After 20 games in what has been a gruelling 2024 campaign, Gippsland United's back-to-back league title winning reserves side got to lift the trophy at home under lights at Baxter Park, with a huge crowd of supporters there to witness the achievement.
Having already won the league a week prior due to a win against Malvern and other results going their way, Jason Dastey's enviable squad made sure on the evening they set the tone for the trophy lift right, as they won 3-2 against a difficult South Springvale outfit in what was a thrilling encounter.
The fixture was end to end, fast paced and frenetic.
Both teams had chances to score early in the first half however the match ebbed on without a goal.
Lucus Vick could have put his side ahead with a gilt-edged chance within five minutes of kick-off, but miscued his strike from the edge of the six-yard box.
Julian Colantuono soon after came so close to breaking the deadlock when he hit the crossbar for United.
It looked as though the first half may peter out with no goals at all, but within the last 15 minutes both sides got on the scoresheet.
United took the initiative when Nonda Lazaris picked up the ball in the centre circle and spotted Springvale's keeper well off his line.
Lazaris then decided a chipped effort was the appropriate shot to take on, which he executed to perfection, floating the ball over the keeper's heads and into the back of the net.
It was joy unbridled for United who felt the full backing of their home support after taking the lead through Lazaris' brilliance.
But the league champions were soon brought back to reality as Springvale mustered an equliser just before half time.
After much probing and many inroads were made in attack from the away side, they finally unlocked United's backline.
It was a neatly flighted chipped pass from a Springvale midfielder that found their striker who scored past Liam Anderson in United's goal.
There was now some thinking to do for United at the interval, as Springvale would try their best to spoil their trophy party.
But United were determined to not let that happen as Jason Dastey unleashed some fresh fire power, bringing on Germaine Otieno and Myles Luders at half time.
The change at the break, just like the week before, pay maximum dividends - Luders was pivotal in the centre of midfield, breaking up Springvale's attacks at will, whilst Otieno was constantly threatening the opposition back line with his pace and power. In the end it was he who scored the eventual matchwinning goal.
But before Otieno bagged the winner, United's second goal came from the reliable source of Daniel Edey.
Recalled to the starting 11 off the back of his brilliant second half display a week prior versus Malvern, Edey punished a costly error by Springvale's captain to maximum effect.
Edey's goal was similar to that of Lazaris' in the first half as he chipped the ball over Springvale's keeper, but this time the defender was at fault for an inexplicable turnover.
United were back in the lead, but would not enjoy that feeling for long as Springvale equalised yet again.
The back-to-back league champions were undone from a corner kick, where Springvale simply were quicker to latch onto the second ball, resulting in the net rippling.
As the seconds ticked by in this enthralling battle, the end result of 2-2 was seeming more and more likely and a fair outcome on the balance of play.
But Jason Dastey's league champions didn't care about what seemed likely or fair as they pulled the win out of the fire, snatching the lead from a spriteful South Springvale side, for the third and final time.
In its conception alone, the goal exuded simplicity and class and that never say die attitude and elegance that are the hallmarks of which a championship sides are made of.
The goal had a sense of inevitability as United's reserves are so often irresistible when playing at home.
The homeside transitioned from defense into attack with precision and a cutting edge nature to their play.
Another one of Dastey's substitutes who came on part way through the second half, Alexandru Popp, started the attack when he drove with the ball in midfield, before shifting possession to Beau Finlayson.
United's substitute striker had drifted out to the right where he found some space and ran onto Popp's perfectly weighted through ball.
Finlayson only needed two touches to assist Otieno's winner, one to control and a second to release the killer ball to the back post.
Otieno was bearing down on goal and timed his run to perfection to make Finlayson's pass an assist as United's left winger finished the move off with ease, stroking the ball into the back of the net.
Three substitutes combining for the winning goal is just emblematic of Jason Dastey's nous and experience as a coach to know when to make the right changes in the right moments.
The celebrations from the players for this goal were unlike any other that had been scored by United's reserves all season.
It was momentous as this meant their trophy celebrations were all the more sweet off the back of a late winner.
United saw out the game out to the final whistle and their championship party on home turf was ready to take full flight.
The trophy was brought down from the pavilion, onto the pitch by the club's proud president Peter O'Dea, who presented the cup to captain Cooper Farr.
Farr, who has been at the club for seven years since he was a junior player, spoke so brilliantly at last year's presentation night about how much winning the title meant to him in 2023.
This time around, these feelings of pride and happiness were two fold for Farr and his teammates, as he lofted the trophy above his head for a second consecutive year, the champagne bottles were unleashed and the players went berserk with jubilation in what was a simply euphoric moment.
After 33 years since the club's last reserves league title, Gippsland United reserves have written their names into the history books, with back-to-back league titles which no one can take away from them.
The statistics across the 43 games they have played over the two campaigns with one fixture still remaining this weekend, are simply undeniable championship numbers.
They've scored 133 goals and conceded only 46, equating to what is quite an astonishing goal difference of 87 across the two seasons.
Dastey's men have won 33, drawn six and lost only four games in this two year championship spell.
These results adding up to an astounding 105 points earnt from a possible 129.
What a two years it has been for the club since its formation in November 2022.
This success in their men's reserve ranks is certainly a by-product of the amalgamation and this is definitely only the beginning of Gippsland United's success across all facets of their footballing operations.
This weekend they will sign off on another stellar campaign as they play at home against Casey Comets in match week 22, kicking off at 11am.
Seniors
After the party atmosphere of the reserves trophy day triumph win and celebrations, United's seniors took to the field for their second last game of the season too.
They faced a South Springvale outfit who are still gunning for promotion in what is a tight four horse race for second place on the seniors table.
After a tight first half and a late goal to give the raucous home crowd hopes of a comeback, United were defeated in the end by Springvale, as the final score read 1-2 at full time.
The first half made it so difficult to call which way the pendulum would swing in the second period, as the two sets of players entered the change rooms with it all tied up at 0-0.
But Springvale, desperate for promotion took the lead and soon after doubled their advantage, within 20 minutes of the match resuming.
This quickfire double stung United and it was a huge task for them to recover from the situation they found themselves in.
But with the home support right behind them, Rory Wagner scored with not long left on the clock to give everyone around the ground and his team hope of a last gasp comeback.
It wouldn't have been anything out of the ordinary as anyone that was there for the reverse fixture earlier in the year will remember Wagner's late penalty to draw the game 2-2 for United against Springvale.
However, United couldn't repeat the trick on this occasion, as Springvale held on to win 1-2.
Another undesirable result for United's seniors, but all in all, a great night for the club as the success of the reserves squad was celebrated long into the night.
The party won't stop there however as United's men's playing group will look to finish the season on a high at home against Casey Comets this weekend as the seniors kick off at 1pm after the reserves earlier morning commencement.
