Hotshots caused a major boil over in the most dramatic fashion to advance to the Indoor Soccer grand final after defeating M&C Parisi Floorboards last Wednesday night at the youth centre.
Trailing 5-0 at the half-time break, Hotshots staged a remarkable comeback to win 6–5 and also earn themselves a spot in tonight’s grand final against Wii Not Fit.
Hotshots went into last week’s match as the underdogs having won only two of their 10 matches this season and boasting the competition’s worst attacking and defensive record.
It was M&C Parisi Floorboards who asserted themselves early in the match and skipped away to a 2-0 lead after Shannon Purton scored (female goals are worth two points).
Soon it was 4-0 when Purton scored her second goal of the game.
Although Hotshots were challenging M&C Parisi Floorboards, the Floorboards were playing very well and looked in command when Robert Childs netted Floorboards next goal to give them a comfortable 5–0 lead at the half time break.
No one could have predicted what was about to unfold over the next 25 minutes as Hotshots staged a remarkable comeback.
The injection of Jade Buckman (Hotshots’ leading goal scorer this season) in the second half sparked the attack for the Hotshots.
The speed and intensity picked up as Hotshots started to put M&C Parisi Floorboards under pressure.
That pressure turned into a goal as Hotshots’ captain Lyndsay Klopper slotted home a pass from Buckman.
Leading 5-2, M&C Parisi Floorboards continued to press forward and once again got caught out by Klopper as she scored a second goal to close the gap to just one point.
The momentum was definitely with Hotshots as they pushed for an equaliser.
Mark Rakecki then drew Hotshots level with his stunning long range goal that was perfectly placed into the top right hand corner of the net.
With three minutes remaining the Hotshots comeback was complete when Clint Fennamore scored a goal with his non preferred left foot to take the score to 6–5.
Hotshots defended furiously for the final minutes and hung on to win and advance to the grand final.
Tonight Wii Not Fit will play Hotshots in the grand final.
It’s the first time these two teams have made the final after several years in the competition.
Wii Not Fit are the heavy favourites as minor premiers, having won nine of their 10 games this season.
They also boast the competition’s best attacking and defensive record and have defeated Hotshots in their two encounters this season.
Of all the teams in this season’s competition, Wii Not Fit have capitalised the most on the double points opportunity for female goals.
This season they scored 36 goals in total, of which 20 were scored by female players.
Alexandra Hernando, Bianka Jacobson and Kathleen Hardie are all dangerous in front of the goal.
Josh Brown holds the key for the Wii Not Fit side. He’s fit, fast and very skilful. He takes command in the midfield and sets up the attack.
Hotshots need to limit the amount of times Brown touches the ball to be any chance of winning.
Can the Hotshots cause another upset?
After defeating CSA and M&C Parisi Floorboards in the last two weeks, Hotshots are full of confidence.
The biggest improvement for the Hotshots in the finals has been their ability to score goals.
During the regular season they averaged just under three goals per game.
In the finals they have averaged seven goals per game.
But their improvement in attack has been set up by their defence.
Hotshots defend in numbers and look to catch teams on the counter attack when they over commit.
It should be close competitive game and female goals may well decide the outcome of this one. —contributed
