The Alstonville Football Club’s women’s premier league footballers have won this year’s grand final 1-0 against a very competitive Goonellabah.
It was a case of third time lucky for the team that has contested the last three grand finals without a win, till this year.
Consistency was key to the side’s winning performance, according to coach Andy Brown.
‘We have had a regular side for the last four or so years, but then lost five players this season. But we have got a pretty good system in place where the juniors and seniors train together, so we can keep younger players interested and bring them through,’ he said.
The grand final was locked at nil-all at half time and it wasn’t until a period of sustained possession deep in the second half that the Alstonville side was able to slot in the winner from the boot of winger Ally Wenban.
‘From that point I felt we could hang on for the win,’ Andy said. ‘Fortunately, we did just enough. I knew it was going to be a pretty tight affair.’
Going into the final Alstonville and Goonellabah had each won a game against each other.
The competition had been strong across the season and only a handful of points separated the top four teams.
‘The women’s senior competition is getting stronger and stronger and this year eight teams competed, with the aim for a ten-team competition next year,’ Andy said. ‘A lot of people at a lot of different clubs are working really hard to build and promote women’s football in the area’.
The premiership topped off what has been a landmark 50th anniversary for the club as they were also awarded the club championship by Football Far North Coast.
The women’s team also had three players, Ashleigh Peterson, Jade Parkin and Zoe Woodbry make the FFNC Team of the Year.
Both of the club’s senior coaches, Andy Brown (women) and John Thomson (men), also received FFNC Coach of the Year Awards.
The senior men’s team also had their best season to date, not to mention a host of junior successes.
‘There is plenty to celebrate this year,’ Andy said.
More women’s football
The Alstonville FC will be hosting the Oceania Cup this weekend, October 1–2, a tournament for u/12s through to seniors that has attracted 23 teams.
All games are 50 minutes and action will go from 9am–6pm at the club’s Crawford Park fields.
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