It was excitement plus at Blue Lake Sports Park last weekend in the first of the finals matches.

Even the Panther made the trip from Portland to cheer on the black and whites in their first ever finals match against City.

Seniors

Elimination Final - City v Portland

With the wind definitely favouring City in the first half, Portland defenders had to work hard in the swirling conditions. Sweeper Donna Kilgour covered ground well and continually pressured City forwards. Despite several shots on goal from long range, the score remained 0-0 at half time.

Coach Birch implored his team to lift their workrate in the second half and the City girls responded, with Sarah Ielasi winning the ball in the backline and making penetrating runs down the wing to push the ball into goalscoring positions. Eboney Gilbert showed composure under pressure and was able to distribute the ball to forwards who started to find the target after the break.

As the City scoreline increased, so did their confidence and it was a disciplined side that took control of the match in the last 20 minutes. Alannah Daniel caused the City defence some headaches but could not find the back of the net.

The final whistle was met with relief and jubilation from the City girls but sent Portland on the long drive home to plan season 2010.

Result:
City 5 (J Smith 2, T Kourmouzis 2, K Gilbert)
Portland 0

Qualifying Final - Palace v Wanderers

Wanderers gave Palace no time to settle into their control / pass / move game plan, pressuring every pass and player and forcing vital turnovers in the opening stanza of the qualifying final. Eventually Palace found a gap and Jenna McCormick made no mistake in front of goal.

Wanderers increased their own intensity with Keisha Seiler working tirelessly for the match showing enormous desire to win the ball. This urgency was rewarded when a Palace goal kick fell at the feet of Nikita Kember who lofted a long shot straight back towards the goal with the ball just dipping under the bar to equalise the score. Eme Ripper demonstrated control and vision for Wanderers, clearing the ball well to her teammates.

However, Palace class kicked in and they were able to regain the lead just before the half time break. With injury forcing lineup changes for Wanderers, Palace cemented their grip on the game scoring twice more before match end, claiming a win which will take them into their third grand final in as many years.

Result:
Palace 4 (K Pedlar 2, J McCormick, G Tentye)
Wanderers 1 (N Kember)

Under 14

Elimination Final - City v Palace

Very little has separated these sides all season and the elimination final held at noon was no different. Early hard tackles and determined running set the standard for the game with both sides fighting for possession.

Breanna Roberts has worked hard this season for City and brought her strong work ethic into the game. Palace showed style on the ball and looked for direct passes as they progressed down the park, however excellent City defending denied Palace goals time and time again.

Jess Mott was able to read the ball well and cross to the penalty spot but it was cleared comfortably away from danger. Imogen Pratt played more of a defensive role for Palace than she is accustomed to and combined well with midfielders to launch attacks.

With the game looking like it was headed towards penalties, Jess Stephenson was able to break free from her opponent and with just the keeper to beat was able to slot the ball home to claim victory and a berth in the preliminary final this week.

Result:
City 1 (J Stephenson)
Palace 0

Qualifying Final - Wanderers v Villa

Despite playing short of players for most of the season, Villa have been the dominant force in the Under 14 league and on Saturday set out to display why they finished on top of the ladder.

The combination of Rachael Bennett in the backline and Mikayla Atwell in attack proved a handful for Wanderers initially forcing excellent saves from Emily Aston in goals. However a strong run forward followed by pinpoint accuracy edged Villa in front in the first half.

The tide then turned in Wanderers favour with the majority of play in their attacking half. Monique Sims was able to control a wayward clearance, just touching the ball in front and finishing with style to equalise the score before half time.

The rest of the game see-sawed between the goals but with neither side able to capitalise on goal scoring opportunities the result had to be decided by penalties.

With tensions rising, players stepped up to the spot to take their kick. The depth in the Wanderers' side proved too strong for Villa and their winning penalty saw them straight into the grand final on 12th September.

Result:
Wanderers 6 (M Sims - Penalties to P Ackland, M Sims, H Philp, K Lehmann, J White)
Villa 4 (M Atwell - Penalties M Iannella, M Atwell, K Reade)

Junior Development Squad

The Junior Development Squad had their penultimate match in windy conditions. These juniors have gained the hearts of spectators and the interest of under 14 coaches looking for upcoming players to join their squads.

Skills learned from match play and training drills are being demonstrated during matches with increasing regularity, with communication and passing being key areas that the girls have worked on. With their last game this weekend before their inclusion in grand final proceedings, the girls are already looking forward to next season.

Next Week

Saturday 29 August 2009 is Preliminary Finals day. The Under 14 match between Villa and City will take place at 12:00 pm. The Seniors game between City and Wanderers follows at 1:30 pm.

Winners of both matches go to the Grand Final which will be played on Saturday 12 September 2009.

The Junior Development Squad will play their game at the normal time.

Photographs

To view photos from all the games, follow this link