East Gosford 3 – 1 Kincumber
East Gosford lock in a rematch of the 2023 WPL First Grade Grand Final, defeating an excellent Kincumber side who have exceeded all expectations this season 3-1 as the Rams look to end the year with back-to-back Grand Final victories and reclaim the title of WPL Premiers.
Knowing they were up against a full-strength East Gosford side, the Kincumber girls started confidently as both teams looked evenly matched throughout the opening stages of the first half.
Playing end-to-end football and looking to gain the upper hand over the opposition, both teams traded attacks and justled for possession before East Gosford broke the deadlock just nine minutes into the contest thanks to Golden Boot winner Jessica Dominello.
After a turnover in possession from Kincumber looking to advance the ball forward, Emma Hurley found herself with the ball in space inside her own half as Dominello took off, making a blistering run towards goal.
Hurley’s pinpoint ball over the top broke the defensive line of the Roos, leaving Dominello one-on-one with the Kincumber goalie as she expertly fired into the back of the net to give East Gosford an early 1-0 lead.
Kincumber looked for a quick response while East Gosford looked to settle into their normal rhythm of controlling the game and attacking with intent. Despite the setback, The Roos dug deep and on several occasions threatened the East Gosford goal but could not find that elusive equaliser.
As the halftime whistle approached and the game looked to stay 1-0 heading into the break, a late East Gosford corner saw the original ball played into a deep area where another Ram was waiting to send the ball back into the crowded area.
Kincumber’s keeper Heidi Cullen made three fantastic saves before the ball fell to the feet of Annika Hansen who made no mistake with her attempt on goal, guiding the ball home to double East Gosford’s advantage.
Despite being down 2-0 and losing key defender Anisha Sei due to injury, the Roos continued to fight hard with that never-say-die attitude that had held them in good stead throughout the season.
Once again East Gosford knew they had to start well and match Kincumber’s energy as both teams searched for that next important goal that would ultimately decide the fate of the second half.
East Gosford, though, sealed the match midway through the second half with a neat goal after another dangerous corner saw the other Hansen sister Stephanie on the scoresheet this time, meeting the ball first time to tuck home past the opposition, extending the Rams lead to 3-0, scoring her first goal of the season.
The third goal allowed East Gosford the luxury of making some important substitutions to rest a few players, most notably Emma Hurley who was on the end of a bad tackle and unable to finish the game putting her in doubt for next weekend, but her replacement came on and did the job necessary.
In the final 10 minutes of the match, the Roo girls continued to rally and were rewarded with a goal nearing full-time when the ever-present Nina Boije Af Gennas pounced on a loose ball in the box for a consolation goal.
Ultimately, the Kincumber girls were not good enough against a polished East Gosford outfit who look to make more club history with another Grand Final win against Terrigal. “We wish them well in their grand final. The Roo girls left nothing on the paddock, and every player lifted for the match and should feel proud of their efforts,” stated John Jiggins.
“The girls will now look forward to season 2025. The rise of the Roo girls in 2024 will only motivate them to go to new heights in the coming seasons.”
An extremely pleased Jorge Chavez spoke on his team’s victory and what this result means to him, the players, and the club. “Turning up against Kincumber, we knew the first twenty minutes would be crucial as their energy would be high and we needed to make sure we matched that energy. Our early goal from Jess Dominello set the tempo for us for the game.”
“Credit to Kincumber who kept fighting all game and they have done all season, when Charlotte came on she made a big difference as she always does and was instrumental in their goal.”
“It’s two years in a row they have had a great season, last year they were a great team and stepped it up again this year. All credit to JJ and his players, the future at Kincumber looks bright and I wish them all the best in the coming years.”
“As a coach, I couldn’t be prouder of our team and our club and what we have achieved the last two years to make every Grand Final including two Association Cup Grand Finals. It’s a huge achievement.”
Jorge also added, “We look forward to the task ahead, it’s a tremendous challenge against Terrigal, we know what they are going to bring, and we must match it. If we keep playing the way we have been playing I’m confident we can come away with the win.”
Match Official – Anthony Ryan