Parkes' Vipers have finished the 2024 Lachlan Amateur Soccer Association season runners up after a well-contested grand final against Forbes Foxes.
"A long time coming!" were the words of the Forbes captain Jack Janetzki at the end of the 2-1 win at Forbes' Botanical Gardens, reflecting on the Foxes' own journey since finishing runners up in 2023.
The grand final was a tough contest, the scores locked at nil-all until well after half time.
Forbes' Karma Dechen was first to score, Vipers' goalkeeper diving to stop it but it trickled past his fingers.
It wasn't long until Parkes found an opportunity and scored their own to level the scores at 1-1 with the clock ticking.
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A critical penalty gave the Foxes another opportunity and Jacob Collits was sound with it.
Parkes came close, but the ball hit the post and dribbled back out of the goal mouth.
The Foxes captain paid tribute to their opponents - a very young and athletic side.
"They're a good team, they've been always good hard games against them," Janetzki said.
"(You) just take your chances. They missed a few, we missed a few, but that's it."
Vipers coach Wayne Osborne credited Foxes as the benchmark of the competition.
"We've had some great tussles through the year and the grand final was no exception," he said.
"It was a fantastic game.
"Thanks to my boys, most of them very young men straight out of juniors, a few old faces.
"I've been so proud of them the way they've played this year, the way they've risen up to challenges, so congratulations and I'm sure we'll see you go round next year again."
Parkes Vipers: Harry Kennedy (goalkeeper), Harry Budd, Oliver Neilson, Rylee Quigg, Shivas Chand, Caleb Rixon, Kai Airy, Riley McMaster, Lachlan Kupkee, Stuart Lamond, Cameron Kopp, Oliver Westcott, Josh Sutton, Charlie Jones, Calum Gillow.
