Eagles soar in decider

ILLAWARRA FOOTBALL

Heather Rowles

LAST Sunday afternoon, the Albion Park White Eagles won the Illawarra Football Association Grand Final among jubilant scenes at John Crehan Park, Cringila.

With a display of cultured, and at times scintillating passing football, the White Eagles defied their underdog status and lifted the trophy, winning by two goals to nil.

After a tense start where neither side seemed comfortable on the ball, APWE slowly gained in confidence and began to string their passes together. Bulli seemed far less assured and relied on hard tackling and their aerial prowess.

Gradually the game took shape and it became clear that this would be a battle that would be won by the side that was able to impose their game plan on the other.

The game looked to be heading towards a stalemate before Anthony Matthews netted for APWE just seconds before the half time break.

The second half began with APWE showing a renewed confidence in their footballing abilities following the goal so close to the break and they began to dominate long passages of play.

As the half progressed Bulli looked at a loss and the APWE midfield began to dominate long passages of play.

The defining moment of the game was the second APWE goal which was sublime in its execution and worthy of a far higher stage.

A series of wall passes down the APWE right flank left Bulli exposed out wide, a teasing cross was flighted into the box and two APWE strikers who were converging on the cross obviously received a call from Aaron O'Brien and left the ball for him to rifle home at the back post.

Credit to Bulli who then tried in vain to press for a goal themselves, but were thwarted by a couple of fine saves from Mitchell Blowes the APWE keeper and a well organise APWE defence who played the offside trap extremely well.

In the closing moments Osagie Ederraro, APWE's talisman could have sealed it but had his shot scrambled off the Bulli line.

At the final whistle the APWE fans and players were ecstatic. A richly deserved win from an exciting footballing side. Arthur Diles of APWE was named Man of the Match. In the other finals played, Warilla beat Tarrawanna 2-1 in Youth Grade, with both Warilla goals from Jacob Miller. Jacob Miller was named Man of the Match.

And in a highly entertaining and see-sawing affair, Bulli beat Picton 4-3 with virtually the last kick of extra time in reserve grade final, where Rod Paterson scored a hatrick of headers for Bulli. Jacob Zankovic scored the last gasp winner after Bulli had fought back from 2-0 and 3-2 deficits.

Picton's Shane Risby who was named Man of the Match, scored the opening goal of the game, with collegues Ben Realph and David Meechan hitting the back of the net also.

The attendance of 3750 was a real testament to the strength of football in the Illawarra and Eddie De Gabriel, the President of the Illawarra Football Association, announced that an IFA / Wollongong Wolves select side would play against the Australian Under 20s Side within the next few weeks.

The day demonstrated the new unity within Illawarra Football with strong representation from the Junior, Amateur and Women's' Associations as well as the Wollongong Wolves and the Illawarra Stingrays.