The Weston Bears bounced back from one of their heaviest defeats last Sunday week against Lambton to winning their semi-final clash with arch rivals Edgeworth on Saturday.
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The Bears beat Edgeworth at Jack McLaughlan Oval 6-5 on penalties after a 1-1 draw after 90 minutes of normal time plus 30 minutes of extra time was played.
Going into the match without the suspended Jason Cowburn and Robert Macbeth was going to add more pressure on the youthful Bears’ brigade.
Coach Darren Elkin made two changes to the starting XI with Jake Millsteed and Ben Henry going to the bench. Robbie Turnbull resumed from injury and Jack Charnock was elevated for his second start in the top grade at right fullback.
Zac Sneddon, who came off the bench last week, also came into the starting team to replace Macbeth.
Playing in very windy conditions it made the game even tougher than usual; Edgeworth had two great chances in the opening 30 minutes through David Dodd and Mark Wilson but were unable to hit the target.
Wilson made amends a couple of minutes later when he finished from close range to give the home side the lead.
The Bears had their best chance of the half shortly after but despite the ball bouncing around like a pin ball wouldn’t go in prior to half time.
The Bears certainly know what it’s like to play a man short as it has happened four times this year, but this time the shoe was on the other foot.
Twelve minutes into the second half Edgeworth’s Joel Wood handled the ball as he fell to the ground with the Bears’ Nick Thompson (who had come on for the injured Liam Thornton) next to him.
Thompson tried to get the ball off Wood, who got up and threw the ball at Thompson’s head and was subsequently sent off for violent conduct.
Weston’s tails were now up and they sensed victory and another finals match.
Fifteen minutes later Garry McDermott cleverly half-volleyed a Nathan Morris corner to lob his shot inside the far post and level the scores.
Weston had made two further changes within the last 15 minutes with Jake Barner (on debut) and Millsteed coming on for Sneddon and Charnock.
Fulltime came and went and so did extra time so it was down to penalties with the loser eliminated.
Weston went first with Nathan Morris scoring; Garry McDermott went second and missed; then Mick Ryan, Robbie Turnbull and Chris Cousins all converted.
Edgeworth converted their first and second penalty before Marco Di Biccari missed, then Edgeworth scored their fourth and fifth penalty attempts to go to sudden death.
Nick Thompson scored his as did Edgeworth, so another one of the Bears’ replacements in Barner stepped up nailing his attempt to give the Bears the lead again.
Stephen Krause was Edgeworth’s next to line up with his shot going to the left of Bears keeper Tim Pratt but the custodian got down quick enough to keep the shot out.
As much as Weston were shattered the previous week the celebrations and the way the victory song was sung after the Edgeworth victory showed how much it meant.
The Bears play Hamilton Olympic this Saturday at Darling Street Oval, Hamilton with kick-off at 3pm.
Weston’s under-17s play Edgeworth at Wanderers Oval on Sunday at 9am with a grand final berth awaiting them if they win.
The under-16s lost 1-0 to equal leaders Toronto and drop to third position and play Charlestown in the minor semi-final at Miller Park, Branxton at 2.45pm.
Weston’s under-14s also play Saturday; they will take on Hamilton in the major semi-final at Carmichael Park, Bellbird at 12.15pm.
