Mitch Dolan nets sole goal of LGSHA men’s A-grade grand final to help Spencer Park break 13-year flag drought

Spencer Park broke a 13-year premiership drought after winning a tense Lower Great Southern Hockey Association men’s A-grade grand final against North Albany on Saturday night. Park had not won a premiership since 2007, while the Redbacks were looking for back-to-back victories after a breakthrough success last season. Redbacks advanced straight through to the decider after finishing on top, while Park won in extra time of their preliminary final. Park youngster Mitch Dolan proved the hero, netting the only goal of the match to secure the 1-0 win and deliver his side premiership glory. Neither side was able to find the back of the net in the first quarter after each had penalty corners but the deadlock was broken in the second quarter. Park earned a penalty corner with eight minutes left in the second that was saved by Redbacks goalie Tom Dinneen but Park youngster Dolan gathered the ball and slotted home a goal to put his side 1-0 up. Lawson Terpstra had a strong shot on goal off a penalty corner for Redbacks but it was brilliantly saved by Darren Parkes on the line as Park remained ahead at half-time. Redbacks came hard at the beginning of the third term and won two penalty corners, the first one brilliantly saved by Park goalie Antony Payne before the second attempt from Terpstra just missed. Park were awarded a penalty corner with five minutes left in the third term and again Dinneen and his Redbacks defenders proved hard to penetrate. Within a minute, Park had a third opportunity to score that was again stopped by Dinneen and with just a minute left, Parkes’ strong shot on goal went close as Redbacks defended desperately. Both sides had penalty corners in the first three minutes of the last term that were unsuccessful and Redbacks’ second chance to score off a penalty corner with seven minutes left was cleared by Parkes. If not for a spectacular flying save from Payne in the last five minutes scores would have been level, the goalie leaping to his right to deny Redbacks. Redbacks tried everything they could in the last quarter but Park were up for the challenge and held on to secure a 1-0 grand final win. Payne was named best on ground for his superb effort in goals which helped Park secure the breakthrough success. Parkes and Tim Yap were solid through the middle and in defence and Dolan was impressive up front. Parkes said his team worked hard for their victory. “A few of our penalty corners didn’t go our way and we had to work hard in defence in the second half when they were coming strong,” he said. “It means a lot to win the premiership in my first season playing and for the club after such a long drought. “Our focus at the start of the year was to get the ball up front and keep it up there and I thought we did that well on the weekend. “We picked the right team, with a few older boys keeping us solid and a couple of young boys running around up front. “It’s really good to finish the year off on a high.” Dinneen was outstanding in goals at the other end, keeping his side in the contest for long periods, while Leander McQuade, Andrew Hanning and Travis Douglas also battled hard for Redbacks.