Coasters ride wave of hope
SURF Coast will finish the 2017 season satisfied with its achievements even if it doesn’t secure a top two finish in State League 4 tomorrow.
The Torquay-based club remains one of two Geelong clubs in contention when the curtain comes down on an incredible season, which sees all top-five placed teams capable of securing promotion to next season’s State 3 competition.
Point Cook narrowly holds top spot by just one point from three clubs Sebastopol Vikings, Geelong’s Bell Park and North Melbourne Athletic.
Only the team that finishes in top spot will earn automatic promotion, while the runner-up will be forced to play off against the second placed team from the State 4 Northern division — likely to be Lalor United.
Point Cook is away to sixth-placed Altona North, second-placed Sebastopol travels to ninth-placed Western Eagles, while third-placed Bell Park will take on the fourth-placed Athletic at Ron Barassi Reserve in North Melbourne.
Even though Surf Coast is in fifth spot on the ladder and separated from top spot by two points and a significantly inferior goal difference, the Torquay club could nevertheless jump into the top two if the other results were to go its way.
Undefeated in its last seven league fixtures, the Coasters host eighth-placed Balmoral FC at Banyul Warri Reserve, eager to secure the three points and keep its imperceptible promotion dream alive.
Regardless of the outcome, first-year Surf Coast president Steve Christou is more than satisfied with his team’s achievements.
“With regards to Saturday’s game, I have no doubt coach Steve (Tillinger) and the boys’ first and foremost priority will be to try and beat Balmoral. The rest is out of our hands so I guess time will tell,” Christou said.
“But being unbeaten in our last seven matches with six wins says a lot about the whole senior group and coaching staff.”
Christou says the club’s off season priority will be to retain Tillinger, who returned to the helm of the club midway through the season, as well as the bulk of the current playing group.
“The main group of players have been at the club for a number of years and they have a great relationship both on and off the park,” he said.
“We will also need to add depth to our playing stocks for next year, considering we have lost a large number of players along the way with injuries.”