RIVAL coaches agreed the fresh legs of Edgeworth were pivotal as the Eagles downed Maitland for the second year in a row in the Northern NSW NPL grand final.
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A late goal from Jose Atayde on Sunday at No.2 Sportsground delivered premiers Edgeworth a 1-0 victory and a fourth grand final win in the past six years.
Atayde scored in the 81st minute after Tyson Jackson had knocked a high ball back into the Maitland box following a rebound from a corner. Man of the match Dylan Holz jumped with retiring Magpies keeper Matt Trott and the ball went through the shot-stopper's hands.
With Trott on the ground and Maitland scrambling, Atayde made no mistake with an open net beckoning.
Maitland looked certain to equalise in a 90th-minute goal-mouth scramble but Eagles skipper Josh Evans cleared the ball off the line. Ryan Clarke also went close for the Magpies when his ball in was tipped onto the crossbar by keeper Shayne Van As.
The loss ended a brave run from the Magpies, who came from fifth spot and won six games in a row heading into the decider. In contrast, the Eagles had a bye in the penultimate round and earned two weeks off in the finals.
Maitland coach Mick Bolch believed the tough run to the decider took its toll.
"They took their chance," Bolch said. "We had a couple at the end there that we didn't, but at the end of the day, I'm proud of the boys.
"You can't take away what we've done, but they were probably just a bit fresher after only a few games in five weeks. It sort of shows. But I couldn't be prouder of the boys."
The main talking point post-game was whether Edgeworth's goal should have been allowed, given the challenge of Holz on Trott.
Bolch said: "[Goalkeepers] are a protected species and eight out of 10 of those is a free kick. Today it wasn't. That's the way it goes. The ref calls them as he sees them.
"Credit to Edgy. It's another grand final to them and we'll come back bigger and better next year."
Edgeworth player-coach Josh Rose said of the call: "It's one of those things in football. Sometimes you get them, sometimes you don't."
Rose said Edgeworth's lack of games leading into the grand final "never bothered us to be honest. I think in the end, it kept us fresh.
"Training in our squad is very intense anyway and of a good quality all the time, so we made sure there was always competition, and the senior boys make sure the intensity never drops, so that was never an issue for us."
Rose was proud of his side's disciplined performance after a first-half of few chances for either side.
"There were a lot of games during the season that were 0-0 at half-time, and a lot of times we've worn teams down," he said.
"I think today was no different. I think eventually we wore them down and space opened up a bit. We could have made it easier on ourselves but it's a grand final and sometimes it comes down to one or two chances."
Edgeworth went closest to scoring in a cagey first-half of few chances.
Trott made a reflex save on 22 minutes when Kristian Brymora tried to knock in a ball from close range off a low Holz cross.
The Magpies had their best opportunity about a minute earlier when Sean Pratt had time and space but scuffed his shot well wide.
Each side hit longer-range strikes off target as both defences held firm.
Chances came thick and fast early in the second half.
Magpies striker Braedyn Crowley had a shot parried wide and Carl Thornton was off target with the header from the ensuing corner in the 47th minute.
The Eagles then put Maitland under sustained pressure. Brymora was wide with a shot in the 50th then Will Bower (52nd) and Rose (55th) did likewise with excellent chances.
Adam Cawley, who came on for Bower in the 57th minute, went close with a deflected free kick in the 64th after Pratt was booked for a foul on Rose.
In the reserve grade decider, Broadmeadow defeated Lambton Jaffas 1-0.
A 33rd-minute goal from Jayden Stewardson proved the difference. Jaffas had strong calls for a handball on a goal-bound shot in the 83rd minute denied.