Ku Ring Gai claim Under 12 Metropolitan Representative League Championship
The surface looked lush and green, the weather was sunny and sparkling, and the fans had come in numbers to see the cream of the crop in the Under 12s competition as Ku-Ring-Gai Association prepared to do battle with Sutherland Association.
Ku-Ring-Gai had finished the competition proper in first place on the ladder, one point ahead of Sutherland, and had amassed seventy goals in just twenty two games.
Sutherland had beaten Central Coast 2-1 in the Preliminary Semi Final before thrashing Ku-Ring-Gai 4-0 to book their spot in the Grand Final.
Ku-Ring-Gai recovered from that loss to also beat Central Coast, by 1-0, and therefore had the chance to exact revenge on Sutherland in this Grand Final.
Ku-Ring-Gai?s Aidan Hancock made the first opportunity in only the 2nd minute, cutting inside a defender before his low shot was well saved by Sutherland?s goalkeeper, Thomas Glover.
Sutherland responded with Dau Akol, who rose well but headed over the bar from a floating corner by James Markovic.
Sutherland spurned a great opportunity in the 7th minute, when Nathan Roberts slipped a great through ball to Jack Lombo.
Lombo did well to reach the ball and round Ku-Ring-Gai keeper, Fergus McKenna, but his shot from a tight angle hit the outside side netting.
Unlike the Under 11s game, it only took 10 minutes for the opening goal, and it was Ku-Ring-Gai who broke the deadlock.
Zach Morris sent over a looping dangerous corner, and with plenty of bodies in the mix, George Blackwood bundled the ball over the line to give his team the lead.
Ku-Ring-Gai kept their foot on the pedal, and Aidan Hancock did ever so well once more in the 14th minute, beating the offside trap to slip a shot past Sutherland?s keeper, Thomas Glover, but Cameron Belle had tracked back to cover his keeper and clear the danger off the line.
Sutherland came back at their opponents, and in the 20th minute almost equalized.
Lachlan Campbell skillfully rounded a Ku-Ring-Gai opponent, before letting fly with a grass cutter that was brilliantly tipped around the post by Fergus McKenna.
The ensuing corner went dangerously close to curling in before being superbly headed off the line by Aidan Hancock, who was tracking back helping his defence.
Ku-Ring-Gai had one last chance before the break, with George Blackwood beating two defenders in a mazy run before his shot was well saved by Sutherland?s keeper, Thomas Glover.
Referee Mr. Joel Swales had been busy keeping up with the swift play on show, and gave both teams a breather by blowing his whistle for half time.
The two teams had met twice during the season, and Sutherland had proven victorious on both occasions, but that counted for nothing here as Ku-Ring-Gai were in the box seat given they had the one goal advantage.
Ku-Ring-Gai?s goalkeeper, Fergus McKenna, was brought into action once more just seven minutes into the second period, when he dived low to his right to parry a great header by Sutherland?s Brendan Curtis following Sean Eve?s teasing cross.
Sutherland?s Nathan Roberts was next to threaten the Ku-Ring-Gai goal, shooting inches wide in the 33rd minute as the ?blues? kept up the intensity.
Ku-Ring-Gai?s Anthony Kalik was having a solid game in the centre of the park, dominating the play with his technical skills, and he almost made it two for his team when he blasted over from 20 yards following great lead up play by Aidan Hancock.
The remaining minutes resembled a tight arm wrestle, with neither team prepared to give an inch, both defences standing firm.
Time ticked away and the final whistle brought an end to an intriguing contest, with the Ku-Ring-Gai fans bursting into song just as they had been throughout the match, as their team were crowned Grand Final winners.
Ku-Ring-Gai coach, Lloyd Robson, said the preparation the team put in during the week had a lot to do with the team?s victory in the Grand Final.
?We had two training sessions this week, plus a video session which emphasized just how well the team has played this season, giving the boys confidence going into the Grand Final,? beamed Robson.
He added, ?The boys are great at listening to instructions, and we kept shape and structure really well throughout the season. Even when we changed the system mid-season to a more attacking 4-3-3 formation, it was like flicking a switch because the boys readjusted so quickly?.
For Ku-Ring-Gai, best in a strong team performance were ; striker George Blackwood was a solid target up front, holding the ball up well, challenging anything in the attacking third and being rewarded for his efforts with the winning goal ; Anthony Kalik was the catalyst for Ku-Ring-Gai in the centre midfield, often winning possession and setting up his team?s attacking forays with effective passes ; Aidan Hancock was a menace when he had the ball at his feet, weaving in and out of defenders and showing great presence and awareness when distributing the ball ; goalkeeper and captain, Fergus McKenna, pulled off important saves at critical times of the match to keep the opposition at bay.
For Sutherland; James Markovic had a strong game in midfield, showing great vision with his telling passes forward to his attack; captain Alex Gersbach was effective in the tackle and quick in his distribution; Nathan Roberts was solid in defence, reading the game well to intercept opposition through balls and quick to set his team on their way forward with firm passes.
Match Stats
KU-RING-GAI ASSOC 1 (George Blackwood 11?)
SUTHERLAND ASSOC 0
Sunday, September 13th, at CUA Stadium, Penrith
Referee ? Mr.Joel Swales
Referee?s Assistants ? Mr.Dean Wright & Mr.Matthew Davis
Fourth Official ? Mr.Tim Uren
KU-RING-GAI ASSOC: 1. Fergus McKENNA (capt), 4. Patrick FLOTTMAN, 6. Will GYLES, 7. Anthony KALIK, 8. Ryan O?SULLIVAN, 9. Connor RICE, 10. George BLACKWOOD, 11. Aidan HANCOCK, 12. Mo BACHELARD, 13. Josh NOVIS, 14. Daniel ALESSI, 15. Seb CROKER, 17. Zach MORRIS, 23. Daniel BUDDLE.
Head Coach ? Danny HURWITZ
Coach ? Lloyd ROBSON
Manager ? Geoff HANCOCK
SUTHERLAND ASSOC: 1. Thomas GLOVER, 2. Robert WATSON, 3. Alex GERSBACH (capt), 4. Nathan ROBERTS, 5. Jeremy COX, 6. Lachlan CAMPBELL, 7. Jack LOMBO, 8. Ryan BLAKELY, 9. Brendan CURTIS, 10. Sean EVE , 11. Dau AKOL, 12. James MARKOVIC, 13. Brandon FOSTER, 14. Cameron BELLE, 15. Connor McNALLY.
Coach ? Stuart BLAKE
Assistant Coach ? Dragan BLAZEVIC
Manager ? Brad CURTIS
-By Frank Speranza
