The top two teams by some margin in the Football Mid North Coast reserve grade competition will go head to head in the grand final this weekend at Harry Elliott Oval in Tuncurry.
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Premiers Port United will take on Wallis Lake who will be looking to record ‘the double’ with their first grade outfit also in the decider.
United grabbed top spot on the last day of the season with a 4-0 victory over Tuncurry Forster Tigers on home turf at Dixie Park.
At the same time, Wallis Lake slipped up in Wauchope as they drew 2-all to relinquish top spot which they had held since Round 11.
The Port Macquarie outfit took full advantage of their top spot, earning the first week of finals off before victory in the qualifying final sent them straight into the grand final.
That day they defeated this weekend’s opponents Wallis Lake at Boronia Park in Forster 2-1 after coming from behind.
Wallis Lake have had to go the long way into the title decider playing in Kempsey twice.
In week one of the finals, they defeated Malceay Valley Rangers 3-2 at Dangar Street before the loss to United in the qualifying final.
That defeat meant another return to Kempsey to again meet Rangers, this time for a spot in the grand final.
A 2-1 result booked the Forster outfit’s passage into the competition decider this weekend.
Port United will contest their first grand final in reserve grade since 2014, a match they lost 2-1 to Macleay Valley Rangers.
Prior to that, United was a regular in the reserve grade title decider and won the 2013 game against Wallis Lake 1-0.
Wallis Lake will take part in their fourth reserve grade grand final in the past six seasons. After the 2013 loss to United, they defeated Kempsey Saints in 2015 and Macleay Valley Rangers the following year.
In the two meetings during the regular season, the sides traded blows with a home victory each.
United bested Lake 3-0 in round one while the tables were turned at Boronia Park in round 10 in a 3-2 result.
Wallis Lake finished the regular season second with 12 wins, one loss and three draws.
The side scored 44 goals this season and conceded 17.
Their biggest win of the season was a 6-0 thumping of Kempsey in round two while their round one loss to their grand final counterparts was their biggest deficit.
United conceded only 10 goals across the entire season and kept 10 clean sheets.
Lake failed to score in only one of their matches this season, which was their round one loss to United.
Much will depend on how Wallis Lake use the ball in their attacking third as they go up against the competitions best defensive side.
Everything on paper points to an exciting, quality and even contest with spectators encouraged to come along for the perfect curtain raiser to first grade.