Laura Croft and the Comets mob coach Ian Williamson after making it through to the Women’s Premier League finals for the first time in five years.
By Gavin Staindl
JUBILANT Casey Comets president Charlie Branca could not contain his excitement when he discovered his Women’s Premier League team had qualified for the finals.
“Girls, we’ve made it,” Branca shouted after receiving a text message that the all-important Altona-Box Hill game finished in a 0-0 draw.
After beating VCL Country 4-0 on Sunday, the Comets spent five anxious minutes on the pitch waiting for news to filter through that Altona had done enough to see out a draw – thus advancing Casey to the finals this week.
With a win under their belt and finals in sight, the party at Comets Stadium begun and continued long into the night.
Laura Croft jumped on the back of coach Ian Williamson in excitement, while girls with water in their drink bottles doused anyone standing nearby.
The rendition of the Comets song was sung with gusto, not once, but twice, as the realisation that Casey would be playing in its first finals in five years began to sink in.
By Sunday, the girls were back to work, focussing on Sunday’s elimination final against the only side that has beaten them twice this year – Heidelberg.
Despite being convincingly beaten on both occasions, Casey would prefer to play Heidelberg.
“We will come out and make a big statement,” Williamson said.
If anything, the off-field tribulations that have taken place over the last week have connected the girls who are now out to prove to the soccer world – and the FFV – that they can’t be stopped.
“They have bonded really well,” Williamson said.
“You get the feeling they have found the freedom to release their ability … you’ll start to see the type of performances that these girls are capable of.
“We’re a new team and nobody gave us a chance at the start of the year.
“Now we’ve overcome every obstacle, one at a time, and we continue to prove people wrong.
“It’s a huge relief (to make finals), but now they’re ready to perform at the level they’re capable of.
“You haven’t seen the best of these girls; believe me, their best is still to come.”
