Success at the Nest
The Muswellbrook Eagles Football Club finished their 2022 season in style with their Friday and Saturday All Age Men’s teams competing for glory in their respective grand finals.
Friday All Age C
A big weekend of the finals for the club kicked off with the Friday night All Age C final where the club took on long-time rivals Cooks Hill at Maitland.
The Eagles came in as outsiders having not defeated Cooks Hill in the regular season, but they more then held their own against the competition’s minor premiers.
In a high energy match the Eagles found themselves 1-nil behind at halftime.
The Eagles dominated large parts of the second half and were denied a goal when the referee felt a foul had occurred in the build-up.
With time running out it started to feel like the grand final might be heading toward disappointment before a powerful shot from striker Brad Kane from a sharp angle found the goal.
At 1-all both teams had chances to win the game before the match headed to extra time where a Cooks Hill goal with the last kick in the first half extra time period proved the difference between the two sides.
Back row – Seena Sebeti, Taylor Windle, Hamish McTaggart, Kurt Huber, Danial McCamley, Will Rankin, Kyle Erikson and Jesse Legge. F
ront row – Jayden Harding, Johnny Mcconnell, Brendon Anderson, Lindsey Smith, Douglas Thomson, Shawn Honeysett, Guillaume Perdrau and Josh Forrester.
Saturday All Age C
The Eagles’ Saturday side faced an element of Deja Vu as they lined up to play West Wallsend in their grand final in Branxton. The club had played and lost in their last final appearance at the same pitch before the COVID-19 pandemic interrupted multiple seasons.
Determined not to repeat their last experience at this ground the side started the better of the two sides in a game effected by windy conditions.
The Eagles struck first in the first quarter of the match through Taylor Windle before a mix-up at the back saw them concede less than a minute after scoring.
A more confident West Wallsend began to settle into the match before a rapid goal scoring period saw the Eagles go up initially through a Shawn Honeysett free kick assisted by the wind before a mistimed clearance and own goal. West Wallsend scored not long after from a free kick with the sides finishing the first half at 3-2. This was how the scores stayed. In a windy and tense second half the Eagles missed big chances to put the game to bed but held out 3-2 winners and minor and major premiers.