Yoogali hits switch and lights up

 

September 11 2007

Shepparton News

Yoogali powered past Shepparton with four second half goals at Deakin Reserve on Sunday to win 4-3 and qualify for the North Eastern Soccer League Grand Final.

Shepparton must now do the near impossible and eliminate reigning premier Hanwood in the preliminary final if it wants to qualify for the grand final.

The Reds will have to travel to Griffith and play Hanwood at the Yoogali Leagues Club next Sunday after its 2-0 lead early in the second half was blown away by the four-goal Yoogali blitz.

Adding to the Reds' woes was a serious concussion to 16-year-old forward Mitchell Anderson, knocked out in the opening minutes of the contest by Yoogali goalkeeper Terry Dalbroi.

Dalbroi was yellow-carded for the indiscretion and a penalty was awarded to the Reds with Stuart Vance converting to give Shepparton a lead which it held until halftime.

Vance then converted a second penalty five minutes after the break following another foul by Dalbroi, but the goal spurred the devastating Yoogali comeback.

Within 20 minutes Dom Nardi and Grant Davidson scored two goals each to give Yoogali a 4-2 lead, then Wayne Skippen pulled one back for Shepparton 30 seconds before the final whistle.

Reds playing-coach Andy Ingham said his team had no choice but to fight on and focus on the upcoming preliminary final.

"They took the momentum with their first goal at 2-1 and the game swung completely," Ingham said.

"By no means is the season over, we'll just have to do it the hard way."

Ingham was diplomatic about the injury to Anderson and two penalty incidents involving Dalbroi.

"It's not the referee's fault that we lost," he said.

"Mitch put his body on the line, everyone did in the first half and when we stopped doing that we let Yoogali in."

After passing tests in hospital Anderson was recovering at home yesterday.