Raymond Terrace Soccer Club’s senior men’s team have claimed the 2017 premiership following a thrilling grand final game with minor premiers Barnsley United.
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The Rangers, the Terrace soccer club’s zone league one first grade team, travelled to Lambton to take on Barnsley for the grand final on Saturday.
In their two previous encounters this season, the Terrace won both games against Barnsley 3-0 and 2-1.
The 3-0 win in round five was the first of the season for the Terrace’s first grade side after starting with a loss and three draws.
The win lifted the confidence of the team which went on to finish second in the regular season behind Barnsley.
Just three points separated the teams.
In the semi finals the Terrace overcame a confident Garden Suburb side to earn their place in the grand final.
The grand final was a close game with both the Terrace and Barnsley missing key opportunities to score.
Neither team had scored at full time, the score board reading 0-0, sending the game into extra time.
Even in extra time neither side could break the deadlock and it went to a penalty shootout decider.
Each team sent forward five players, but none were able to sneak the ball past the opposing goalkeeper.
With the crowd cheering and jeering, the Terrace’s John Voigt stepped up for the sixth penalty shot which found its way past Barnsley’s keeper.
“A sigh of relief could be heard around the ground,” Rangers player and president of Raymond Terrace Soccer Club Peter Petryk said.
After Voigt’s goal, all Terrace keeper Josh Botham had to do was save Barnsley’s sixth attempt on goal.
“The Barnsley faithful were giving it to Botham from behind the goals,” Petryk said.
“But it was Botham who had the last laugh by saving the penalty to give the Terrace the victory.”
Best on ground for the Terrace was Nima Nikfarjam, Steve Krause and Bryn Fawkes which Petryk said was “tough to pick” as the “whole side lifted for the occasion”.
In the previous weeks’ grand finals the club’s under-13s lost their grand final to Maitland and the all age women’s team went down to Argenton in nail-biting penalty shootout.