THE heavyweight showdown everyone had been waiting for lived up to expectations, with Woolgoolga Wolves edging out Northern Storm 2-1 in a thrilling HIT105.5 Men’s Premier League clash on Saturday.
The Round 9 blockbuster brought together the competition’s only unbeaten sides, with first place on the line as the league’s two powerhouses went head-to-head.
Something had to give, and it was the Wolves who landed the first blow.
League-leading goalscorer Tai Smith was quickest to react from a corner, pouncing on a loose ball to fire Woolgoolga ahead and send the home side into the halftime break with a 1-0 advantage.
Northern Storm refused to go quietly and fought their way back into the contest after the break. Their persistence was rewarded in the 78th minute when they were awarded a penalty, with Marko Kisose calmly converting from the spot to level the scores.
With the match seemingly destined to finish all square, the Wolves found one final surge.
Liam Davidson created just enough space for a shot on goal before drilling the ball into the bottom corner, sparking wild celebrations as he raced towards the home crowd, who erupted as their side reclaimed the lead.
The dramatic win keeps Woolgoolga unbeaten and firmly entrenched at the top of the ladder on 24 points, six clear of Northern Storm, who still have a game in hand.
Woolgoolga coach Joel Finlayson was pleased with the collective effort from the players.
“Saturday’s match against Northern Storm was a hard-fought win,” Finlayson said.
“Games like that really highlight the character of our squad.
“It showed the determination, resilience and mental strength within the group to fight right to the final whistle and grind out a result when it mattered most.”
While pleased with the result, Finlayson wasn’t getting carried away and is cognisant of peaking for the finals.
“We’ve had some excellent results so far this season, and I’m very pleased with where we’re sitting on the ladder,” he said.
“That said, there’s still plenty of work to do.
“I don’t believe we’ve played our best football yet, and that’s an exciting prospect for the group.
“Our goal is to continue improving and be playing our best football when it matters most, ideally reaching our peak in August and September.”
Northern Storm coach Craig Caruana reflected on the match and took away some positives.
“Proud of the boys … a tight game and with seven players unavailable we did well and deserved a point at least,” Caruana said..
“Was a bit cruel to lose it right at the end with a soft goal when we were probably the better team in the second half.”
Elsewhere, Maclean FC claimed a valuable 1-0 victory over Coffs Coast Tigers to move into fourth place and draw level on points with Yamba FC.
In the Women’s Premier League, Coffs United Lionesses continued their strong season with a commanding 5-1 win over Northern Storm, while Urunga maintained their perfect record with an entertaining 6-3 victory over Woolgoolga.
By David WIGLEY
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