Excitement builds for Boys Finals Day
Another big day of football this Saturday with the Junior Boys Cup Finals Day taking place at Balcatta Etna’s Grindleford Reserve.
This is always a great occasion for young players, their coaches, parents and friends and this year promises to be no different.
The first of the five finals kicks off at 9am, with the last game getting under way at 3.30pm. Entry is free.
9am Boys U13s – Balcatta Etna (NPL) v Perth Glory (NPL)
What better way to start the day than have the hosts in action first up?
Balcatta, who are fourth in NPL Division Two, knocked out first division Perth SC and Subiaco in the quarter-finals and semi-finals respectively. Kelden Tshering is their main goal threat, having scored 23 times including five last Sunday.
Glory are also fourth, but in Division One. They overcame current first division leaders MUM FC in the last eight, before a Cooper Smith goal decided their semi-final against Cockburn City.
10.30am Boys U14s – Perth Glory (NPL) v Perth SC (NPL)
An all-NPL Division One final between the two best defences in the league.
Sabastian Faraone has scored in every round so far for the Azzurri, including their semi-final win over Bayswater City.
If Glory do win then they will have done it the hard way. They have already knocked out three of the current top four in Division One in Sorrento, Perth RedStar and Joondalup City. A win over Perth SC will complete the set.
12pm Boys U15s – Joondalup City (NPL) v Perth Glory (NPL)
The third final of the day for Perth Glory, who sit on top of the NPL U15s Division One table.
In Chikanayo Ugwumba and Max Naylor there is no shortage of cutting edge from a Glory team who have scored 13 goals in three cup games.
But Joondalup can draw on their fine 2-0 win over South West Phoenix in the quarter-finals for inspiration. Alfie Knight has scored in each of City’s four cup outings.
1.40pm Boys U16s – Bayswater City (NPL) v Sorrento (NPL)
No Perth Glory in this one but that does not detract from the quality on show, with the top two in Division One facing off.
Many of the players will have faced each other in last year’s U15s final, which saw Sorrento win a classic 3-2.
Bayswater are unbeaten in Division One and are top scorers, with Kaien Lim leading the scoring chart. In the semi-final they came from 2-0 down to defeat Balcatta 4-2. Sorrento, meanwhile, boast the division’s best defence and have beaten MUM FC and Perth SC on their cup run.
3.30pm Boys U18s – Rockingham City (Div One) v Ellenbrook United (Div One)
The one Sunday leagues final, Ellenbrook scored twice late on last weekend to edge Rockingham 2-1 and go top in the first division.
Ellenbrook also came from behind to beat Armadale in the semi-final.
But they must be wary of Rockingham’s Andrew Hay, the cup’s top scorer. Rocky beat Whitford City 3-2 with a last-minute goal in their semi-final, having trailed 2-0 at the interval.