Sugden seals successive titles

WARATAHS star Craig Sugden produced a right-footed finish in the 74th minute to seal the club's second successive Western Premier League title and ensured the grand final didn't go where many feared it was headed on Saturday – to extra-time and penalties.

Waratahs won a thriller 1-0 over Bathurst '75 and Sugden was the hero at Alec Lamberton Field.

Forward Sugden scored three goals in his last two matches of 2007 after a double in last Sunday's 2-0 preliminary final win over Westside.

But the most important was when he was gifted the chance with 16 minutes left in the decider played in front of a boisterous crowd at Alec Lamberton Field.

"You could see the looks on the players as soon as it went in."

A defensive mix-up between Bathurst ‘75 goalkeeper Neil Cole and defender Andrew Webber handed Sugden his chance after Waratahs team-mate Kaiden Powell had produced some strong defensive work.

Sugden coolly ploughed the shot into the back left-hand side of the net to hand ‘Tahs a one-goal win.

Waratahs won their second straight grand final over ‘75 at the Bathurst venue.

Last year the decider deadlock could not be broken in regulation and extra-time and after a scoreless 110 minutes, ‘Tahs won 6-5 on penalties.

Waratahs coach Alan Hooper, who has been involved with the club for 40 years and hinted he will not coach next year after winning the title in his debut season as mentor, was beside himself with joy.

"I'm absolutely over the moon," Hooper said.

"It was always going to be a close game, both defences were again on top but I thought we controlled the play for the back end of the first half and again late in the second half.

"It's great, it's good for the club, ‘75 have dominated for quite a few years.

"Everyone has been talking about penalties and it's good to get a win without penalties. It feels a lot better, a win is a win but this does feel better."

Hooper typified the club's sentiment about Sugden's strike.

"It was the most relieving moment I'd spent all year," Hooper said.

"It was a good challenge by Kaiden Powell and it was just fantastic. I always thought it would be just one goal that would win it. I thought we could hold out then.

Bathurst ‘75 Mark Comerford felt his side matched Waratahs but couldn't land the goal they needed to win when it was nil-all.

"I thought we played well and created plenty of chances, it was even there," Comerford said.

"To concede a goal the way we did, it's a bit hard to take. You could see the looks on the players as soon as it went in and to their credit everyone responded after that.

"It wasn't a good goal, it wasn't well crafted or anything. You can take it if they score a goal like Tim Davidson did [with a weaving run and cracking left-foot strike] back on July 15 for a 2-1 Waratahs win] an awesome shot like that, but this was tough. Losing two years in a row is hard."

"But I said to the boys to celebrate the year. We've had another good season and I'm proud of them all."

Comerford said losing in the regulation 90 minutes didn't feel any different to losing on penalties.

"It's just as tough for me and the players would feel the same," Comerford said.

Scheduled for 2pm, the contest did not start until 2.53pm but began with an explosion as ‘75 midfielder Beau Yates hit the crossbar 30 seconds into the clash.

Yates had a shot on goal seven minutes later and Blues striker Garret Dowling showed his intentions nine minutes later with another shot on goal.

Silky skilled Waratahs midfielder Tim Davidson put ‘75 custodian Neil Cole into the clash just one minute in.

Blues defender Darren Smith received a yellow card 30 minutes in and Waratahs started to dominate, a Sugden 40th minute shot on goal producing a fumbling save from Cole.

Just before the break Waratahs also hit the woodwork and one minute before half-time a corner from Dave Donnelly found the head of defender Lincoln Duncan but he could not control it, leaving it nil-all at the break.

Six minutes into the second half ‘75 defender Andrew Webber was yellowed after a challenge on Duncan.

Four minutes in ‘75 left midfielder Scott Evans produced a cracking shot from 25 metres out but it just went right of the side post.

A weaving run from ‘75 midfielder Clint Mutton produced a 64th minute shot on goal which super-safe ‘Tahs custodian Adam Brakenridge again stopped.

But from there Waratahs started to get the upper hand again and two corners followed before Sugden's goal, which won the contest.

Davidson was his usual energetic self but Hooper reserved praise for defenders Duncan, Brendan Box and Adam Kelly and felt his side kept Bathurst ‘75s midfield relatively quiet.

ORANGE WARATAHS 1 (Craig Sugden 74th) defeated BATHURST ‘75 PANTHERS