Two wins and one loss in big day of finals for Victory

August 27 2014

Shepparton News

Cobram Victory had three sides playing off in the first semi-final at Barooga on Sunday for a spot in the preliminary finals.

The reserves were in their sixth straight finals campaign and started off the match in style, scoring two goals in the opening 20 minutes.

The first came from a long throw by Kane Goldsworthy into the box that Manny Artavilla swooped on with a superb left foot volley straight past the keeper and into the back of the net.

It was all Victory in the early stages as they created chance after chance and another perfect through-ball by Goldsworthy picked out Smith who lobbed the keeper and scored his first finals goal in six seasons to give his side a handy two-goal lead.

Victory was cruising and in full control but South began to attack more to get back into the match, piling the pressure on Victory’s defence as it dominated possession late in the half.

South was finally rewarded, with the last kick of the half finding the back of the net to bring the scores back to 2-1 at half-time.

The second half was a real battle, with Victory defending with numbers and trying to break on the counter and, despite South controlling much of the possession for the half, its players just couldn’t break down a strong Victory defence that held on for a good win.

Victory now progresses to its sixth straight preliminary final for a shot to play in the grand final.

Women: The senior women were playing in their fourth straight finals campaign and were up against cross-town rivals Cobram Tigers.

It was an even first half with both sides creating half chances but not pressuring the keepers, as it was a midfield battle with either side not giving much away.

After the break the sides began to push a little more and it the Tigers drew first blood, breaking through on the counter attack and scoring with a well-placed shot.

Victory then threw numbers forward and went close when an Ouderman free kick was denied by the cross bar, but the players couldn’t break through a stubborn Tigers’ defence.

At the final whistle Victory went down 1-0 in a match that could have easily gone either way.

Under 12: The under-12s were looking to put last season’s disappointing finals series behind them but started off in the worst possible fashion with United opening the scoring after only two minutes.

But Victory managed to regroup and equalised from the penalty spot thanks to an Osborne strike and took the lead shortly after through Beasley to take a 2-1 lead into the break.

After the break Victory dominated the match and went on to score three more goals — Osborne and Beasley both scoring a double and one to Sorrenti — and running away 5-1 winners.

The young side now plays in the preliminary final in two weeks.