Wednesday, June 12, 2019

Beachside keeper Felix Charles wins Under-20 State-wide Cup for his team in shoot-out


Photo:  Referee Thomas Mace keeps and eye on the action between Beachside's Matthew Goldsmith and Olympia's Alexander Exarhakos [PlessPix]

(Under-20 State-wide Cup Final, KGV Park, Monday, 10 June 2019)

Beachside 2 (Alcock 45 pen, Bird 82)
Olympia Warriors 2 (Exarhakos 39, 73)

HT:  1-1  FT:  2-2  AET:  2-2  Penalty Shoot-out:  3-1  Att:  400   Ref:  T Mace

Beachside:  Charles  -  Pullen, Roberts, Ellis, Codabaccus  =  Alcock, Bomford, Goldsmith, Myler  -  Young, O’Neill  (Subs:  Bird, Clifford, Hamilton, Mulcahy)

Olympia Warriors:  Murfitt  -  Sloan, Moschogianis, Curtis, Baddiley  -  Tuyushime, Hills, Yost  -  Mulungula, Exarhakos, Vincent  (Subs:  Ait Maamar, Boscoe, Pacey-Mayne, Prendergast, Randall)

Photo:  Olympia's Sam Hills on a run in midfield [PlessPix]

It’s hard to fathom why Olympia Warriors started with Jonathon Mulungula in attack.  The lad had recently returned from a hamstring injury and played for Olympia’s seniors against Clarence United on Saturday evening.  He came off after a quarter of an hour with a hamstring injury.

To start him in this cup final just two days later was a puzzle.  He lasted barely two minutes before having to come off and be replaced by Bilal Ait Maamar when his hamstring went.  How long it will take him to recover now is anybody’s guess, but it could be months.

Olympia went close to scoring twice in the opening half-hour through Sam Hills and Alexander Exarhakos.

When Exarhakos did score in the 39th minute from close range, it looked off-side, but the goal was allowed to stand.

Photo:  Beachside's Zac Pullen challenged by Olympia's Bilal Ait Mamaar [PlessPix]

Beachside drew level on the stroke of half-time with a penalty, awarded for Koby Moschogianis’s foul on Finn O’Neill.  George Alcock scored with the spot-kick and the sides went in at the break level at 1-1.

Olympia continued to create chances as the second half began with Exarhakos and Ait Mamaar unable to increase their side’s lead.

Kyle Vincent got onto a long pass from Moschogianis on the hour but his shot flew straight at Beachside keeper Felix Charles.

Exarhakos found the net in the 73rd minute after some great work by Austin Yost to give Olympia the lead for the second time in the match.

Photo:  A heading duel inside the penalty area [PlessPix]

Angus Bird equalised for Beachside in the 82nd minute from Samuel Mulcahy’s corner.

In the 86th minute, a brilliant save by Olympia keeper Angus Murfitt, who tipped the ball over the bar after an effort by Bird, kept the score at 2-2.

Two minutes from the end, it was the turn of Beachside keeper Charles to keep his side in contention as he blocked an Olympia shot.

In the opening period of extra-time, Yost sent a free-kick narrowly wide, while 10 minutes later, Charles was fortunate to block a close-range effort by Ait Mamaar.

Photo:  Olympia's Bilal Ait Mamaar traps the ball on his chest between Beachside opponents Zac Pullen (No.6) and Matthew Goldsmith [PlessPix]

Charles made two further saves as Olympia pressed for a winner, but the game then went to a penalty shoot-out.

Charles proved the hero as he saved three Olympia penalties to give Beachside a 3-1 win in the penalty shoot-out.

Harry Young, Mulcahy and Matthew Bomford netted their spot-kicks for Beachside, while Zac Pullen blasted his penalty high over the bar.

Charles saved from Olympia’s Exarhakos, Ben Curtis and Ait Mamaar, while only Yost scored.

Photo:  Beachside keeper Felix Charles saves Bilal Ait Mamaar's penalty [PlessPix]

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

There were many media remarks about Beachside being underdogs and this result being a huge upset but Beachside has had very good results and quite a few junior league title wins and top three finishes in Under 16s and Under 18s over the past 4-5 years and performed quite creditably in Challenge League in 2017 and 2018 finishing higher than some NPL clubs.
So I'm not sure why everyone was so surprised by this outcome?
Somebody from Beachside might be able to tell us how many U16 and U18 titles and top two or three finishes they've had since 2015.

Anonymous said...

Congratulations to Beachside

This competition needs to be fixed - we are cup tieing children / young men for being good enough to play in the laka cup rounds and stopping this comp from being what it should be an u20 comp ..

lets allow the best in the age group to actually play so we can showcase this talent

Honestly make it u18 as there isn't even an u20 league in the state and please can the teams have more then a one day brake between games

Anonymous said...

How about the behaviour of George after the loss. George when your club looses you need to lose graciously.

Anonymous said...

Completely agree. I think one Southern NPL club had their 6 best u20s cup tied because inof appearances the Laka Cup. You can't say you are the best u20s club when some clubs are not putting their best players on the pitch.

Anonymous said...

A very entertaining game to watch. Some very talented + gifted young footballers on show which should bode well for the future of Football in the South.

Anonymous said...

Beachside also had 4 or 5 cup tied from the Laka. Every club has the same issue. A great youth program at BFC.

Well done to Olympia for getting that far with a mass exodus of challenge league players from last year.

Anonymous said...

Agree completely Walter

Olympia more interested in winning an U20 Cup at the risk of a major setback of a promising young players welfare

Anonymous said...

Beachside won last years u18 title and won the u16 title the year before so this group was always going to compete. They're definitely the over-achievers of youth football in southern Tasmania, partly due to Brett Pullen's influence so credit to him. Their draw was very kind to them though, they played Launceston United, New Town and Northern Rangers on the way to the final whereas our boys had to play Hobart Zebras, South Hobart and Launceston City. Was great to watch some of the best u20 players in the state though, can see many of them playing NPL soon. Expecting a few of Beachside's youth to be poached by NPL clubs.