Cobram Roar’s under-13 boys put up a valiant effort in their grand final, going down 5-1 to Wodonga Diamonds. Photos: Albury Wodonga Football Association.
Cobram Roar headed to Lavington Sports Ground on Saturday full of hope, with the Under-12 Black and Under-13 Boys sides playing off in grand finals in back-to-back matches.
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There was reason for optimism too, even with the Under-12 side kicking off at 9am against a Boomers Red outfit that had defeated Wodonga Diamonds to advance to the decider, a side which had lost just the one match for the season.
The odds were in Cobram’s favour, with the scoreline between the two sides in their previous outing a 6-0 rout the way of the Roar, a win that instilled some confidence that they could claim a famous title.
Flynn Rourke, who had added two goals to the score sheet in that round-19 clash, sent home Cobram’s only goal for the decider to take his season tally to 17 goals, however Boomers Red found a reply this time around.
Unlike the last time the two sides met, the Roar were unable to keep a clean sheet, with Boomers Red finding the back of the net on two separate occasions, denying Cobram the title in a brilliant clash befitting of a grand final.
Cobram Roar’s Under-12 Black side was narrowly defeated by Boomers Red in the grand final.
While there was some obvious disappointment in the Cobram camp following the loss, there was an immediate chance for redemption, with the Under-13 Boys side kicking off at 10.20am for their shot at glory.
A massive 5-1 win over Boomers FC in last week’s semi-final saw the side enter the grand final on a high, and it would be needed against a formidable Wodonga Diamonds side.
The Diamonds had gone through the year undefeated, a draw the closes they had come to dropping points, while only conceding 14 goals throughout the entirety of the season.
The meeting between the two sides had been close — Cobram going down 3-4, but pushing the top side all the way, and hopes were high a strong performance could get them across the line.
But it was not to be, with the strongest side all season prevailing in the decider, as the Roar went down 1-5 with Knox Leonard slotting the only goal for Cobram.
The efforts were valiant, and while the results were not the ones the Roar would have wanted, both teams put together magnificent seasons, and will have the opportunity to go one better next year.
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