Albury United hold on to beat Albury Hotspurs 3-2 in cup final thriller

The Greens raced into a 3-0 half-time lead at Lavington Sports Ground but Albury Hotspurs made them fight to the very last second after pulling two goals back in the second period.

It was a fitting way to bring the curtain down on to the women's season with a passionate crowd cheering on the best two teams in the competition.

It took United, the undefeated league champions, just three minutes to get in front, Paula Mitchell converting Maree Matthew's low cross at the near post.

Hotspurs fashioned their first chance when Jess Thomas latched onto a pass from Jess Briggs and forced a save from Ashley Watt.

But less than a minute later, the Greens scored again.

Mitchell was too quick and too strong for Eloise Allwood, getting herself onto the end of a bouncing through-ball and delivering a clinical finish.

Hotspurs came within inches of pulling one back, Charlotte Laird heading against the post when Ava Tuksar teased over a free-kick from the right.

Thomas had the ball in the net after Briggs slipped a neat pass into her feet but the flag had gone up for offside.

Spurs were growing into the game and their supporters were howling for a penalty when Thomas burst into the box and went down under the challenge of Zoie Dalitz.

Referee Sheena Storrie was unmoved, however, and United went on to make it 3-0 just before the half-hour mark.

Molly Goldsworthy spun away from Alex Ventress and with neither keeper Christie Ward or Ventress clearing the ball, Goldsworthy hooked it goalwards and turned to see her effort trickle over the line.

Mitchell was in again when Melanie Drew dug out a cross from the right but this time Ward rushed out to save at her feet.

Goldsworthy held off two defenders and saw her shot sail wide, turning to ask Storrie why she hadn't blown for a foul.

Elisha Wild, dropping deep into midfield, tried her luck with a shot from distance but Watt was right behind it.

United nearly made it four late in the half, Maree Matthew stabbing a shot over when Hotspurs were left scrambling to defend a corner.

Justin Wild's side had a real go at the start of the second half, forcing a number of corners and Laird had a shot blocked in a crowded penalty area.

Those wearing yellow and black in the stands were given a glimmer of hope just after the hour mark when Thomas forced the ball over the line from a right-wing cross to make it 3-1.

Thomas then did well to get to the byline and pick out Wild, but she was leaning back as she hit the shot, which sailed over.

There was a fair bit of feeling in the game, with Watt squaring up to Thomas in the box, unhappy about the nature of Laird's challenge as she tried to scramble home a second Spurs goal.

Tackles started to fly in, with neither side giving an inch, and the comeback really was on when Rylee Steele got on the end of corner with 12 minutes to go.

With the season on the line, the atmosphere went through the roof.

Allanah Seary teed off from range and forced a smart save from Ward, before Steele latched onto Wild's through-ball and tested Watt at the other end.

It was backs-to-the-wall stuff at the end from United but they held on.

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