By Blake Jarrett

Weston Workers FC 3. def. Lambton Jaffas FC 2
Rockwell Automation Park
Sunday 24th August 3pm
Qualifying Final

In the Qualifying Final of the National Premier Leagues Weston Workers played host to Lambton Jaffas at Rockwell Automation Park.

Weston finished the season in second place as one of the most consistent sides in the competition, with nine wins and five draws.

Not far behind in third was the Jaffas, who won nine matches and drew three, leaving them just two short of Weston.

Both sides slowly worked their way into the match after the opening whistle, and Weston was the first to switch on. Some creative work from Jason Cowburn and Garry McDermott saw Jye McKellar free in the box with the ball at his feet and he made no mistake, driving it into the back of the net to make the score 1-0 after sixteen minutes.

Shortly after Weston received a huge scare as left back Liam Thornton limped off with injury.

They responded in the best way possible, as Cowburn beat the offside trap and ran onto a Connor Evans through ball, slotting past Danny Ireland into the bottom right hand corner.

The sides went into the break with Weston ahead 2-0.

Ten minutes after the break Luke Remington was forced off with injury, and less then two minutes later Weston scored their third as McDermott’s shot, following a Nathan Morris free kick, deflected into the bottom left hand corner, beating a wrong-footed Danny Ireland.

The game looked all but over until two of the Jaffas veterans stood up and controlled the game. In the sixty-first minute John Majurovski forced a brilliant save out of Pratt, however the ball fell to an unmarked Jobe Wheelhouse on the back stick who slotted into an empty net to make the score 3-1.

Five minutes later Wheelhouse turned provider as he curled a cross from the left hand side to Majurovski at the back stick who volleyed home into the bottom right hand corner.

Neither side could add to the score sheet and the match finished 3-2 to the Bears.

Weston assistant coach Darren Sills labeled it as ‘a game of two halves where we (the Bears) dominated the first half and Lambton dominated the second’.

He said that Jason Cowburn, Connor Evans, Garry McDermott, Zac Sneddon and skipper Carl Thornton were the five standouts for the Bears in a courageous win.

The result means that Weston win the right to host the Jets Youth next week in the Major Semi Final to win a place in the Grand Final, and the Jaffas welcome Charlestown for the Minor Semi Final with the loser eliminated.

 

Charlestown City Blues FC 2 def. Edgeworth FC 1
Sunday 24th August 2pm
Lisle Carr Oval
Elimination Final

The elimination final of the National Premier Leagues took place at Lisle Carr Oval between Charlestown City Blues and the Edgeworth Eagles.

Charlestown won the right to host the match as they finished fourth on twenty-eight points after eight wins and four draws.

Their opponents, Edgeworth, finished fifth after seven wins and six draws, which saw them trail the Blues by just a point.

Charlestown started the game extremely well establishing their structure early and they looked to be getting on top of the opposition.

That was until the Eagles made a good break down the right hand side in the fifteenth minute, and Dylan Holz latched onto a cross to put the away side ahead.

Edgeworth dominated the rest of the half, however both had chances to add to the score sheet, but neither could find the back of the net.

Edgeworth went into the break ahead 1-0.

On the hour mark the Blues found an equaliser through Daniel Bird, which put them right back in the contest.

Fifteen minutes later they found themselves ahead as Troy Hearfield’s shot took a deflection and found the back of the net.

Despite Edgeworth tirelessly working to find an equaliser, Charlestown held on for a 2-1 win, progressing through to the Minor Semi Final.

Charlestown coach Shane Pryce was extremely pleased with his side’s performance.

‘In the first fifteen minutes I was very happy with our structure and organisation,’ he said.

‘After that we sat back a little and gave them too much space, however we talked about the problems at half time and they adapted well’.

Pryce believed Hearfield and Kane Goodchild were quality in attack, but labeled keeper Andrew Goldman the standout amongst a bunch of men who worked hard for each other to win the match.

Edgeworth coach Gary Wilson believed both sides played well despite the conditions, and believed a draw would have been a fair result, commending both sides’ players in an even contest.

He suggested that Aaron Pritchard, and the entire backline produced quality performances in the match.

The result means that Charlestown progress to the Minor Semi Final next week at Arthur Edden Oval where they face the Lambton Jaffas.

Edgeworth unfortunately sees their season come to an end, but should be congratulated as they were one of the classier sides this season.