Qualifying Final
Belmont Swansea United 0-1 Kahibah FC
Kahibah clawed out a 1-0 win against Belmont Swansea United in the qualifying final on Saturday to set up a major semi-final bout with New Lambton.
Belswans dominated most of the game at Blacksmiths Oval, creating chances and enjoying the better of possession and shots while limiting Kahibah to a minimal number of opportunities.
But the Rams only needed a perfectly placed set piece to take a surprise lead.
From about 45 yards out, experienced midfielder Robbie Turnbull curled a wicked ball into the line of players. Centreback Heath Kepreotes drove towards the ball and headed it into the back of the net as Belswans goalkeeper Daniel Bryant tried his best to reach the bouncing header.
Belswans continued their brash offensive but a handful of top drawer saves from Kahibah goalkeeper Scott Carter kept the hosts at bay and the score 1-0 in favour of the Rams.
Kahibah entered the second half with slightly more composure on the ball, creating a more contested environment and a couple of chances to double their lead but to no avail.
An hour into the game Belswans were gifted a golden opportunity to draw it level with a penalty given for handball. Fullback Mark Finlayson stepped up but could not convert as Carter pulled off another miraculous save.
Kahibah thought they had finished Belswans off with 15 minutes to go but the apparent goal was disallowed due to an incorrectly taken corner. From then onwards it was the Belswans show. Kane Woolston, Cameron Lodge and substitute Tyson Masters led the home side in trying to send the game into extra time.
In the last minute of the game Belswans struck the back of the net. But an offside call waved the goal away and a Belswans-dominated match ended 1-0 in favour of the visitors.
"It's a tough one for the players and me to take on the chin,” Belswans coach Mick Stafford said.
“I think we did everything we could to win the game. We were unlucky with a few refereeing decisions and a quality goalkeeper in Scott [Carter]. But positives, we still created a lot and we get another chance next week."
The 1-0 loss now takes Belswans’ tally to three games in a row without scoring. But Stafford was not worried and hoped if they could replicate the performance next week in the minor semi-final, they would continue to progress in this year’s finals series.
"I think there's a little bit of missing composure there but a lot of luck today,” Stafford said.
“Matt [Moncrieff] even commented how lucky they were. We'll just keep upbeat and keep playing good football. We're not getting broken down and even the goal we let in, [Daniel Bryant] fell over in the sand pit of a goal mouth at this field. So we’ve just got to keep working and enjoying our football.
"If we continue to play like that, it will happen. I think that's our level and we can keep this level. We don't play AFL, I think everyone can see that we actually play decent football. We'll just continue to enjoy ourselves, work as a team and we'll be fine."
Kahibah coach Mat Moncrieff admitted luck was on their side but will hope to take the momentum into the major semi-final against New Lambton next weekend, being the only side to take points off the premiers twice this season.
"To be honest, as far as a football game goes it wasn't entertaining to the eye, that's for sure,” Moncrieff said.
“But at the end of the day it's finals football and you do what you need to win. We pretty much defended for 85 minutes and we ended up coming up with a 1-0 win. You've got to be happy for the boys and we get to move on and have a crack at New Lambton next week.
“We just competed well and got the luck to go our way a fair bit and we end up with one more game to go before the big dance now, which is good.”
Kahibah’s only goal came from a brilliant set piece from Turnbull’s whipped ball onto Kepreotes’ head. But the goal of this kind was no coincidence.
"We spent 40 minutes on that exact free kick [Friday] night,” Moncrieff said.
“It was pretty much that and penalties was all we did because it was the day before the game. That was a complete set play that one. We changed our angles from curling out to curling in from free kicks and we got the goal. Set plays win these types of games and we got them.
“[Belswans] did hit the post once and missed a penalty. So they had their chances. But today was our day, so we get to roll on and have a crack at [New Lambton] to go in the big dance and we still get a second chance which is always good."
A man-of-the-match performance from Carter was the icing on the cake for Kahibah. The former Weston Workers FC number one dialled it back a couple of years and pulled off some incredible saves, highlighting some needed motivation heading into their game against New Lambton.
"[Carter] has given us coaches a few heart attacks throughout the year but he was awesome today. He put in a monster performance,” Moncrieff said.
“I didn't see any of their shots getting past him. He just stopped everything. Between him and the backline, [they coped with] the backs to the wall stuff and we had done really well. I don't think anyone will argue that Carter wasn't the best player on the field today.
"But we're just proud of the boys’ efforts today and there are some really experienced boys that dug deep there and filled some holes where we needed them today and we got the result. That's all we can do, I suppose and probably buy a lottery ticket or two at the end."
Elimination Final
Singleton Strikers 3-3 Toronto Awaba FC (Toronto Awaba FC won 5-4 on penalties)
Toronto Awaba ended Singleton’s season after an epic penalty shootout victory on Sunday, with the Stages advancing to next week’s minor semi-final.
The Strikers and Stags played out a heart-stopping 3-3 draw in normal time, with the sides unable to be separated in extra time.
The Stags came bustling out of the gates at Civic Park, with Jarrod Purcell scoring a brace within the first 10 minutes and giving Toronto the lead as Singleton struggled the find their footing early.
But a penalty for the Strikers 13 minutes in allowed the hosts to get back into the game as Jake Barner calmly slotted the ball passed Drew Olsen.
Toronto continued to pressurise Singleton’s goal as they dominated possession, effectively shutting down any of the Strikers’ attacks.
Scott Smith guided Pete McPherson’s wonder ball into the back of the net with a half-diving header on the half hour mark. The goal gifted the hosts a healthy two-goal buffer heading into the break.
The second half started like the first, with Toronto again holding the majority of possession. But a change of formation with the introduction of Hayden Nicol and Joe Civello off the bench for Singleton shifted the tides.
With 10 minutes to go Hayden Nicol scored from a 20-metre free kick, shining a glimmer of hope as the Strikers supporters rallied behind their troops.
When Jake Barner struck home the equaliser with the final kick of regular time the home crowd let out an almighty roar and the two sides were forced to play an extra 30 minutes of football.
Singleton were on the front foot for most of extra time but could not find the finishing touch and the game went to penalties.
Toronto goalkeeper Olsen made the only save during the shootout as the rest of the shots hit the back of the net.
Fullback Christopher Cook hit the final penalty home for Toronto and sent them into the next stage of the finals series, another do or die encounter against Belmont Swansea United.
Toronto coach Jarrad Hiles was ecstatic with how his side played and hoped they could make this finals series a memorable one.
"I thought we dominated play for 80 minutes and just let it slip right at the end. But the boys played really well,” Hiles said.
"It was pretty tidy in extra time and there weren't too many chances. Drew Olsen had a good game and wasn't caught out a lot. To be honest there wasn't much in extra time but it should have been done in normal time.
“We were 3-1 up and the game went a bit flat. We had a couple of chances to finish it off and once they got one back for 3-2, the crowd got behind them and they rode that to the very last kick, which was unfortunate.”
It was telling how much the Stags put in to get the result and victory. The belief Hiles instilled within the side throughout the season shone through, with the effort a significant factor in taking Toronto to the next week of finals.
“But the biggest thing that comes out of it is the mentality of our boys that stuck in there and really showed the true grit to finish it off even though it was in penalties,” Hiles said.
"[Purcell] was excellent. His output over the last few weeks has been great. His two goals today were excellent. He pulled up with a little cramp in the groin but he will be right to go next week. Zane Winslade was tops in the midfield, breaking up play. Drew made a couple of crucial saves and made one in the penalty shootout as well.
“With the Stags celebrating 100 years and also being 10 years since the Stags have made the finals, it's a real momentous occasion and we've got to celebrate that.
"We've actually come out of the blocks really well. It showed that we're up for the finals series and we're going to be very, very hard to beat over the next couple of weeks. We just take this momentum on and show the mental resilience to come back from a disappointment conceding in the last minute and getting through the extra time period."
Singleton coach Mick Jarvis put the early two goals conceded as the reason for the loss, proving that teams must be switched on for the entire game if wanting to go far in this competition.
"We weren't good enough in that first 10 minutes. We started a little bit slow and didn't deal with the long ball in [where we conceded],” Jarvis said.
“I missed the first [goal] it was that quick. I turned around and they were picking the ball out of the net. It took two quick goals for us to settle into the game. But from there on in, I'm happy.
"Second half was good. I basically said to the guys we'll give it 10-15 minutes to see if we can get back into it. Toronto started shelling everything back down our end, so I said enough was enough and with 30 minutes to go, I spoke to Hayden Nicol and Joe Civello about what I wanted from them, a lot of experience to come off the bench.
“We pushed numbers forward, adjusted the shape and caused some damage. They played the house down for the rest of the game."
Despite losing in such fashion, Jarvis could still reflect on the positives his side had achieved this season. He has already set his sights on climbing higher up the table next year.
"I'm really happy with the way they've adjusted towards the back end of the season, only losing one game in the last seven or eight. I'm really happy with the effort,” Jarvis said.
“And then today, the tactical change was based on us chasing the game and we needed to bring on some experience up front and throw more numbers forward.
"I'll talk to the players and I believe everyone's going around again. There are some players outside of the club that are interested in what we're doing.
"I thought the boys did enough to get a result and I couldn't ask more from them. I'm proud as punch with the character shown. They really played the house down for the last half hour, so I'm really happy with them."
