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DIV1 1st              Div1 RES

Date: 5/9/2010
Wyong: 1st Grade
Opposition: Killarney
Result: 5-3 WIN on PENS

Match_Comments

The Emu's have managed to head straight into the Grand Final after getting the better of Killarney in a penalty shootout but if we're honest, we probably only just deserved it. Maybe there was a bit of a party hangover from winning the League and therefore the last few weeks being fairly casual? Maybe we didn't come in to the game as prepared as we could have? Whatever the reason, Wyong was very ordinary in the first half. Movement on and off the ball was poor and Killarney were first to every challenge, every header and were by far the hungrier of the two sides. To make things worse we'd lost Wazza 15 mins in with a calf problem so it was a relief to get to half time with the score still locked at 0-0. There hasn't been too many times this year where we've had to urgently address so many issues at the break and to be the fair, the players knew themselves as they trudged off that things needed to change.

And so it was much more determined team that took the field for the second half and the difference could be seen immediately. We began attacking more fluently and although our runs from up front and midfield were still a bit lacking occasionally, the improvement was great to see. Unfortunately we went behind though with about quarter of the game to go. Josh banged in a dot shot a few weeks back and obviously now has a thirst (and an eye) for goal because he stuck a leg out to try and block a cross field ball only to deflect it beautifully into his own net! The next 15 mins see-sawed back and forth but the goal had visibly energised the Killarney boys and we were again finding it tough to crack them defensively. With 12 mins left and so running out of time, the Emus have had to shake things up a bit so some reshuffling was done. On came youngster Liam into the middle of the park which allowed Jimmy to push on up front in place of Marty who had again put in a good effort but had become marked out of the game in the latter stages. Two minutes later and the game had to be stopped when a Killarney player fell awkwardly after competing for a header with Ray. As a precaution, the ambulance was called and after the player was taken off to hospital the game could be restarted. As much as we don't like to see these kind of injuries, it was definately a stroke of luck for Wyong as Killarney had already made their three allowable subs and so had to revert to playing with 10 men for the remaining 10 minutes. Assuming Killarney would go into defensive mode and try and hold their slim 1-0 lead, we've left Josh and Adz to hold the fort at the back and pushed a couple of players on in the hope we would pressure Killarney into making a mistake. And so it happened that with 6 mins to go Lee played a lovely weighted pass to a rampaging Stuey up the right flank. Stuey's low cross was perfect in that it came in at a speed and distance that was always going to put the keeper in two minds as to whether to come for it or not. Iain steamed in towards the ball on the 6 yard line and looked like he might try and head it in but eventually the ball found Jimmy at the back post and he calmly slotted it home to even things up! The last few mins were full on but the killer goal didn't appear. Extra time came and went with Jimmy having the best chance to steal the show for Wyong with a 1 v 1 but his attempted chip of the keeper was too high. Killarney had had a couple of chances themselves but after 110 mins of football it remained all square.

The dreaded penalty shootout was going to decide who was to progress straight to the GF and with Deano the penalty saving freak on our side, the boys were pretty confident it would be us. Deano had only just passed a last minute fitness test on a calf problem of his own and fate was smiling on the Emus for sure when he was able to play as he saved the first Killarney penalty. The ref though ordered it be retaken and they scored second time around. Stuey stepped up for Wyong and easily placed his into the net and then Deano did his thing again and saved Killarney's second penalty. Adz Crompto had impressed enough at training during the week to be promoted to second taker for the Emu's and showed his training ground form was no fluke by making it 2-1. When Killarney's third taker stepped up, by now we were all just expecting Deano to save it and sure enough he did! Iain made no mistake with Wyong's third sneaking it just under the bar and so the pressure was on for Killarney's fourth taker. Miss and they were out. In he ran.... could Deano save 4 in a row?.... Deano dived to his right.... ball went his left.... goal. It was now 3-2 Wyong and Lee had the chance to seal a Grand Final spot which he did capping off what seemed would be an unlikely victory at half time. We're glad to have the 2 weeks to recover though as there are a few injury concerns to deal with at the moment with Matty K and Riza out this week all together and Waz and Deano adding to the treatment list. Well done to Pinga who's come in and done a job for us again and young players Nathan and Liam who due to the injuries became our primary bench players and have come on and done extremely well. Thanks also to Ethan and young Jayden who also sat on the bench for us but were unused on the night.

Great scenes afterwards with the crowd. Plenty of happy Emu's supporters there to watch and I'm sure there will be many more of them on Grand Final night, Sun 19th Sept when we take on either Killarney or Gosford at Pluim Park. It will be Wyong's first Grand Final appearance in 1st Grade since 1999 when we won the Premier League title so will be a massive night for the club. Can't wait.... !!!!