Cobram Roar’s division one men’s team will have the opportunity to make history after winning its way through to the 2023 Albury-Wodonga Football Association FA Cup final last week.
The Roar put in one of their best performances of the season, dominating Wangaratta City 6-1 on Wednesday, May 31 to earn a shot at winning the FA Cup for the first time.
Kieran O'Donnell hit the back of the net four times for Cobram in the victory, bringing his season’s tally to 24 goals in 12 games.
The Roar lost 5-1 to Wangaratta City in March, but the side was able to totally flip the script this time around.
“We were all over them. They really didn’t have any answers, to tell you the truth,” Cobram coach Vince Iannucci said.
“We went there with a plan and executed it well, it was good.
‘’They had a couple out, I’m not going to deny that. They flogged us in the first game.
“But the way we played it didn’t matter if they were full strength or not, we were just too good on the night.”
The Roar will now face the winner of Myrtleford and Albury United — to be played on Wednesday, June 7 — in the cup final on Saturday, June 17.
Cobram had a bye in round one of the cup competition, then defeated Twin City 11-1 in round two before its latest success over Wangaratta.
“It is a good effort. It is the first one (cup final) that Cobram has ever made,” Iannucci said.
“It is an opportunity for the club and the town to win a trophy if we can get across the line.
“We are aiming to be the best club in the competition, full stop.
“That is not just this year, that is next year, the year after — we want to be a club that everyone fears to play week in, week out. That is not just at senior level, that is across all grades.
“If we can win it, it would be good for us to create some history for the club as the first team to win it and start that ball rolling.”
O'Donnell opened the scoring for the Roar on Wednesday night, before Wangaratta City was able to equalise shortly after.
But four minutes after the game was levelled, O'Donnell restored Cobram’s advantage, adding his third on the stroke of half-time.
His fourth of the afternoon was followed by goals from Anthony Corso and Toby Wayne to round out the victory.
“The beauty of it was we had a lot of young kids playing the game — young Reuben Haley, Tommy Corso, Jake Cowles and Toby Wayne,” Iannucci said.
“We have the best kids coming through our club in the competition. We have a bright future ahead.”
The result comes as no surprise for the Roar, who have now won seven consecutive games in the cup and league competitions.
“We haven’t lost a game since round four. There is still more to give, mark my words,” Iannucci said.
The gaffer said there had been a great buzz around the club in recent times, with all of Cobram’s teams doing well.
“The women’s team started off a little bit slow, but they have really turned things around now. They are going great, I think that they will go deep into finals,” Iannucci said.
“We are sitting second by a point, the reserves are second, the thirds are fourth, the 16s are on top — the club is doing well as a whole and it is good to see.
“It would be great to see people come down each weekend when we play. We are playing some good stuff at the moment and it would be good to share that with the community.”