At full-time on Saturday night, Wagga United Crows beamed with sheer joy, proud to cap-off a month of strong results with a 2-0 win over South Wagga.
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The win locks the Crows into Pascoe Cup finals, starting in a week.
Minor premier Lake Albert will play runner-up Cootamundra, and third-placed Tolland will play fourth-placed Wagga United on Sunday.
Wagga United coach Dave McGowan’s pleased to emerge undefeated from five successive games.
“Since we got done by Henwood (on July 24) we turned it around,” he said.
“We’ve been playing finals for three weeks.
“We’ve shown we really want to be up there and have a chance.”
Ryan McKenzie planted a free kick in the back of the net 25 minutes in, and Bryson Graham scored the chaser 25 minutes into the second half, set up by Crows’ class player Michael Bone.
“Michael’s unbelievable,” McGowan said.
“He went down the line, beat a couple of players, nuddied a fella, and delivered a perfect pass to Bryson’s feet.”
Defensively Wagga United’s Matthew Wills kept South Wagga winger Deng Mading at bay.
Holding midfielder Lachlan Schwartz played a crucial role, claiming possession and creating opportunities for the Crows.
In the final 15 minutes, fatigue set in and Crows’ keeper Andrew McCracken saved four on-target shots.
McCracken was left reeling in agony from a shot that hit him in the groin, but the referee stopped the game, allowing him time to recover and soldier-on.
“We made a couple of little mistakes,” McGowan said.
“Lucky we were desperate to make up for it, and get back, and make those tackles.”
McGowan wants to see more aggression in attack during set pieces, particularly corners.
“Set pieces haven’t been our strength,” he said.
“Hayden (Bennett) was whipping them in, but we didn’t really run onto it.
“In saying that, we defended corners really well.”
The Crows will take it one game at a time from now on.
“It’s an exciting time of the year, we’re very, very happy,” he said.
“Every team we play against from now-on, we’ve got something to play for.
“If we get through Tolland, our arch rivals, then we play Cootamundra or Lake Albert.
“Lake Albert thrashed us.
“Last time we beat Coota 4-1, they said, ‘it doesn’t matter if you beat us, it’s all good, you won’t even make the semis.’”
Past results: Wagga United drew with Tolland 0-0 in April. Wagga United drew with Tolland 3-3 in August.
