90 minutes concluded with neither team able to score leaving extra time to decide a winner.
Eight minutes into extra time, the breakthrough finally came as Thirroul found the back of the net. Grant Overton played an inch-perfect pass into the left channel for Strudwick, where the attacker brought the ball down expertly and slotted an effort into the bottom right corner.
Berkeley threw what they had left at the Thunder in the closing stages but the series winners held on to secure another District League Second Grade Grand Final title.
Report by Tim Gibson
Photos courtesy of Gragrapix
