Surf Coast’s late run comes up a little short
‘We were pretty dominant from the start today and it was just an all-round great performance.’ SURF COAST PRESIDENT STEVE CHRISTOU
IN a heartbreaking climax, neither Surf Coast nor Bell Park were able to finish in the State League 4 top two and earn a promotion-chasing berth.
Results elsewhere conspired against the Geelong region outfits.
Surf Coast, in particular, could feel hard done by as the Torquay-based club was effectively in top spot at halftime and had one hand on the champion’s pennant and automatic promotion to State 3.
But eventual champion Point Cook and runner-up Sebastopol managed to score in the second half against their opponents (Altona North and Western Eagles) and capture the necessary three points to stave off an unlikely Surf Coast surprise.
The Coasters destroyed Balmoral FC 6-0 at home, highlighted by Francois Batiano’s first-half hat-trick.
Batiano found the net in the 10th minute, before striking again in the 22nd and 34th minutes.
Tom Langman made it 4-0 in the 44th minute as the teams headed off to the sheds at Banyul Warri Reserve.
In the second half, Jack Williams chipped in with a goal in the 61st minute, before Brodric Von Brandstein found the net in the 88th minute.
“We were pretty dominant from the start today and it was just an all-round great team performance,” a proud Surf Coast FC president Steve Christou said after the match.
“The players did everything that was asked of them.
“Unfortunately in the end our destiny was with the other results.
“We hope to carry the momentum from the last eight weeks — when we were undefeated — into next season and go one better.”
Surf Coast’s run saw it finish the season in third place.
A hard and closely fought contest was taking place at the Ron Barassi Reserve in North Melbourne with third-placed Bell Park and fourth-placed North Melbourne Athletic needing a win to keep their faint promotion hopes alive.
By the end of the 90 minutes, the two combatants were unable to be separated with the 0-0 scoreline proving to be a negative outcome for both teams. But Bell Park coach Ivan Biscan opted to remain positive.
“I am very proud of how the players presented themselves today and fought extremely hard to the very end, despite not knowing if any season success was going to fall our way,” Biscan said.
“As another season passes, as the club senior coach, I hope and believe that we all learnt something to make the team — and the club — stronger for next season.”
The All Whites finished the campaign in fourth place.