Terrigal v East Gosford
Terrigal just needs a single point from this match of the round fixture to be crowned the 2023 WPL League Champions but face an extremely stern test as East Gosford look to go just one point behind the O’lasses with a win on Sunday.
Terrigal look to make history for their club this weekend but face an extremely difficult opponent in East Gosford. A single point will be enough to see Gab Blanch and her side warded 2023 WPL First Grade League Champions, which will be a first in the club’s history.
Speaking to head coach Gab ahead of this contest and what the award will mean to her and the club, Gab was very candid about how it has exceeded her expectations from the start of the year.
“If I’m honest, as a coaching group it’s probably beyond what we thought we might achieve in our first year of working with this group of players. For the club, and regardless of Sunday’s outcome, I believe it will be the start of many years of success. We have a strong underpinning program that will see highly capable, well-coached players feeding into our WPL program for many, many years to come.”
When questioned about if the squad is feeling any nerves ahead of this weekend, Gab stated it’s business as usual as they prepare for a tough competitor in East Gosford. “We anticipate a tough game, which is no different to previous rounds.”
“We are preparing as we usually would, with a view to remaining consistent and making sure we show up on the day. League championship aside, this is an important fixture for us as we head into finals football, and that is our only focus for now.”
The last encounter between these two sides was when East Gosford were also undefeated but that didn’t stop a resilient Terrigal side who handed the Rams their first loss of the year with a 1-0 win.
“We know what East Gosford can do, on their day. I think they will probably come out with a bit more of a detailed plan to match our playing system. Regardless, we’re looking forward to a tough game that will probably once again only see a goal or two in it,” voiced Gab.
“If every player shows up believing we are deserving of our current position, we’ll get the three points. We have quality right across the park. We don’t rely on two or three players, we rely on every single player and their contributions. I think this sets us apart from other teams, and I believe that’s why we have enjoyed consistent success this season.”
As for East Gosford, they have already made history of their own this season after Jorge Chavez and his side qualified for the WPL finals for just the second time in the club’s history.
It has been quite a successful year already for East Gosford who won silverware at the start of the season after defeating Umina in the 2023 Association Cup Grand Final. The Rams then followed that up with a tremendous start to the season where they battle for first place with Terrigal and were unbeaten in their opening nine games.
However, The Rams did suffer their inaugural loss of 2023 against Terrigal as they look for redemption this weekend. This will be the third and the final time these two sides meet during the winter competition but a showdown in the final does seem inevitable.
Failing to score a goal against this side in their last encounter, that was the only fixture this season that Jorge Chavez’s side have been unable to record a single goal in ninety minutes of football.
East Gosford will also have their round 6 clash with the O’lasses in the back of their minds as the Rams took a comfortable 3-1 lead over Terrigal but were unable to hold on as that contest finished 3-3.
A win on that day for East Gosford could have drastically changed the outcome of the season for both teams but nonetheless Jorge and his team will know they have what it takes to beat this side come kick-off on Sunday.
Jorge voiced his reasonings as to why he believes the opposition is so good and are having this undefeated season so far. “Good teams find ways to get the results they need, and Terrigal have done that all year. Their biggest strength is their fitness. They run at you all day trying to stop you from gaining any rhythm.”
“I believe we are the last team to have beaten them, hopefully we can do it again come Sunday. We expect Terrigal to come out hungry as always but might go a little defensive as all they need is a point to secure the top spot. It’s sure to be another tight game between two very good sides.”
Match Official – Jeffrey Smith
All Round 20 Fixtures –
