BACK TO THE TOP: Bingera claim Cup

BINGERA'S Joel Haack was hoping the game might be over by the time he had to come up and take a penalty for the side.

The winning Bingera team: Shane Youngberry (top left), Brett Kitching, Jason McEwan, Josh Haack, Jon Wheeler, Joel Haack, Cody Breuer, Scott McEwan, Brendan Conquest, Robbie Cull, Laurie Stephenson, Andrew Donnison - coach (bottom left), Josh Metcalf, Shaun Sergiacomi, Josh Watson, Dan Watson ( Captain), Cody Pym, Karl Zimmerlie, Kenzie Sergiacomi (front left), Imogen Kitching, Beau Donnison, Levi Donnison, Brayden Jenner, Zayde Kitching. Picture: Shane Jones

FOOTBALL: "I picked the spot when I was walking there and went for it.”

Bingera's Joel Haack was hoping the game might be over by the time he had to come up and take a penalty for the side.

Instead, he was the player that ended the side's nine-year drought to claim its first NewsMail Cup/Triple M Division 1 Cup title since 2010.

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Bingera defeated The Waves 4-3 in the penalty shootout after scores were deadlocked at 3-3 after an entertaining 120 minutes of football.

The Waves dominated the shootout early, taking three of their first four spot kicks, as Bingera missed two of its first three shots.

The Waves then faltered, missing its last two shots, as both penalty takers kicked wide of the goals.

Bingera scored three straight penalties, including the winner to Haack, to claim the title after being down 3-1.

"There was a bit of excitement and a bit of relief it was done and dusted,” Haack said after winning the game.

"I walked around here for about five minutes trying to psych myself up to take it.

"It's good to get the result, can't walk away any happier.”

Bingera's shootout win was reward for the side leading during the contest in both normal time and extra time.

The side led against The Waves during the first part of the contest before the opposition fought back to level the scores at 2-2 in the second half.

Bingera dominated play in the final 30 minutes of the match but couldn't find a winner as scores were deadlocked at full time.

The Stripeys then took the lead in extra time through a strike from Shaun Sergicomi from outside of the box.

The Waves equalised again through Matt Twyford as the match ended after 120 minutes in a draw. "The game see-sawed both ways,” Bingera captain Daniel Watson said.

"We should have been able to hold on in extra time but that's finals footy.

"We took the lead but a little bit of sloppy defending let us down.”

But the result was all that mattered for the club.

The Cup win was Bingera's 21st in the history of the competition, which started in 1925, but it is the first to win under the new name change.

"We couldn't be happier,” Watson said.

"The win goes down in history, we'll be the first one with our names on the Cup.

"It is the first step to what we want to achieve this year.”

Bingera and The Waves will now prepare to face each other in the Wide Bay Premier League on Saturday.

Originally published as BACK TO THE TOP: Bingera claim Cup