Russell Vale Soccer Club

Russell Vale United: Champions 2011

Russell Vale United capped a memorable undefeated season in 2011 by emphatically winning the Grand Final of the Amateur Masters 40 competition in a 7-0 rout of Gibson Park Rangers at Ian McLennan Park in Kembla Grange.

The Thirroul team, having forfeited the Major Semi Final due to a lack of numbers, were able to take out the Preliminary Final against Sweat Hogs and entered the Grand Final with enough recovered and previously unseen personnel to start with a few on the bench.

What they encountered was a Russell Vale outfit full of determination, confident in the roles they were meant to play, aware of where their team-mates were and prepared to play to their strengths.

On a gloriously sunny spring morning (a bit less glorious sun might have been nice, actually), and on a fairly well-grassed pitch that was nevertheless hard and bumpy, United simply carved the game up through structure, teamwork and the individual brilliance of Snowy and Tony in particular.

Four goals to Snowy and two to Tony tells much of the tale (Andy scored the other, the first of the game). Gibson Park suffered a 0-4 half-time scoreline, two penalties, a red card and – to add injury to insult – a player hurt badly enough to require an ambulance (hope you’re OK, Craig).

But this was a victory that Russell Vale thoroughly deserved. United has had an astounding season. Taking out byes and forfeits (each 3-0), in 19 matches played we won 18 and drew one, scoring 74 goals at 3.89 goals per game. We conceded just ten goals. And while in this Grand Final Gibson Park remained competitive to the end, with shots hitting the woodwork, Russell Vale United played with the authority that comes from being champions.

Click here for Mike George’s online gallery of photos from the day.

Masters 40 Grand Final

Saturday 17th September

Russell Vale United v Gibson Park Rangers

Kickoff is at 11.00am – be there at 10am.

Venue is Ian McLennan Park 2, Kembla Grange

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2011 PRESENTATION NIGHT SAT 24 SEPT 2011

PRESENTATION NIGHT SATURDAY 24 SEP WOONONA BOWLING CLUB

DRESS: FORMAL  (Shirt and tie)

Time: 6pm onwards

Finger food supplied during night, tab on the bar beer and wine and softies only until the cash dries up.

Entertainment: Music as usual.

Best dressed male and best dressed female awards.

Numbers to Jim and Steve please.