Harper Sercombe
Wyndhamvale are through to the Western Region Football League women’s division 2 grand final by the barest of margins.
The Falcons faced Spotswood’s division 2 side at Saltwater Reserve on Saturday afternoon in a qualifying final.
It was a match for the ages with the sides level at the full time siren, with extra time needed to decide a result.
The Wolves were up by seven points at half time in what was a low scoring affair, much like the other game the match began to open up after the break. With the Falcons taking a seven point lead into three quarter time.
In the extra time period, of five minutes and end, the Falcons were able to garner a couple of crucial, game winning behinds to kick themselves into the grand final.
The Falcons were two point victors in the 5.8 (38)-5.6 (36) clash.
Kellee Mcintosh booted two of the Falcons majors and Eloise Ettridge was her side’s best on ground.
Veteran coach of the Falcons Craig Prior said it was always going to be a tough and tight encounter with the Wolves.
“To be a draw at overtime was not overly surprising, we knew it was going to be bloody close at the end there,” Prior said.
“I’ve coached well over 200 games at Wyndhamvale and that’s the first time I’ve ever had a game come down to extra time.
“We weren’t allowed to address them… so the girls were left to their own devices for 10 minutes.
“There’s not a lot you can do as a coach, you’re sort of just a passenger with everyone else by that stage, all you can do is watch and hope you’ve done enough.”
After a tough, physical encounter against the Wolves, Prior said the week off has come at a perfect time.
“We’ve got a lot of sore girls after that game,” he said.
“For this side [making the grand final] is massive.
“This side reformed three years ago and we started at the bottom of the ladder, the next year we barely scraped into finals… so for this group their growth has been huge, just to make a grand final is huge.
“Their commitment to just wanting to have a go has been huge. I can’t credit them enough.
“They’ve blown me away with the amount of work they do, they never give up, they’re never out of it.”
The Falcons will face the winner of West Footscray and the Wolves in the grand final.
In other results, in the women’s division 1 competition, Werribee Centrals will have to do it the tough way if they are to progress through to a grand final, following their loss to Spotswood on Saturday.
The Centurions started the game with a bang, scoring their first goal within the first two minutes of the clash. The Wolves rallied through back to back goals to Molly Althouse to put them up at quarter time.
The sides went goal for goal in the second term, with the Wolves maintaining a six point lead at the main break.
The Centurions hit back again in the last, with two goals. But it was not enough with the Wolves taking a 7.5 (47)-5.5 (35) win.
The Centurions will face Caroline Springs in a preliminary final on Saturday.
