Fernhill Foxes were crowned WGC Cranes District League Youth Grade Grand Final Champions thanks to first half goals from Oscar Corby and James Katsoudas.

They owed their victory as much to their defensive backline, though, led by captain Andrew Drapaniotis and Man of the Match goalkeeper Matt Payne, who made some outstanding saves to keep his side ahead.

Wests hit the woodwork twice and must have created at least a dozen good chances to win this game, but to take a Grand Final you need to convert your chances, and Wests had to make do with Elisseo Chiodi’s 70^th minute header, as their only consolation.

Speaking after his side’s victory, Foxes coach Kevin Chilby said: “It’s a fantastic result obviously. But I have to applaud my guys for hanging in there and taking the chances they had.”

For Wests coach Jorge de Matos, “It was hard to go down when I felt we were the better side for much of the 90, but we just didn’t take our opportunities on the day. I’m very proud of the boys, though. It’s a young side and they say you learn more from your losses than your victories so I’m sure they’ve got a bright future ahead of them.”

Wests certainly began the game looking the brighter of the two sides and within the first ten minutes, they had four good chances. Captain Emanuel Hondroudakis was the key to their performance, dominating in midfield and setting up his forwards with fine distribution from the centre of the park.

Emmanuel Kamara had the best of the early chances, forcing a corner from close range and then denied by a last-minute tackle from Drapaniotis when Hondroudakis appeared to have put him through with a clear run on goal.

Payne was by far the busier of the two keepers, twice denying Wests top scorer Aidan Gallo in the early stages. At the other end, Fernhill were content to try from long-range, with a Jaksen Giraldi free-kick sent straight into the arms of Zak Bedelovski and a 35 yard punt from Mitchell Turner which took one bounce before flying wide of the upright.

And still Wests came forward, looking the more likely to score. A superb ball from Hondroudakis found Ryan Akhurst at the far post, but he could only watch in despair as his close range effort flew across the face of the goal after Payne got a vital touch. Then it was Kamara again who saw his effort drift tantalisingly close to the target but yet again fade just wide.

On the half hour mark, Fernhill suddenly took the lead, completely against the run of play. It was another long-range effort, from 25 yards out, only this time Corby was not only on target but he managed to steer it through a packed area and beyond the reach of Bedelovski.

Wests responded with yet more pressure, creating three chances in as many minutes, as first Kamara and then Akhurst were again denied by Payne. As the Wests’ missed opportunities tally reached double figures, Fernhill struck again at a vital time in the game.

Katsoudas picked the ball up ten yards out and fired a right foot shot past the keeper for Fernhill’s second. This was in the 44^th minute, and still there was time before the break for Wests to create – and miss – another golden opportunity, with Gallo setting up Kamara, who this time missed the target completely.

 

Half time: 2-0.

Within five minutes of the restart, Wests were ruing yet more missed chances. Gallo fired against the cross bar after a fine ball in from Akhurst. And Kamara again raced clear and was shaping to shoot when that man Drapaniotis got back again with a desperate tackle in the nick of time.

Having created countless chances in open play, Hondroudakis went for goal himself when Wests won a free kick in a useful position 25 yards out. His goal bound shot produced a diving save from Payne who threw himself at the near post to punch clear and maintain the two goal lead.

As Wests pushed forward, gaps began to open up at the back and Fernhill might have increased their lead further just before the hour mark. Substitute Guy Mcrae was looking a threat when given room, though his best chance was blocked by Daniel Jorge inside the box, and Mcrae almost nicked a cheeky third for his side when he caught Bedelovski hesitating over what to do with a backpass.

In the 70^th minute, Wests finally broke through. A Hondroudakis corner from the left found Chiodi, who sent a fine header back across goal and into the far corner to give his side hope.

But hope doesn’t win matches, and Wests quickly returned to the earlier pattern, creating good chances but just not able to put in the finishing touch. When Akhurst cleverly flicked the ball past Payne, he held his head in his hands as he watched it yet again slide wide of the target, and then it was Payne again who rushed out to block Kamara as the unlucky Wests striker was about to shoot.

As the watched ticked on towards the 90, Fernhill should have made the game safe. Corby made space for himself on the edge of the area, but watched his shot fizz inches over the bar. And then, with two minutes remaining, Turner burst through into the area and earned a penalty as he became sandwiched between two Wests defenders.

Drapaniotis stepped up and sent the spot kick lamely wide of the upright.

Having thought their Grand Final hopes were over, Wests rallied in a final effort to get back on equal terms. Hondroudakis sent in a last free kick in the dying seconds, but in the story of Wests’ afternoon, nobody was able to get the final touch on the ball to equalise.

Fernhill had held on for a famous victory, showing that the only statistic that counts is how often you get the ball in the opponent’s net.

So, a final word to winning coach Chilby: “I’m immensely proud of my boys. It’s my first year at Fernhill and I’m very happy to have won a Grand Final with this great club.”

Fernhill FC – 2 (Corby 30’, Katsoudas 44’)

Wests Illawarra FC – 1 (Chiodi 70’)

Saturday 24 September 2016

WIN Stadium

Referee: Aiden Crawley

Assistant Referees: Michael Bell, Brodie Merchant

Fourth Official: Jarryd Higgins

Fernhill FC: Matt Payne, Klaus Rauker, Andrew Drapaniotis, Luke Blatch, Lachlan O’Gorman (Ricardo Fernandes 90’), James Katsoudas, Jacob Cordina, Oscar Corby, Liam Brown (Guy Mcrae 51’ – subbed by Jack Foulger 78’), Mitchell Turmer, Jaksen Giraldi (Daniel Saad 45’) (sub not used: Kyle Proctor)

Wests Illawarra: Zak Bedelovski, Ryan Akhurst, Johnny Vicoroski (Daniel Picciolini 61’), Casey Graham (Jonah Kalmanidis 51’), Aidan Gallo, Emmanuel Kamara, Emanual Hondroudakis, Elisseo Chiodi, Tyren Maclou, Daniel Jorge (Rene Vescio 62’), Jake Bailey (subs not used: Connor O’Neill, Matthew Tschentscher)

 

Report by Simon Duffin

Photo by Pedro Garcia