Jets Blow Cotchin Away

Over 163,000 spectators turned up to the pit of carkoon today for the Season 39 Oceania Cup Final. Spectators from all over Oceania had flocked to New South Wales to witness the all-Pacific Premier clash; the first of it's kind since Season 16 (69748062).

The two managers meeting in the Final are no strangers to success themselves. Adam_F_Duritz, manager of Cotchin FC (77671) is famed for his meteoric rise to the Pacific Premier, taking just ten seasons to get to the top of Oceania. Since being there, he has claimed league glory on two occasions, achieved second place in the Pacific Premier twice, and this season he progressed to Round Four of the HT-Masters.

Although scootboy (manager of Ringwood Jets (418834) has been playing Hattrick for longer, his club successes stop with one Oceanic Cup victory, back in Season 35 (363614990). Instead, scootboy's successes have come with the Oceania U20 Team, affectionately known as The Sea Slugs. Scootboy served back-to-back terms as leader of the Sea Slugs from Season 35, and was the first manager since Sir_Samuel_Vimes to take us to the World Cup Proper.

The only other meeting between these teams this season was in Week 1, where Cotchin pumped Ringwood 4-1 (417316476). Over the eleven matches played between the two teams, Cotchin had claimed victory seven times, with Ringwood snaring just three wins. Adam_F_Duritz' side were slight favourites (16165610.324), though it was impossible to write off the Jets.

It was with much fanfare that this prestigious match between two of Oceania's elite managers began at precisely 4.00HT-Time. With both managers opting for a 2-5-3, it was clear from the outset the fans were in for an action-packed Finale to Season 39. Three players took the field that played in the first meeting between Cotchin and the Jets, nine seasons ago. The captains of both teams; Javier Puig Leal (223856793) for Cotchin, and Ringwood's Andy Spruce (208091983) both wore the armband in the Victorian rival's first meeting, and Michael Kirkeby (198214537) also headlined Ringwood's attack. Together, the three veterans have played 876 matches for their clubs, as well as five HT-Masters matches and 34 Internationals, with an amazing 413 goals between them.

However, it was not one of these players that electrified the match from the opening whistle. Instead, it was Kolja Mulldorf (235157537), Cotchin's 31-year-old German striker. The six-season veteran lit up the pitch in the opening quarter of an hour, scoring twice to open a sizeable lead for Duritz. It was then that the Cotchin captain would make his move; Puig Leal cut inside from the right wing and nutmegged the Jets' 'keeper to make the score 3-0 inside 20 minutes.

The third goal seemed to spark the Jets, who were looking rather shaky after some early turbulence; it took some magic from the unpredictable Jacob Alfaia (253043788) to get Ringwood back in the picture; his ambitious through ball caught everyone off guard, except So-Young Lim (259902279) who was able to latch on to the deep ball and tuck it home at the near post for 3-1. The Jets scored again in the 36th minute to make the score 3-2; Alfonso Sotelo (216811203) was able to finish a tidy combination move down the left wing.

With the game heating up on the scoreboard, the action was heating up on the pitch as well. Puig Leal sliced down Alfaia as the Ringwood player looked set to go on a run with the ball, earning himself a yellow card in the process. Unfortunately for scootboy, his 29-year-old midfielder was unable to continue the match; he was replaced by Clement Chaux (274162747) with three minutes to play before half time.

Frantisek Biskup (223149427) hit back at Cotchin just a minute later, when he scored the tying goal from some distance, though the match would not remain on level terms for long. Frantisek Kodada (229081143), emulating his opposite number, scored a blinder from an impossible angle just seconds from half time to keep Cotchin in front at the break.

Ringwood came out a renewed team in the second half, and it was Michael Kirkeby who was looking to be the difference. The 33-year-old, now playing his 11th season with the Jets, looked like a younger man as he wove through the defence in the 50th minute, only to see his shot saved on the line by the Cotchin 'keeper. Kirkeby came again though, and could not be denied in the 64th minute, as Ringwood Jets again set the match in balance.

With Cotchin FC looking the more inexperienced side, many in the crowd were salivating at the prospect of extra-time or even a penalty shoot-out to decide this season's victor. Clement Chaux, the Ringwood substitute, had other ideas. With 82 minutes played, he received a pass from the left wing, nutmegged a Cotchin defender before playing himself between two more and finally performing an acrobatic 360 degree spin to avoid the charging goalkeeper, scoring the go-ahead goal for the Jets in the process.

With the clock winding down, So-Young Lim found himself free of the offside trap, and produced an excellent finish to bookend the match for the Jets; the tenth goal on the day giving Ringwood a 6-4 lead. The Jets then began to hold up the ball in possession, running time off the clock, while Cotchin could do nothing with the possession they were afforded in the final six minutes. As the referee's final whistle rang out around the stadium, members of the Jetsters stormed the pitch to celebrate with their team and their manager; Ringwood Jets would be taking home another Oceanic Cup to add to their trophy cabinet.

Adam_F_Duritz must surely be shattered after his side blew a three-goal advantage to fall to their second Oceania Cup Final defeat in as many appearances. However, for scootboy, the win has given some consolation after a horribly unlucky season in the Pacific Premier.

Adam_F_Duritz

Wow, that's truly devastating, and that's pretty much all there is to say besides giving my congratulations to Scoot an an amazing win. Enjoy the spoils of victory. :)

KleenexQQ

Wow...what a cup final! 2 PP teams going at it, both 2-5-3 and an incredible comeback by the "underdog". Not to put a downer on Scoot's win but it might just be consolation for a woeful season that might see him demote. I'm not sure we've seen such a great final with two of the nations top teams making the final and putting on such a good show. We'd definetely have to check the record books!

Congrats to both Scoot and Adam.

zooter2

Looks like Scoot had a little bit of magic pixie dust left after his U20 campaign after all, to get the chances rolling his way!

jules_verne

Congratulations on a great final.

I don't think I have seen too many games swing by so much especially in such an important game.

Well done Scoot and big commiserations to Adam.

bobkhaw

That was the best game I have ever watched 'live'. So good I've bookmarked it for posterity.

Congratulations to scoot, and commiserations to adam.

Trepanated

This match is like where campers have sex!

Possible spoiler. Click here to show

In tents!

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It's a pun, see. A play on words.

Possible spoiler. Click here to show

sry drnk

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