Cootamundra dominated Young in the first round but both teams have had great seasons and Cootamundra sat one spot higher than Young in third on the ladder.  

The game was played in glorious sunshine with Young having reserves to play with to ensure players could be fresh all game.

Young tried to start well however their passes just were not sticking and for the first 20 minutes it looked like Young would be in for a long afternoon.  

However Cootamundra were also struggling to look like a team and the game was not pretty.

Young then found themselves dominating after a goal to Micaela Hall from a free kick outside the box which she placed in the net and a second goal off a corner that found a waiting Regan Draper, unmarked in the box to tap it in.  

The game then became stretched and the score moved to 3-1 in Young’s favour after both teams scored again.

In the last few minutes of the game Cootamundra scored a consolation game for Young to run out winners 3-2, reversing the first round loss.

This allowed Young to leapfrog Cootamundra on the table into third. The win also seals Young’s spot in finals football even though there are three rounds remaining.  

“Bianca Roach had a great game for us, keeping Coota away from our goal,” captain Jemma Long said. 

“In the second half Gemma Hewitson also had an excellent turn in goals.

“But we do have some work to do before finals to allow us to compete with the top two teams, one of which we play this weekend.”

This weekend the ladies from Young will travel to Wagga to take on the second placed team in the competition, Tolland on Sunday. 

1 Junee 42

2 Tolland 37

3 Young 34

4 Cootamundra 33

5 Wagga United 21

6 South Wagga 17

7 Leeton 15

8 Lake Albert 13

9 Henwood Park 9

10 Temora 0

Round 16 – Tolland vs Young Lions 9am Sunday August 12 at Rawlings Park Four.

Round 17 – Young Lions vs South Wagga 1pm Sunday August 26 at Hall Brother’s Oval.

Round 18 – Young Lions vs Junee 9am Sunday September 2 at Rawlings Park Two.