Some will say it is karma, others, like the Goulburn Athletic faithful, will claim it’s just unlucky and it wasn’t to be.
Whichever way, fact of the matter is that Goulburn’s fairytale run came to an end when they were bundled out of the prestigious Coke Cup following a 0-2 quarterfinal loss to Vasco da Gama at the Downberg Road Sportsfield on Sunday.
It was especially the manner in which the Bonteheuwel-based team succumbed to defeat that was a bit of an anticlimax to a tightly contested match which saw their coach Sardick “Balla” Barends hand in his resignation two days prior to this fixture.
The lottery of penalties was looming with ten minutes left on the clock when an uncharacteristic error by Goulburn’s goalie Shakeen Johnson, the ball slipping through his hands and legs, allowed Devon Saal to break the deadlock late in the match.
Jurinho Malak put the nail in Goulburn’s coffin with the second minutes later to book their spot in the semifinal.
It was really unfortunate for Goulburn, as Johnson was brilliant up until then keeping his side in the picture with outstanding saves, especially in the second half. The young goalie should keep his head as he was brilliant – apart from the moomish of course.
His chairman Frank Smith was understandably left disappointed but knows all too well that there can only be one winner.
When Smith was probed on the resignation of Barends, the Goulburn boss said that the matter had been dealt with and they had moved on.
“No one is bigger than the game or irreplaceable,” Smith told No Bones with Jones. According to me, we have moved on. The fact of the matter is that Barends is a good coach. Goulburn Athletic wish Mr Barends well with his future endeavours. He will always be appreciated by us. Our doors will always be open for him,” Smith added.
PHOTO SUPPLIED BY RASHIED ISAACS
Other results:
Young Idols 5, Bluegum United 2
Saxon Rovers 2, Two for Joy 1
FC Talefzucht 2, Young Pirates 1
