EFL 2018: South Croydon defeats Blackburn by five points in extra-time preliminary final thriller

SOUTH Croydon will meet Vermont in a replay of last year’s Division 1 grand final after prevailing by five points in a preliminary final extra-time thriller.

BLACKBURN’S bid to end a 43-year Division 1 grand final drought fell at the penultimate hurdle after a heartbreaking extra-time preliminary final defeat against South Croydon on Saturday.

Scores were locked at 55 apiece at full-time before South Croydon forward Jake Tucker kicked the only goal of extra time to give the Bulldogs a five-point win.

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However, Xavier Murphy’s set-shot from near the top of the goalsquare in the first period was judged a behind when many thought it was a goal.

Xavier Murphy sends the ball forward. Picture: James Ross/AAP

The behind proved to be Blackburn’s only score in the two five-minute periods.

“Obviously the umpire is in the best position so we’ve got to go with what he adjudicated but speaking to Xavier, he thought it was about a foot inside the goalpost,” Blackburn coach Brendan Allen said.

“Everyone that was behind the kick celebrated, South Croydon players said it was a goal but you’ve just got to go by the umpire’s decision.

“Did that lose us the game? No, it put us a point in front at that point.

“It’s a harsh game sometimes footy, you love it but you hate it.”

Blackburn’s inaccuracy in the second quarter when it kicked 0.5 to South Croydon’s 2.0 came back to haunt it as the Bulldogs prevailed 9.7 (61) to 7.14 (56), setting up a Division 1 grand final replay against Vermont this weekend.

“I was warning the boys we had to take our chances or it would come back to bite us and it did on the weekend,” Allen said.

“That second quarter, the ball literally did live in our front half. We didn’t convert and that is the game in a nutshell.”

Jake Hammond finished with three goals. Picture: James Ross/AAP

Both coaches agreed that Blackburn was the better side for much of the game but instead the Burners were left to rue their second consecutive preliminary final defeat against South Croydon.

“I thought on the day, even (South Croydon coach) Luke (McCormick) said we outplayed them,” Allen said.

“It was just our inability to convert and credit where credit is due, they pressured the hell out of us, the ball lived in our forward line for three quarters of the game and we just couldn’t get a forward structure.

“That’s all credit to Luke and South Croydon, they’re really good at being able to manipulate, drop off and defend and if you’re going to be a good finals team you’ve got to be able to defend.”

Despite the “gut-wrenching” result, first-year coach Allen said the season had been a positive.

“If you look at the season in isolation, we were 1-3 but to claw our way back from that, we’ve got 10-plus senior games into seven 19-year-olds, it’s been a successful season,” he said.

“The club is in a really good spot … if you look at the age demographic, everyone is 24 and under so Blackburn is going to be a strong club for years to come.”