By: Lachlan Shirley

UNDERDOGS Surf Coast FC waited until the semi final stage to cause the boilover of the season and progress through to next weekend’s Geelong Region Men’s Division 1 Grand Final after registering a huge 1-0 upset win over league champions Geelong Rangers at Myers Reserve on Sunday.

PHOTO: Victorious Surf Coast players celebrate their semi final win in the dressing room after the match against Rangers. From left: Sam Roberts being congratulated by club president Steve Christou, goalscorer Jay Christou and Glynn Gray (Photo supplied by Surf Coast FC)

Going into the semi-final clash, Rangers looked to be overwhelming favorites after finishing ten points clear at the top of the table while their opponents Surf Coast finished fourth on the table.

The Coasters had other ideas, though, as they shocked everyone with a 1-0 victory over the hosts and denied Rangers a place in the Grand Final in the process. Jay Christou was the scorer of the match deciding goal.

Surfside Waves also booked a place in the Men’s Division 1 Grand Final after they defeated Corio 1-0 courtesy of a lone Aaron Bond goal at Shell Road Reserve on Friday night.

It was always going to come right down to the wire as just one point separated the two teams at the end of the regular season with Surfside having the slight upper hand.

In the end the solitary goal from Surfside was enough to secure the Waves a place in the Grand Final, after an absence of three years.

Sunday’s season finale will also be the first Men’s Division 1 Grand Final in six years that Rangers will not be a part of. Ironically, the venue will be Rangers’ Myers Reserve complex in Bell Post Hill.

In the Men’s Division 2 semi-finals, Bell Park secured a place in the big dance after defeating Deakin Ducks 3-0.

At Estuary Reserve, FC Leopold defeated Corio 1-0 resulting in the second year club achieving its biggest milestone to date, securing a spot in its first ever Grand Final against Bell Park.

In Men’s Division 3, Bellarine Sharks progressed through to the Grand Final after coming away with a thumping 6-0 victory over Geelong Rangers’ B team at home on Sunday.

Meanwhile, across town at Evans Reserve in Norlane, Corio Bay Cobras defeated first year club Armstrong United 3-0. This result means that the Cobras will take on the Bellarine Sharks in the Division Three final which is set to take place on Sunday at Myers Reserve.

The Men’s Masters’ Grand Finalists will once again include Barwon Heads for the second year running, after the Hammerheads defeated Drysdale 4-3 while Corio has qualified for its maiden Masters’ division Grand Final after recording an emphatic 6-1 victory over Barwon.

Lachlan Shirley is a young SEDA student, currently doing work experience with FFV Geelong. He will be compiling regular weekly reports on the Geelong Region Men’s and Women’s Division 1 competitions.