The Newcastle City Blues Black Diamond Cup and First Division sides have booked their place in the BDAFL Grand Final on Saturday 8th September with two great wins on Saturday at Newcastle No. 1 Sportsground.
The Black Diamond Cup team came out of the blocks in fine form on Saturday to lead 7.6 to 1.0 at quarter time with the on-ball brigade of Kemp, Mitch Knight, Cotter and Dinneen having the better of their Killarney Vale opponents out of the centre clearances. The forward line were in imposing form with great marking, strong tackling and great front and centre crumbing work proving hard for their opponents to contain. Jayson "Puddles" Cleaver had a sublime first quarter to kick three first quarter goals in a textbook small forward exhibition.
Pete "Elvis/Fonz/Christou" Rizzoli was realising his X-Factor status with a couple of handy early goals and Courtney Knight and Big Buckets were working hard to keep the pressure on the Bombers. Young Ben Haines had a great first quarter and was thrilling the big crowd on the grandstand wing with his pace and finesse under pressure.
Coach Burns was very pleased with the efforts at the quarter time break and asked for his comrades in the backline to hold firm as the Bombers were sure to come out with more intensity and desire after a rocket at quarter time. They did just that scoring the first three goals of the quarter before the Blues made some changes in the middle and the backline to again take the ascendancy as they held a comfortable 39-point lead into half time.
Tom Hunt was again keeping the dangerous Rick White quiet and starting to impose himself on the match along with Matty Enright who was providing plenty of drive off the back flank. Coach Burns, Mark Wheeler and Bottles were well on top of their forwards by the end of the quarter and things were looking good for the Blues with no injuries to worry about at the long break.
The third quarter was a fairly even affair with Stewy, DG, Drew, Wagga and Young Wheels fighting hard to keep the Blues lead in tact in the all important "Premiership quarter" and with some good late goals through Courtney Knight and Pete Rizzoli the Blues were at the final stanza with a 42-point buffer.
The last quarter had the Blues bolt out of the blocks once again with the elusive Burkey getting some great clearances from the centre and combining well with the helmeted one, Nick Woodhams on the forward flank the Blues were all but home kicking the first few goals in the final quarter. Five goals to three in the last quarter was a good result for the Blues with Cleaver staggering off in what appeared to be a behind the play incident and some easy goals to the Bombers in the last five minutes.
The large Blues contingent celebrated the win in a low key fashion, knowing the big prize awaits the side in a fortnight back at No.1, a ground which the Blues haven't lost on since last years underwater Grand Final. Thanks to the Killarney Vale players and supporters who came up to the Clubrooms after the match, its great to see some real goodwill amongst Club's in the BDAFL.
Black Diamond Cup - Second Semi Final
SCORES |
|
TEAMS |
TIME/VENUE |
18.20-128 |
|
Newcastle City |
2:30 PM Sat 25/Aug
No 1 Sportsground |
|
|
def. |
11.8-74 |
|
Killarney Vale |
Newcastle City
Goal Kickers: C. Knight 6, P. Rizzoli 5, J. Cleaver 4, N. Woodhams, D. Woerner, B. Haines Best Players: M. Kemp, T. Hunt, T. Cotter, M. Enright, J. Cleaver, C. Knight Killarney Vale
Goal Kickers: J. Ireland 5, D. Amidy 2, J. Daley, N. Chaplin, A. Cambourn, M. Chaplin Best Players: J. Ireland, T. Snelling, C. Shackleton, S. Cutler, A. Cambourn, P. Schell
|
In a see-sawing affair the Blues First Division side managed to outrun and outlast a defiant Lake Macquarie side in a highly skilled and fast paced First Division match of the highest order.
Big Bustling "Player of the Week" Darly Ansebury was in great form up forward finishing with 10-goals in a match winning performance. Scott Harrington was everywhere in a typically robust performance and everyone's favourite player Brendan Foynes played a great match kicking seven majors for the Blues. Foynes unfortunately ended his match early in the third quarter with a suspected bro...ken arm and we wish him a speedy recovery.
The side have now found their way into the Grand Final to defend their title from 2006 and Stubbsy will undoubtedly leave no stone unturned in his preparations for the big game.
First Division Side - Second Semi Final
SCORES |
|
TEAMS |
TIME/VENUE |
25.12-162 |
|
Newcastle City |
12:00 PM Sat 25/Aug
No 1 Sportsground |
|
|
def. |
20.18-138 |
|
Lake Macquarie |
Newcastle City
Goal Kickers: D. Anesbury 10, B. Foynes 7, C. Webster 2, C. Sturman 2, M. McGuire 2, M. Deed, H. Kavanagh Best Players: D. Anesbury, A. Matthews, B. Foynes, M. McGuire, A. Blunden, J. Judge Lake Macquarie
Goal Kickers: M. Hodge 7, J. Grills 4, J. Cutts 3, S. Marsh, A. Weymer, T. Croft, S. Johnson, S. Renehan, L. Robinson Best Players: M. Hodge, S. Johnson, L. Robinson, J. Cutts, D. Maher, A. Weymer
|
We now await the fate of our in-form Under 18's side this Saturday when they take on the shaky Gosford Tiger Cubs at Adelaide Street Oval. Best of luck to the Under 16's players in their Grand Final on the Friday Night and let's try and get a big crowd along for both the Friday night and Saturday morning matches.
Last Modified on 05/09/2007 21:22