Beachside and Hobart United serve up thrilling Summer Cup Final

Photo:  Beachside's David Cox pursued by Hobart United's Jackson Kahsif [PlessPix]

(Men’s Division A Summer Cup Final, KGV Park, Friday, 22 March 2019)

Beachside 3 (Gonzalez 31, O’Neill 47, 49)

Hobart United 2 (Dhieu 10, 36)

HT:  1-2   Att:  150   Ref:  A Cooke

Beachside:  Wilson  -  Fisher, Cox, Pearce, Gibson  -  Jones, Toselli, Hickey, Anderson  -  Gonzalez, Whitehall  (Subs:  Browning, Goldsmith, Luttrell, MacDonald, O’Neill, Roberts, Westenberg, Mulcahey, Charles)

Hobart United:  Dand  -  Juma, David, Letiko  -  Berhane, Dhieu, Kamba, Khasif  -  Ngor, Kenyi, Lagu  (Subs:  Ahayo, Degu Chulo, Heathorn, Mwarabu, Nikimaya, Shabbir, Songa, Singh)

Photo:  Beachside skipper Shae Hickey speaks at the cup presentation [PlessPix]

This was a fast, pulsating Summer Cup Final that could have gone either way.

Indeed, if Hobart United’s Abel Berhane had not fired over the crossbar from 6 metres on the hour, the game could have gone into extra-time.

Hobart United's forwards  -  Francis Kenyi, Solomon Lagu and Abel Berhane  -  were fast and tricky, while Joseph Juma had a good game at right-back.

Riak Dhieu put United in front after 10 minutes and it took until the 31^st minute for Beachside to equalise, Alvaro Gonzalez taking advantage of poor defending by United to shoot past Alex Dand, who should probably have saved.

In the 36^th minute, Beachside keeper Robert Wilson came flying off his line to bring down the speedy Solomon Lagu and concede a penalty.

Wilson saved Dhieu’s spot-kick, but the United man followed up and tucked home the rebound to give his side a 2-1 lead at the break.

Photo:  Beachside's Ben Whitehall is tackled [PlessPix]

The fast United attackers had worried the Beachside defence, especially down the flanks, during the first half, but it was a different Beachside that emerged for the second half.

Finn O’Neill came on as a substitute for Beachside and his scoring prowess came to the fore immediately.

O’Neill’s header just 2 minutes after the resumption made it 2-2, while two minutes later, a lightning counter-attack by Beachside enabled O’Neill to hit the target again and give his side a 3-2 lead.

Photo:  Beachside coach Brett Pullen (second from right) watches the game [PlessPix]

At the back, David Cox and Damian Pearce were solid and reliable at the centre of the defence, while Ash Fisher played his heart out at right-back.  He defended superbly and also took time out to push forward and initiate attacks.

Left-back Nick Gibson was also sound and with the powerful Ben Whitehall and Gonzalez battling for every ball, United were on the back foot.

United had some potentially useful free-kicks, but Mynonge Kamba was not his usual dangerous self when he took these.

Photo:  Beachside celebrate their winning goal [PlessPix]

The game was fast and furious right until the end and Beachside hung on to lift the trophy.

United were gracious in defeat and Beachside humble in victory in what was an exciting, entertaining and worthy 2019 Summer Cup final.

Photo:  The match officials received their medals from Tony Peart [PlessPix]