Cootamundra Strikers have gone within minutes of premiership glory on Sunday afternoon, going down 3-2 to Tolland Wolves in a thrilling Blake Trophy Grand Final at Geohex Stadium.
With the two sides having been the standout teams throughout the regular season, little separated them when it mattered most, with the grand final living up to expectations in what was a tight and entertaining contest.
The Strikers had plenty of support behind them, with a huge Cootamundra crowd making their presence felt throughout the afternoon.
It was Tolland who settled into the game better, however, with the Strikers taking some time to find their feet and allowing the Wolves to control much of the first half.
Tolland eventually broke through in the 37th minute when William Osifo’oa found the back of the net to give the Wolves a 1-0 lead at the break.
Strikers coach Nick Ashe felt nerves and inexperience played a part in his side’s slow start.
“I think it was just a mix of nerves and having such a young and inexperienced side that hurt us early on, but our recovery was super pleasing, especially after half-time,” Ashe said.
Cootamundra came out a much more aggressive side after the break and were rewarded for their change in approach just seven minutes into the second half.
Some classy lead-up work saw Liam Rees deliver the final pass for Harrison Fallon, who received the ball at pace before calmly slotting it home to bring the scores level at 1-1.
The momentum did not last long, though, with Tolland restoring its lead through Kheder Shaqooli.
But once again the Strikers refused to let themselves be beaten, with some individual brilliance from Brandon Dogimab producing another equaliser and setting up a fascinating final 10 minutes with the scores locked at 2-2.
With Tolland reduced to nine players after two red cards, the Strikers would have fancied their chances of finding the winning goal.
Instead, it was the Wolves who produced the decisive moment.
Shadley Kiprop found the match winner in the final minute to break Cootamundra hearts and seal a 3-2 victory for Tolland, ending the Strikers’ hopes of lifting the Blake Trophy.
While the result was a difficult one to take, there were plenty of strong individual performances for Cootamundra.
Centre backs Dieter Dickinson and Rhys Neate were outstanding throughout the afternoon, combining strong communication with a dominant aerial presence and some important tackles to keep the Strikers in the contest.
Fallon was another who stood up when his side needed him, backing up the consistency he had shown throughout the season with another strong performance at both ends of the field.
He had been spoken about as one of the Strikers’ Mr Consistent players heading into the grand final and again showed why he has been such an important part of the side.
For Ashe, the disappointment of losing a grand final in the final minute was obvious, but so too was the pride he had in what his young side had achieved.
“It was a tough loss to cop, we worked so hard for seven to eight months and to lose it in the final minute hurts,” Ashe said.
“But I am so proud of the way we got ourselves back in the game, and of the season we have had.
“It’s a pleasure to be involved in this group and this club.”
The Strikers may have fallen just short on grand final day, but the season has given the club plenty to be proud of, with a young Cootamundra side showing throughout the year that it belongs among the competition’s best.
On Sunday, they were just one goal and one minute away from completing the job, eventually falling 3-2 in a grand final that could have gone either way.
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