Mitchell Cup and Shield a success

Women?s Premier League clubs Inter Lions and Western NSW Panthers FC were joined by Women?s Super League clubs APIA Leichhardt Tigers and Springwood United to compete for the Cup while eleven teams contested the Mitchell Shield.
There was plenty of quality football on display and with all Football NSW women competitions only a few weeks away.
In the Shield competition, local club with Western Branch ? Cowra ? provided value and an upset when they found their way out of Group A and into an unexpected semi-final berth against a determined Southern NSW team.  Western NSW Panthers FC made it through their group despite a scare from Mulgoa Valley in the group stages but it was undefeated teams Inter Lions and Southern NSW who clashed in the final.
The Grand Final proved to be one of the best matches during the course of the weekend as both teams battled it out for the prestigious prize of being crowned Mitchell Shield Champions. Both teams showed some attacking prowess but it was Southern NSW?s defensive structure which was the most telling. Inter?s lead was cut down late in the second half and with golden goal unable to separate the sides it was Southern NSW who won the penalty shootout.
The Cup competition provided some essential trial games for the clubs as they finalised preparations for their respective competitions but the spirit displayed by the four teams indicated that the Mitchell Cup was still an immediate priority.
A 1-0 win to Panthers FC over Inter Lions on the Saturday was viewed mainly as an upset and given the two sides got through to the Final on the Sunday, it lined up as another exciting clash between the two rivals.
This time, Inter started promising and were rewarded with an early goal. The latter stages of the game saw Panthers FC push forward searching for an equaliser ? eventually coming with 15 seconds remaining. In what loomed as a game to be decided by penalties, fate was to hit the Panthers as Inter earned themselves a golden goal victory with a thunderous free-kick that sent the travelling fans into raptures.
Bathurst District Football, Western NSW Football and Football NSW wish to thank all the participants and volunteers over the weekend.