Saturday’s Tamworth Women’s Premier League reserve grade decider will see minor premiers Tamworth FC and second-placed Hillvue Rovers line up opposite one another at Scully Park from 3pm.
These two sides have shared an intriguing and competitive rivalry throughout the 2024 campaign but Tamworth FC has the upper hand with three wins in their four encounters. The minor premiers prevailed 3-0 in round in round five and they then drew 2-2 in round 10 before Tamworth FC scored back-to-back 2-1 victories in the final round of the regular season and the major semi-final.
Hillvue returned to winning ways last Saturday when they held off a fast-finishing OVA outfit to prevail 2-1 and join the minor premiers in the decider.
Tamworth FC have gone through the season undefeated so far, winning 13 regular season matches and drawing the other two before prevailing in the major semi-final. They have scored 86 goals and only conceded 12 across those 16 games and they are certainly the favourites come Saturday.
Their coach Michael Gay has enjoyed the 2024 campaign and is looking forward to the big dance.
“We’ve got three or four in our team that had never played before this year and a few that hadn’t played since they were in school many years ago. It’s a pretty green bunch to be honest,” Gay said.
“They are probably some of the hardest workers you will ever see. I’ve had girls who have been so keen to learn that they come down to training half-an-hour early to do some extra basic skills. They go out there and have fun, and that really does show.
“Hillvue have a really good coach in Chloe Nott, who happens to be one of our best first grade players. They are a very young, fast team, and Chloe has done a very great job with them and has got them very well-skilled as well.
“It’s been really good to see the quality of football that’s being played in the reserve grade competition, while the first grade competition is going ahead leaps and bounds as well.
“The semi-final against Hillvue was a close game and there was nothing in it. Plenty of nail-biting moments and they hit the post twice.
“One thing I love about our girls is they never give up and they keep playing their brand of football. They are confident and they support each other tremendously, both in the literal sense of being in space to receive a pass and also being very supportive of each other.
“I’m expecting a close game on Saturday, unfortunately for my nerves. I’m hoping we can get the ascendancy early on, get a lead, and keep up the same strong defensive effort that we’ve put up all year, and I think that will get us over the line.”
Like Tamworth FC, Hillvue had an impressive regular season, especially defensively. They only conceded 12 goals in their 15 regular season games while scoring 50 at the other end as they won nine games, drew three and lost three.
Their coach Chloe Nott said she has enjoyed the opportunity to coach the Hillvue team while still playing for Tamworth FC, and she is confident Hillvue can stand tall on grand final day.
“It works pretty well and I can separate coaching from playing. Being in a different grade really helps,” Nott said.
“I coached Hillvue last year as well when Tamworth FC didn’t have a reserve grade team. Coaching against them this year is always a little bit funny.
“I think the reserve grade grand final will be a really close game. There are good players on both sides and they are two evenly-matched teams. All the girls love playing against each other and they’re excited to be in the grand final.
“We have been defensively strong all season and FC are great in the backline as well. I think it’ll be tough for both teams to score goals.
“It’s one of those games where you need to take risks of moving around players at the right times and take your chances as well.”
