BODALLA Bulls knocked off perennial power house Clyde United in the all age men’s Eurobodalla Football Association grand final on Sunday.
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The Bulls, who had not won since 2010, dashed the minor premiers’ hopes when Callum Duncan pounced on a deflected free kick to put his side in front 2-1 a minute from injury time.
Bodalla’s captain Jesse French said the Bulls were pleased to end Clyde’s hopes of a fourth straight grand final win.
“We were stoked, it doesn’t get much better,” French said.
Bodalla had not beaten Clyde in the regular season and French was not sure if his side could have held on in extra-time if it had not snatched a late game winner.
The score was nil-all for the first 30 minutes on Sunday, yet Clyde controlled territory and had more shots on goal.
In the 33rd minute, Clyde won a 50-50 ball and streamed forward.
The ball was at the feet of captain Matt O’Neill who was running down the right fringe.
He cut back onto his left foot, floated a ball across goal which went over the goalkeeper’s hands, and into the opposite corner to put his side up 1-nil.
It could have been 2-nil shortly after as a through ball landed at Dean Carmichael’s feet but his on-target shot hit the cross bar.
After half-time Bodalla began to make ground and started to attack the penalty area.
Twenty minutes into the half, French was brought down in the 18-yard box after streaking down the left edge and Bodalla was given a penalty.
He calmly slotted it, narrowly avoiding the diving arms of Clyde’s goalkeeper Rick Patrizi who guessed the direction correctly.
The teams went back and forth for the next 15 minutes as Clyde brought on substitutes to pester the tiring Bulls.
Two minutes from full-time Bodalla won a free kick five metres away from the right edge of the 18-yard box.
French whipped in a difficult, low, curving shot which landed as an awkward half-volley for Patrizi.
Duncan jumped out before any defenders and tapped the ball into the net before Patrizi could make a second effort.
Clyde United won its third straight all age ladies’ title, beating Moruya Swans 1-nil.
Coach Paul Dillon was rapt his side pulled off the grand final, minor premiership double.
“I would like to congratulate all the girls for this year’s performance as we had a vastly different squad to the previous winners,” Dillon said.
“Full credit to Andrew and his side for not allowing us to play our natural game,” Dillon said.
In the youth boys’ competition Bodalla beat minor premiers Moruya Blue 3-2.
Bodalla went ahead 2-nil after the first 10 minutes and the margin remained the same at the break.
Moruya scored its first goal off a penalty minutes after half-time and trailed 2-1.
Bodalla hit back next before Moruya followed up a shot to knock in its second goal.
Jed French, Tom Engelbrecht and Kane Duncan scored for Bodalla and Alex Gwynne and Jack O’Donnell scored for Moruya Blue.
In the youth girls, Moruya won a penalty shootout against Bodalla-Narooma.
It was 1-1 at full-time and 1-1 after extra-time before Moruya won 3-1 in penalties.
In the under 13s, Broulee blitzed Batemans Bay to win 8-nil.