Sad end for Cannons

A HEART-breaking golden-goal finish consigned the Casey Cannons to runners-up honours in the Metro Three South grand final on Saturday.
A pumped-up Cannons’ side hit the ground running and shocked the top-placed Mornington with a penalty-corner strike from young maestro Craig Moore inside the first 10 minutes.
An earlier penalty-corner drive from Steven Randall that beat the goalkeeper was dubiously ruled not to have exited the semi circle.
Mornington seized on a Casey midfield turnover and pushed forward with numbers to slot the equaliser a short time later.
But the Cannons still had the ascendancy and forward thrusts from Randall, James Doble and Blane Cridge resulted in a second penalty-corner conversion to Moore.
Casey was 2-1 up at half-time and full of running, but, despite the best efforts of Monico Aquino, who played one of his better games for the club, it could not put the result beyond doubt.
Another corner to Mornington became a thorn in the Cannons’ side as it managed to flick one past goalkeeper Rob Strang.
The game went to extra time, with the teams playing seven minutes at each end.
The equation was simple: whoever scored first would be the victor.
Casey, despite being run off its legs, had an opportunity through Moore, which he sent wide in the first period of extra time.
Randall was unlucky to have two goals disallowed in the second period and Mornington sunk the dagger in with a low drag flick that beat Strang and tore out the Cannons’ hearts.
Captain Rodney Tredoux saluted his fellow players for their efforts this season.
“We played hard, but it wasn’t to be,” he said.
“This is a tough pill to swallow, but hopefully we can go one better next season.”
There were six yellow cards issued; four to Casey and two to Mornington.