Warners Bay won the battle of the reformed and resurrected Herald Women’s Premier League clubs at Weston on Sunday, beating Wallsend 1-0 in the grand final.

Warners Bay were last in 2015 and Wallsend second last. They won just seven games between them. But, with new coaches Leon Davis and Marc Hingston at the helm and vastly changed squads, they improved as the year wore on and dumped heavyweights Merewether and Adamstown out in the semi-finals.

The grand final, played in front of a healthy crowd of 1680, was not the prettiest game of the season, but it hung in the balance until the final whistle as Wallsend battled to find an equaliser and Warners Bay stayed true to their attacking style.

Jets winger Adriana Jones hit the bar with a corner in the first minute before Wallsend went up the other end and earned a penalty when Corinne Krupa bundled Briony Halcombe over. 

But Libby Copus-Brown’s spot kick lacked conviction and Warners Bay keeper Nikki Deiter dived low to her right to save.

Both sides’ prolific forwards had chances to open the scoring before Sass Seaborn broke the deadlock in the 32nd minute when she bundled home a Jones corner from the right.

Jones continued to trouble Wallsend’s back four with her pace and movement off the ball, but keeper Bek Saunders denied her when she came off her line bravely before and after half-time.

The Devils’ midfield, led by captain Keely Gawthrop, took hold of the game early in the second half and repeatedly found Jets flyer Jenna Kingsley in space down the right, but she could not find a way past the impressive Deiter.

Chasing the game took a toll on Wallsend, and defender Kalista Hunter was sent off for a second booking with two minutes to play as Warners Bay finished on top.

Captain Cassidy Davis said her side, who had battled injury and illness before the game, deserved to win.

“Wallsend did put up a pretty big fight, though,” she said. “They had chances as well, we did, Nikki saved a penalty. That’s what happens in a grand final. But overall I think we deserved it. 

“Nikki’s done really well. She’s saved every penalty but one the whole season out of probably six. She’s awesome.

“It’s really good for the club. We had four teams in the semi-finals and two in the grand final and one winner.”

Cassidy’s younger sister Airlie played at right back and older sister Greer played in the Warners Bay side that lost 8-1 to Thornton in the curtain-raiser. 

Wallsend coach Hingston said his side “weren’t at our best” after thrashing minor premiers Adamstown 4-1 the previous weekend. 

“We weren’t the same team. I think we played our grand final last week,” he said. “Credit to them. They kept pushing in the first half. We made a few mistakes and they countered because of that and got a scrappy goal. In the big picture, I’m very proud of what we’ve achieved.”

Photo Gallery here. All images by Max Mason-Hubers/The Herald

Article by Michael Parris appeared on The Herald online on Aug 20, 2016