Minor Semi-Final
Maitland FC 2-1 Edgeworth Eagles
Maitland FC head coach Adam Hughes has lauded his side’s ability to find a way to win, after the Magpies survived a relentless bombardment from Edgeworth Eagles to win 2-1 at Cooks Square Park on Sunday afternoon.
After the sides delivered enthralling head-to-head contests, the final would prove no different, with the visitors threatening early with three corners and several shots on goal inside the first 10 minutes.
But the Eagles found themselves behind in the 11th minute, a quick transition seeing striker Braedyn Crowley deliver a classy finish to give the hosts the lead.
The score gave Maitland composure, but the visitors refused to go away, Edgeworth continuing to bombard the box but struggling to get their radar working.
Despite several close efforts across eight corners and 11 shots on goal in the first half, the Eagles could not find an equaliser, the Magpies being rewarded for their defence with a 1-0 lead at half-time.
But the Eagles’ pressure only expanded once the restart got underway.
The Magpies began to generate more pressure of their own, Kyle McSweeney missing a golden chance to extend the lead in the 55th minute, his header scooting over the open goal with keeper Ben Conway slipping on the surface.
The Eagles continued to threaten, launching shot after shot on the Maitland box, taking their 14th corner before the hour mark, and just as it felt like they might get no reward for their pressure, in the 65th minute, everything changed.
A Jarrod McKechnie cross found the head of Flynn Goodman, the striker finally getting the ball past Maitland keeper Taylor Pate to give the visitors their long-overdue equaliser.
The score galvanised the visitors, the pressure only increasing with every corner and shot on goal taken.
But in the 87th minute, it would be a quick transition that would finally down the Eagles, a shot by Daniel McFarlane finding Crowley and Regan Lundy in the visitors’ box.
The Eagles attempted to scramble, but a pass to McFarlane proved fatal, the midfielder producing a classy finish to send the Magpies through to the preliminary final.
It proved a heartbreaking end to the Eagles’ season. The visitors producing an astounding 29 attempts on goal and 16 corners, but with all the territory and momentum, the side could not execute and break down the Maitland defence to find a win.
Hughes commended the effort of his defence, leadership group, and the wider squad, the depth of the club being tested with reserve grade also pushing deep into finals.
“It was a good defensive display from the group,” Hughes said.
“We're missing a couple of key players that we lost through the week. We're carrying two groups at the moment with the reserve group going through as well.
“The way that we defended the box and defended a lot of set pieces as well, you could see the intent from the group to want to challenge and the speed that we tried to break out on in moments as well.
“It was a performance that's stretched everyone to their capacities at the moment.
“We'll go into the [preliminary final] match as underdogs, and it's something I think we'll enjoy being.
“We'll get to go and play at Magic Park; it's a place that we like to go. There'll be a lot of buzz around the playing group, and I'm sure it'll be a great weekend for football next weekend.”
Edgeworth head coach Peter McGuinness summed up the bitter reality of football after the defeat.
“Sport can be very cruel. It can be very, very rewarding, but it can also be very cruel,” McGuinness said.
“We spoke about it at the end, and I thanked everyone for the year. I thought our efforts all year have been outstanding.
“[We had] Field dominance, ball possession dominance. We just didn't execute on the front third enough.
“I thought we were great, and I said just don't change anything [at half-time]. Lo and behold, we went out in the second half, and we didn't change anything. We just kept going, and we got a reward.
“But we got caught. That's football.”
The Eagles will now turn their attention to preparations for 2027, while Maitland will play in the preliminary final against Broadmeadow Magic for a place in the grand final.
Major Semi-Final
Broadmeadow Magic 0-3 Weston Bears
Weston Bears head coach Damian Zane praised his side’s belief as they stunned Broadmeadow Magic in an extra-time blitz of goals to win 3-0 at Magic Park.
With a tense feeling in the air and a grand final place up for grabs, both sides started with intent, trading early shots on goal.
It would be the Bears who would have the lion’s share of territory, stifling a usually free-flowing Magic attack with five shots on goal and eight corners in the first half.
The hosts built back into the game nicely to find parity towards the end of the first half, but the 0-0 score at half-time proved an accurate summation of what had been an expansive, enthralling half of football.
The free-flowing nature of the game continued, with Magic’s attempts on goal being well met and managed by the likes of Chris Hurley, Mana Iwasaki, Nelson King and Connor Evans.
The Bears looked hopeful of opening the scoring in the 65th minute when Magic’s Keanu Moore appeared to clip Blake Archbold in the box, with a penalty initially awarded. However, Archbold was eventually shown a yellow card for simulation.
The hosts finally appeared to break the deadlock in the 83rd minute when Luis Lara Delgardo found the back of the net, only for the goal to be ruled out for offside. It proved to be the best chance of regular time as the Bears held out late to send the match into an extra 30 minutes.
With both sides not giving an inch, it would come down to who could stand up under immense fatigue, and as the first half of extra time commenced, the fans in attendance had no idea what they were about to see.
After a seesawing opening six minutes, a Chris Hurley corner found the boot of Nelson King, the youngster guiding the ball past the condensed Magic defence for a critical first goal in the 99th minute.
Magic tried to lift, pushing deep, but the Bears defence scrapped hard, going into the break with their slim 1-0 lead intact.
Both sides threw everything at the second half, with Magic looking to find some way to equalise, with the Bears looking ominous on transition.
As the final five minutes began, it would be the latter that would prevail, as Chris Hatfield got past Jeremy Wilson to find himself in a one-on-one with keeper Daniel Axford, drilling the ball home to silence the Magic crowd.
As the last minute of stoppage time arrived, Ryan Ensor had spent barely a minute on the field when he made the result comprehensive, catching Axford out of position and launching a stunning strike from halfway to finish the match with a contender for goal of the season.
The result will see the Bears qualify for the grand final for the first time in 12 years, giving them the chance to win their first title in 31 years.
“The club's on a high, not just because of the team; it's been a whole squad effort. It's been really empowering,” Zane said.
“It's just belief. We've been really solid defensively in the latter part of the season, and there's just desperation. There's a willingness to work for the player beside you.
“I was really impressed with our defensive effort, especially the second half when it did open up a little bit. We really kept it on our terms and how we wanted the game and the tempo played at, and we controlled that really well. Our leaders were a big part of why we won.
“I've got full faith if we get the plan right [for the grand final], they're going to execute it.
“Next year they're going to be one hell of a squad going forward for their experiences this year.
“We'd love to win a trophy. It's been a while at the club, and it's always good for a team to taste success when they haven't had it for a little while.
“On that day, it's how you turn up.
“We've turned up for big games this year, so I'm quietly confident that whoever we play, we’ll be up for it.”
The Bears will enjoy a week off before the big dance, while Broadmeadow Magic will welcome Maitland to Magic Park for the preliminary final to determine who will join them.