Yet another successful day for the Boomerangs club in the Preliminary Final Round of the FNSW PL2 competition for 2015/2016. With already five teams locked into Grand Finals next weekend, the club was keen to add an additional three teams. But each of these teams needed to be victorious in their Preliminary Finals.
The 12 and 16 Boys, and Open Men’s teams fronted up to the Sports Halls at Olympic Park, Homebush to take on equally determined opposition. The result for the club was victory in two of the three matches, with the the final match of the day a close and intense loss for the Open Men. All three matches were decided by a single goal.
Of the nine age groups competing in the FNSW PL2 competition this season, eight Boomerangs teams finished in the top four making it to the finals rounds; and of those eight, seven have made it through to the ultimate match of the season – the Grand Final. A superb record of achievement.
A summary of the day’s results:
PRELIMINARY FINALS
12 Boys
Boomerangs FS 1 – 0 Sydney City Eagles
(Goals: Odhran Traynor)
The 12 boys were a little light on players for this match with only seven of the eligible players in the youngest age group available. It is often when teams are under adversity that they produce great performances, and this was certainly the case this week. The boys ran non-stop the entire time on the court, played smart, high quality futsal and defended like their life depended on it. And in the end produced the result they so thoroughly deserved.
The boys had defeated the Eagles in both regular season rounds, but both matches were tight affairs with only a goal or two separating the teams. And once again, this match produced a tight, evenly contested match, that saw the Boomers youngest boys victorious and into a Grand Final.
A rematch with Hakoah is now on offer for the ultimate prize of the season.
(Match day photos can be found HERE)
16 Boys
Boomerangs FS 2 – 1 Raiders Futsal
(Goals: Harry Williams, Jack Williams)
At the halfway point of the season, this team was on one win, five losses with a net goal difference of -17. At that point, it was tough to see how the team would make finals, let alone set themselves up for a shot at Grand Final glory. However, the second half of the season saw a 100% turn around with five wins and a solitary loss (in the final round), and saw the team rise from bottom of the ladder to fourth spot.
Two elimination finals matches later, the lads see themselves in a Grand Final.
The boys played this Preliminary Final perfectly, working brilliantly at the defensive end of the court to keep a clean sheet for 38 minutes of the match. And their defence was the big difference. Just three weeks ago, the 16 Boys were soundly trounced by this same Raiders team 10-2; and whilst they still scored just the two goals, they blocked all avenues to goal for the Raiders – a team that had lost only two games in the regular season, and had scored some 66 goals in their 12 matches.
A well deserved Grand Final appearances now awaits the boys.
(Match day photos can be found HERE)
Open Men
Boomerangs FS 2 – 3 Sydney City Eagles
(Goals: Cal Smith, Jake Wilsener)
After defeating Hakoah in the elimination semi-final last weekend, the men’s team were drawn against the Eagles, who had lost their qualifying semi-final to Raiders futsal on penalties.
Both times the Boomerangs men played Sydney City Eagles this season were decided by a solitary goal – a win each at home. So it was no surprise that this was to be a close game, with probably only a single goal separating the teams.
The Eagles started on fire in the match, scoring two early and making the Boomers chase the game for 35 minutes. However, with a modicum of luck, the Boomers themselves could easily have netted three or four. Shots hit the post, were stopped by the last line of defence, or were just a little high and wide more times than you could count. There were opportunities to score early, but not converting these set the tone for the match.
A goal to Cal Smith brought some hope and halved the margin going into the half time break.
The second half started much as the first, with the Eagles again scoring early, and the Boomers having to chase the match from two goals behind again. A tap-in goal to Jake Wilsener brought the game back to within one goal, but even the powerplay fifth man played by the Boomerangs men for the final five minutes could not breach the solid Eagles defence.
A disappointing end to the season for the lads – one that saw them comfortably in the top three teams, but just unable to show any ascendancy over the Eagles and the Raiders.
(Match day photos can be found HERE)
The Grand Finals are being held at Football NSW futsal HQ at Valentine Park – Saturday 27 February.
The matches will be as follows:
12 Boys
9am: Boomerangs FS v Hakoah
13 Girls
10am: Boomerangs FS v Mt Druitt Town Rangers
14 Boys
11am: Hakoah v Sydney City Eagles
15 Girls
Midday: Boomerangs FS v Phoenix Futsal
16 Boys
1.00pm Boomerangs FS v Hakoah
17 Girls
2.00pm: Boomerangs FS v Hakoah
AWD
3.00pm: Phoenix v Raiders Futsal
Youth Men
4.00pm: Boomerangs FS v Sydney City Eagles
Open Women
5.00pm: Boomerangs FS v Hakoah
Open Men
6.00pm: Raiders Futsal v Sydney City Eagles