Cobram has missed out on a golden chance to claim what would have been a historic piece of silverware after falling in the Albury-Wodonga Football Association FA Cup final at the weekend.
It was the first time the Roar had reached the cup final, but their dream run came to an end as Albury United ran out 4-1 victors in Wodonga on Saturday night.
Two United goals inside the opening 10 minutes put Cobram on the back foot early, and while Bill Puckett brought the Roar back to within one, another two Albury goals after half time sealed the result.
Cobram coach Vince Iannucci said early mistakes at the start of each half were too much for his side to overcome.
“The first 10 minutes of each half cost us that game. We just weren’t on-point, that is really all it was,” Iannucci said.
“Three lapses of concentration in the first 10 minutes of each period hurt us.
“Overall, they attacked us a little bit more. We didn’t settle or didn’t get used to the conditions as well as they did.
“They were the better team overall. We were a bit sub-standard and they deserve their win at the end of the day. That is just the way it goes, we weren’t good enough on the night.”
On a dewy night in Wodonga, it was Albury United who got off to a dream start inside the opening 60 seconds.
United capitalised on a costly Cobram turnover from kick-off, with Aidan Rees punishing the Roar as he scored the game’s opening goal inside the first minute.
Things got worse for the Roar shortly after. United was awarded a penalty at the 10-minute mark, with Melkie Woldemichael making no mistake from the spot to double his side’s advantage.
Cobram fought its way back into the contest however, with a goal from the skipper Puckett in the 20th minute bringing the Roar within touching distance.
At half time the score was 2-1, but Alexander Howard increased United’s lead six minutes into the second stanza, before Woldemichael’s second later on sealed the win for United.
Iannucci said it it was disappointing to lose in the final, adding that he hoped his side could use the experience to grow going forward.
“My message after the game wasn’t real flash, I just think we need to get mentally tougher,” he said
"We will learn from these experiences because the boys will start to play in a lot more finals and we will learn as we go.
“It wasn’t great to lose, but we are inching closer. We are making ground for ourselves and the club and that is the most important thing.
“We will feature in the finals this season and we will feature in the fight for the title race. It is up to us now. We have a few injuries that we have to get over, but we will make an impact come finals time.”
The Roar had a trio of young stars on the park for the final on Saturday, something Iannucci said would hold the Roar in good stead in the future.
“There is a good crop of young kids coming through, we have the best kids in the competition coming through our ranks,” the Cobram coach said.
“We had three players under the age of 18 play on the weekend and they are going to be the core of this squad moving forward.
“We have a young squad and they will grow together. They will experience a lot of success, they just have to take the hits as they come, learn from it and move on.”
Meanwhile, Cobram’s division one women’s side tasted victory again after defeating Wodonga Diamonds on Sunday.
The Roar overcame on early goal to retake the lead by half time, powering on to claim a 5-2 win.
Alyssa Iannucci netted a brace for the Roar, while Zara O'Loughlin, Bella Pardy and Ella Lissington were also on the score sheet.
The triumph was Cobram’s third win of the year, a result that has the Roar just four points outside of the top four.