Bree White played an outstanding game for VU St Albans on Saturday but the Spurs fell short in their semi-final match against Darebin. 64086_07 Picture: SARAH MATRAY
By KATIE LAMBESKI
IT took 30 minutes of extra time but Darebin proved too good for VU St Albans on Saturday, winning their semi-final clash by one goal.
In what was a tight contest throughout the day, neither side gave an inch with direct passage to the Victorian Women’s Football League grand final on the line.
Darebin looked to have the game won late in the final quarter, holding a seven point lead in a low scoring match.
However, Spur Jasmine Garner had other ideas, marking strongly and kicking truly to reduce the margin to just one point.
Minutes later the Spurs were able to surge forward and scrap a point to see the scores tied at the end of full time.
Both teams engaged in five minutes of extra time but that still couldn’t separate them as the match was sent into a golden point format.
With massive packs of players following the ball around the ground, scoring was near impossible as stoppages became the order of that day.
Finally, after an extra 30 minutes of time on the clock and a lot of tired players, Darebin snatched a goal to break the deadlock and book its place in the grand final.
The Spurs were left to rue a number of missed opportunities late in the match after the ball remained inside their 50 metre arc for 15 minutes with any shots on goal pushed out on the full.
Bree White was named best on ground for St Albans after kicking one goal and working hard throughout the 4.7 (31) to 3.7 (25) loss.
After finishing second on the ladder during the home and away season, St Albans will cash in its double chance and live to fight another day.
The Spurs will take on Diamond Creek this week after the Creekers defeated East Burwood by 18 points.
It wasn’t all bad news for St Albans with the club’s reserves side advancing to the grand final after a commanding 81 point win over Darebin, 15.8 (98) to 2.5 (17).
