Runner-up placing for over-45 soccer team

The Gunnedah Test Eagles were beaten but unbowed as they contested the grand final in the over-45 division of the Viking Challenge, on the weekend of March 1 and 2.

Gunnedah’s O35s and O45s were among 188 teams at this year’s six-a-side soccer challenge, hosted by the Great Lakes United soccer club at Tuncurry.

While Gunnedah has entered one or more teams in the Open and/or O35 age groups for the past eight years, this year was the first time the Test Eagles had an O45 team.

Both Gunnedah teams contained players who are good mates and have played together for many years in various Gunnedah, Tamworth and Narrabri teams.

With 32 teams in the O35s and 24 in the O45s, there were round-robin matches on day one before the teams were graded for the following day’s knockout fixtures.

Gunnedah’s O45s scored nine unanswered goals across their three Saturday fixtures, as they began with a 5-0 beating of ROBU and then defeated Hills Hawks 3-0 before edging out the Tigers 1-0.

The senior Test Eagles team had the luxury of skipping the first round of knockout games, before they defeated Uncoachable Frothies and Wednesday Nighters 3-0 and 2-0 respectively.

Gunnedah’s O45s went on to book a grand final berth with a 2-1 defeat of Hairy Brazilians, but there was to be no fairytale finish.

The Test Eagles had only a few subs, and the heat had taken a toll and resulted in some tired bodies and injuries.

Gunnedah’s O45s gave their best in the decider but went down 2-0 to RC United.

In any case, it was the first time a Gunnedah team made it past the quarter-finals in this event.

Gunnedah’s O35 outfit meanwhile found the Viking Challenge a much tougher assignment.

The younger Test Eagles team suffered a first-up 5-0 loss to Brazilian Nuts, before losing 5-3 to Polished Turds.

Gunnedah’s O35s had a scoreless draw with CGA in its final round-robin game, before losing 1-0 to Fletchers Truck & 4WD Centre in a round one knockout match the next day.

Regardless of the results, the players enjoyed the camaraderie while a number of families came together for a weekend of soccer at the coast.

Gunnedah’s O45 team: Andy Cygan (player-coach), Wellington Bigone, Ronnie Bower, Dean Hoy, Leon Ryman, Welington Sardinha, Casey Targett, Atilla Yigman.

Gunnedah’s O35 team: Matt Davis (player-coach), Matt Chappel, Michael Cooke, Nathan Hobart, Chris McDonnell, Andrew Mitchell, Dale Roberts, David Silver, Josh West, Sam Woods.

Gunnedah’s O45 soccer team. Back: Leon Ryman, Andy Cygan (player-coach), Dean Hoy, Casey Targett, Atilla Yigman. Front: Wellington Bigone, Welington Sardinha, Ronnie Bower.