Weston Bears Football Club -

The Bears travelled to Hamilton Olympics Darling St Oval for the final round of the NBN State League in a do or die match. A win for the Bears would see them sweating on results from 2 other games to find out if they qualify for the finals but a loss would leave them no chance of competing for the silverware.

Conditions for the match were terrible with strong wind and an extremely heavy pitch but the Bears looked to master the conditions early on when they had 2 fantastic opportunities go begging in only the 5th and 6th minutes. Heavy rain then set in to make the first half even more difficult for both sides but the Bears battled well and enjoyed the better of the play for the first half.

Hamilton Olympic looked to have caught the Bears napping direct from the restart but luckily for the Bears, Olympic were unable to convert the opportunity and the score remained at 0-0.

Bears striker Jamie Subat was on the sidelines serving the first of his 2 match suspension which meant Dave Field was promoted to the starting side and his selection paid dividends in the 50th min when he found the net to give the Bears the much needed lead.

By now the news was doing the rounds that Broadmeadow Magic were helping the Bears by taking the lead against Edgeworth and it was a double celebration when Dave Field again broke through the Olympic defence to give him his 2nd for the match 3 minutes after his first and the Bears a strong 2-0 lead.

The pouring rain was continuing and the pitch was now a mud bath but it didn't hinder Bears Captain Chris Cousins as he climbed high above the Olympic defence to get a head to a corner and put the match beyond doubt with a 3rd goal in the 79th minute. The win turned even more enjoyable as the Edgeworth v Magic score filtered through as a 3-1 win to Magic which meant the Bears progressed to the Semi Finals next week.

U/23's finished their season of outs with a 0-2 loss while the U/19's once again threw points away against lesser opposition with a 0-1 shock loss to 2nd last Olympic. It only cost the Bears 1 spot on the ladder and they still finished 3rd overall in a successful season for the young up and coming Bears.

Next Saturday sees the Bears hosting the first leg of Semi Finals at Thomas & Coffey Park with the day getting under way with the U/19's at 11:00am between Broadmeadow Magic and South Cardiff, U/23's kick off at 12:45pm while the big match between the Weston Bears and Broadmeadow Magic is scheduled for 2:30pm. The U/19's also play Semi Final football on Sunday at South Cardiff against Valentine Phoenix. The club would love to see the Hunter football community show their support for their side and get behind the Bears as they strive to make it back to back Grand Finals in First Grade and also the U/19's on Sunday.

C'MON YOU BEARS!!!!!!!