A Noble effort

VICTORIAN State Division leagues don’t play grand finals, but if they did, Saturday’s match between Noble Park and South Springvale would have been it.
In the final match of the 2010 State Division Three South/East league season Noble Park beat South Springvale 2-1 at Parkfield Reserve to claim the Division title.
A win to either side would have determined who finished first and despite both teams qualifying for promotion earlier in the month; the battle for first place was just as intense. Noble Park’s Coffie Stemn Jnr scored in the 35th minute to open up the scoring in front of a passionate home crowd.
Against the run of momentum, Samuel Catherine then scored for South Springvale but opportunities for Aris became scarce as Noble Park’s defence began to take control. A botched attempt within the six-yard box and a header that bounced off the post was no reprieve for the home team that continued to push for the win.
Drina found its reward for playing attacking soccer when Stemn Jnr scored the winner with five minutes left in the game. Stemn Jnr appeared out of the contest when he fell to his knees just outside of the 18-yard box but springing to his feet, Stemn Jnr retained possession and dashed inside the box where he wrong-footed the goal keeper and slid the ball into the left side of the goal.
The crowd erupted and five minutes later they had another cause for celebration as Noble Park Drina claimed their fourth title in eleven years.
The Southern Stars also played a catch up match on Thursday, capping off their successful season with a 1-0 win over Frankston Pines at the Grange Reserve.
Alan Kearney was the only goal scorer for the Division Two side that finished the year undefeated.
The Stars finished the season with 16 wins and six draws and a goal difference of 29.