South Melbourne claims Dockerty Cup in nail-biting penalty shootout win over Oakleigh
In a dramatic penalty shootout, South Melbourne has claimed the 100th Dockerty Cup over Oakleigh Cannons – the first step in the club’s potential treble.
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Step one, the Dockerty Cup secured.
It took an uneasy 120 minutes and a dramatic penalty shootout but South Melbourne claimed the 2024 Dockerty Cup on Saturday night.
The heart-stopping triumph, in the 100th cup final, is the first of a potential state treble for Hellas.
Deadlocked nil-all at full-time and still scoreless after extra-time at the Home of the Matildas, Hellas goalkeeper Javi Lopez made two critical stops.
Combined with a string of saves during the match, it saw the two-time reigning NPL Victoria Goalkeeper of the Year awarded the Jimmy McKay Medal as best-on-ground in the final.
Young gun Lucas Inglese then stepped up to seal victory with the 12th spot kick of the night.
The 20-year-old midfielder said it was an amazing moment to win the game in front of South’s raucous supporters.
“It’s unreal, it hasn’t sunk in yet and I don’t think it will for a couple of days,” Inglese said.
“It’s a great feeling to win the Dockerty Cup and bring it back to Lakeside.
“We (practice penalties) before every Dockerty Cup game just in case it goes to the wire, it’s just our ritual.
“The emotions are high right now, it’s obviously something we striven for from the start of the season – we want to win everything we can and we’ve got one out of three or four.”
In an incredible feat of endurance, Oakleigh Cannons controlled much of the game just four days after knocking A-League power Sydney FC out of the Australia Cup.
The match started to open up past the hour mark and Hellas captain Harrison Sawyer headed narrowly wide before Andy Brennan flashed a cross through the box to signal South’s intent.
Brennan then missed a gilt-edged chance and Sawyer forced Oakleigh keeper Nick Freely into an important save before full-time.
Sawyer then had a penalty shout early in extra-time but was quickly waved off by Ross Clark.
Hellas was reduced to 10 men in the 105th minute as Max Mikkola was shown a straight red for striking Brodie Boyce.
It saw the Cannons snatch the momentum and finish the stronger of the two teams.
Alex Salmon, Asad Kasumovic and Boyce all had big chances to finish the game but couldn’t convert.
In the first final decided by penalties since 2017, Jacob Tratt’s effort was saved by Lopez and Jordon Lampard had the chance to win the game but couldn’t beat Freely in extraordinary scenes.
However, Jordan Hall missed the very next spot kick and Inglese buried his chance to send the largely pro-South crowd into hysterics.
“We’re pretty confident in our structure, we know if we can hold out and go to penalties, then nine times out of 10 with Javi in goals we’re going to win,” Inglese said.
Hellas can secure the second stage of its treble on Saturday when it travels to Avengers Park to face arch-rival Avondale.
It will then hope to go one-step further after back-to-back grand final losses.
But first, an Australia Cup Round of 32 tie against A-League club Wellington Phoenix at Lakeside Stadium looms on Tuesday.
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“We’ll celebrate tonight but straight away the focus tomorrow will be Wellington,” Inglese said.
It’s only the second time the club has reached the Round of 32 in the past six years, having beaten the likes of Melbourne Knights, Preston Lions and St Albans in the preliminary stages.
“To this fine gentlemen … you couldn’t have fought any harder,” Sawyer said post-match.
“The way we came to this game, Preston away, Heidelberg away, Knights away and the extra game against Hume, I wouldn’t have it any other way then to play with you.”
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