Shellharbour City FC-0, Coledale Waves JFC-5 @Elizabeth Park
Upsetting drama at Elizabeth Park as Coledale knock 5 in against minor premiers, Shellharbour, in the semi-final.
The ball was all in Shellharbour’s half in the opening minutes of the game as they had to defend multiple early corners by Coledale.
In the 4th minute, Matthew Sadler floated a ball from a corner into the box; Shellharbour’s keeper came to catch it but made a mess of it instead, and Vaughan Lickley was there in anticipation.
He fell as he kicked the ball into the top left of the goal from close range, just before the keeper could recover to position.
1-0 to the Waves, ecstatic for the second-place team.
Loss of possession in the defensive third by Shellharbour as they allowed for a low cross into the box that no defender could reach except Sadler, who knocked it in at the back post.
Two to the good for Coledale in the 37th minute, Shellharbour in shock.
In the final minute of the first-half, the Waves were making their presence felt in their opponents’ half as James Bishop had the time and space to pick out Rupprecht up front.
The high ball from the defender came straight to the striker’s head as he headed it over his two markers.
The rebound came again to him kindly as he half-volleyed the opportunity before the defenders could react.
The keeper couldn’t get down in time to stop the ball entering the bottom left of the goal.
Three for the Waves, leading at half-time, a scoreline not to be expected against the recently crowned minor premiers.
Coledale made sure that their goals were no fluke in the first half as they found the net in the second half in the 58th minute.
Liam Chilton took advantage of City’s high line as he ran onto a high-pinged ball from midfield.
Through on goal and the defence on his heels, he unleashed a half volley into the top left corner to make it four for his side.
The clock was getting past 80 minutes, and City were losing hope against a Coledale side that had played out of its skin.
In the 84th minute, more misery hit for Shellharbour as Chilton threaded a pass to Eduardo Bateman, who held up the defender and then laid it off to Joel Mucci.
The midfielder cut onto his left foot and smashed it bottom left inside the box.
Coledale have just booked their ticket into the Premier League 3 Grand Final.
Done in style as they embarrassed the favourites.
Shellharbour are in defeat but have to move on as they still have an extra chance.
They play the winners of the other semi-final bracket, Albion Park.
The fixture to get the next opening Grand Final Spot will be played at Tarrawanna Oval.
Warilla Wanderers FC-2, Albion Park FC-2 PENS: 4-5
Back-and-forth goals by both sides go right down to the wire as Albion Park get their win through penalties.
Last time these two sides met, Albion Park ran away with a 1-0 win.
Warilla will take every chance seriously against a worthy opponent.
Semi-final tensions proved unbearable for both teams as neither could secure their chances.
A change of approach could be the go for both teams, as they don’t have the privilege of having a second chance if they lose.
It’s win or permanent knockout for this match.
In the 55th minute, a goal worth a million was scored, with Mitchell Dowzard being the name on that goal that means so much to Albion Park.
The excited nerves were cut abruptly as Albion Park lost concentration and conceded a penalty in their own box.
Dylan Di Cesare had the duty of taking the honours of the penalty.
Even from a few yards out, the task would be difficult in a high-risk game, but Di Cesare was calm and collected as he knocked it from the spot to make it 1-1.
Game on in this semi-final.
Albion Park were a man down following the penalty against them, yet they endured the uneven odds and got themselves the goal to separate the two sides.
Conor O’Sullivan picked his spot and beat the keeper.
2-1 in the 78th minute.
Albion Park’s courage to defy the odds against them, such as clawing their way late into the top four, has paid off well for them.
Just minutes away from a seat in the final, Warilla had other plans and made a late counter-attack, which was finished off by Brenton Geribo.
A stoppage-time winner for the Wanderers.
Both sides will have to play another thirty minutes to decide which team has their place in the next semi-final phase.
Minutes ticked by, and no sign of a goal that could easily be enough to win the game.
Warilla attempted to make their efforts count with a late-minute winner, but no chance by either team could be buried.
The game had to go to a penalty shootout to decide the victor.
Geribo and Dowzard, the previous scorers in the match, converted their penalties with composure.
Jack Murray for Warilla stepped up and finished his penalty off, and Munilla for Albion Park did the same.
It then got to 4-4 on penalties; if both teams score, it will move to the sudden-death phase of the shootout.
Akinari Sasaki stood for the next penalty for the Wanderers, with Richard Bull in net to stop him.
Bull ended up as the winner in the duel as the penalty was missed.
Albion Park take the fight to Shellharbour next semi-final round to decide who takes on Coledale in the grand final.
