The Far South Coast Soccer Association's Under 14 Boys Representative team travelled to Wagga Wagga on the June long weekend to play in the Football NSW Country Cup.
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The team is made up of boys from soccer clubs from Eden to Bega and after winning a tightly contested Southern NSW Branch Championship (held over two weekends in Goulburn in April and Nowra in May), the team was keen to take the step up and test themselves against other NSW regional teams.
After Saturday's matches it was clear that the Far South Coast and Dubbo teams were the teams to beat, with two wins apiece. Dubbo scored convincing 11-0 and 6-1 victories, while the Far South Coast team enjoyed 3-1 and 4-2 victories (against Shoalhaven and Lachlan United from Parkes respectively).
Sunday morning saw the match of the tournament between Far South Coast and Dubbo. In a match that ebbed and flowed, both teams asserted dominance at various stages and played a fast-paced, skilful, no holds barred contest. A last minute goal mouth scramble saw a Far South Coast effort cleared off the goal line and the match ended in a very entertaining and fair 2-2 draw.
Both teams won their final games on Sunday afternoon and finished at the top of the table, equal on points. However, despite an 11-0 victory for Far South Coast in their final match against Wagga, Dubbo were crowned Country Cup Champions because of a superior goal-difference, five goals ahead of Far South Coast.
This was an awesome result for the Far South Coast, a region that has a much smaller pool of players than larger regional centres like Dubbo, Wagga and the Shoalhaven, team manager Jon Kite said.
The Far South Coast team is coached by Peter Rees from Merimbula with Bega's Mr Kite in assistance.
Since coming together in 2016 the team has made massive strides, particularly this season, and has developed into a fine team that plays a strong passing style of soccer and has a fantastic camaraderie.
The Country Cup was the end of the 2019 representative season for the U14 Boys who now return to club soccer.
Trials for the 2020 Under 15 Boys team will be held later in 2019.