All abilities win caps off powerhouse year

A CUP win by Wangaratta's all abilities side on Saturday in the Albury Wodonga Football Association grand final day was the cherry on top of a fantastic year for the Red Devils. The all abilities side trounced opponents Albury Hotspurs, frustratingly denied a clean sheet to take the victory 8–1. As the only two all abilities sides in the league, the game was more of an exhibition match, but the victory was just as sweet. Wangaratta City FC president and all abilities coach Kristy Mellor said her side was simply too good. "They're a really strong team, the all abilities boys, they've been playing together for a long time so they know how each other plays," she said. "My boys are tall, strong, and have good skills. "We were a lot stronger than Hotspurs, but Hotspurs had good players. "We went up and played a game with Hotspurs on the day but there was no real build–up to that – it was like 'bring your team, you can play Hotspurs because you're the only two teams that have all abilities (sides)'. "It was like an exhibition match, I suppose, rather than actually winning the league." With four other sides playing in grand finals – division one and two men, and the under 17 and 12 girls – Mellor said the club was in a strong position to make another tilt at cups in the coming year. "Disappointingly, we didn't manage to win a grand final on the day, but we had some really close matches," she said. "We field every team including all abilities in the AWFA, I think there's only one other team that does that and that's Albury Hotspurs. "Out of the 12 clubs, we came second in Club of the Year this year, and we won it in 2019. "We are in a really strong position, it's good being the only club in Wangaratta, we're very lucky. "We always fill our team, we've always got people wanting to play soccer. "We are very strong and we will come back from our disappointment this year, definitely." Mellor said the Saturday matches held at the Lavington Sports Ground were a welcome factor, especially for the high–octane div one men's final. "I particularly liked the spectators were away from the playing pitch," she said. "In any kind of grand final or final, sometimes spectators' emotions get the better of them, so having some really good stadium seating for spectators, which was away from the pitch but you still had a great view of the game. "I think that really benefitted the players because they could just concentrate on their game and not worry about comments from the sidelines. "I think, for safety reasons and the mental health of the payers, I actually think it was a really good setting."

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