Finals footy takes its toll
Navy takes fourth soccer title in row

The Cerberus reserves football team after making it through to the preliminary finals of third division of the Southern Football league in Victoria.

Photo: ABPH Gavin Hainsworth

There is an old saying in football that finals footy is a whole new ball game.

This adage proved to be true for the Cerberus Football Club in their recent finals campaign.

Playing in the third division of the Southern Football League for the first time, both the senior and reserves teams finished second on their respective ladders at the conclusion of the home and away games, only to be bundled out of the finals in straight sets.

The seniors met a very strong Black Rock team in the second semi-final on August 28.

After three consecutive unsuccessful finals campaigns, Black Rock came to play and were determined to fight out another grand final.

The first quarter was a close affair with Black Rock holding a slender lead at the first break leading the large, vocal crowd salivating at the prosect of a hard match.

Black Rock’s finals experience however came to the fore and they ran out the game big winners.

The Cerberus reserves team came up against the Dandenong Demons and while the first three quarters were a tough arm wrestle, by the third quarter Dandenong’s experience came to the fore.

They went into the third quarter break with a onegoal lead, extending it in the last to run out four-goal winners.

As both Cerberus teams finished in overall second position, they were given a second crack at the finals on September 4 in the preliminary final.

The senior team met Moorabbin Kangaroos and after two tight tussles in the home and away series, a tough battle was expected and ensued.

Moorabbin kicked the first goal in the opening minutes with Cerberus replying.

This set the pattern for the day with the teams going goal for goal.

With 10 minutes to go Cerberus trailed by one point but when Moorabbin scored, Cerberus was left to score twice. Moorabbin gained possession for the football in the dying minutes and maintained control until the final siren denying Cerberus a place in the Grand Final.

The reserves team fought out their preliminary final against Black Rock. Noting a number of familiar faces in the Black Rock line up from the previous week’s senior team, the Cerberus coach, LEUT Murray McAuliffe, knew his team was in for a very tough battle.

With their vastly more experienced line up, Black Rock was able to take an early lead and didn’t look back all day. The Cerberus team tried hard but Black Rock was able to head off all attacks.

The coach tried a number of moves throughout the game however Black Rock ran out eventual winners by 28 points.

The eventual premiers were Black Rock in the senior’s division with Dandenong Demons taking the reserves division.

Cerberus Football Club was the winner of the third division club championships by the narrowest of margins over Black Rock 95 points to 94.

The club was second overall in the league for the best conducted club and was awarded community club of the week on August 21 by Football Victoria.

Several Cerberus players also polled well in the league Best And Fairest awards.

Congratulations to Neville Skinner who was runner-up in this award after an excellent and consistent season and was the CFC winner on the club’s awards night.

 

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