It was a tense ending for one team’s season in the Under 12s competition when Wallamba faced Pacific Palms Palms Football Club in a close match on Saturday.
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On Palms’ home ground, both teams met in the elimination final, the winner going through to next week’s Grand Final. At kick-off the heavens opened, providing challenging conditions which cleared by the end of the game. By full-time the scores were level, despite Wallamba’s lack of subs – with players out with chicken pox. Extra time tested their stamina but Palms were nonetheless prevented from scoring, in part due to Wallamba goalie Ben Callaughan.
The score at the end of extra time remained one all. Pacific Palms were declared the winner due to finishing higher on the season’s ladder. This decision was in keeping with the rules, which Football Mid North Coast’s Bruce Potter says does not allow penalty shoot-outs until the Under 13s.
“For the under 12s, it’s their first year playing competitive football and penalty shootouts put too much pressure on just two kids, the goalies,” he said.
The children from both teams played their hearts out, with Wallamba’s emotional coach Johan Kloosterhof incredibly proud of his players’ game and their improvement.
Just one of life’s tough lessons, played out on the sports field. Pacific Palms will face Great Lakes Vikings this Saturday.
