Flying Eagles: Ferntree Gully under-19s celebrate their EFL division 4 premiership on Sunday. Picture: Cyan Images
FERNTREE Gully under-19s came from behind to win the Eastern Football League division 4 under-19s grand final on Sunday.
The Eagles fell behind by 21 points in the third quarter but in the final term stormed home to claim an emotional five-point victory over Park Orchards.
The premiership win followed the death of an Eagles player's father a few weeks ago, with the Eagles players banding together in the finals and going on to win an unlikely flag.
The Eagles entered the finals in third place on the ladder, 16 points behind top two sides Surrey Park and Park Orchards.
Eagles coach Michael James praised his players for the ability to hit their best form when the game was there to be won.
"We got a goal just before three-quarter-time, I think it was from Cameron Woods, and when we kicked that I knew we would be OK," he said.
"We didn't get off to the best start, but we got going when it mattered most and went on to win.
"For some of the boys there was a lot of emotion, for others it was a massive relief because they hadn't fallen short when they had the chance to win a premiership."
EFL division 4 under-19s grand final
Ferntree Gully 0.2, 3.5, 7.8, 10.13 (73)
Park Orchards 2.4, 3.5, 10.5, 10.8 (68)
GOALS, Ferntree Gully: C Woods 3, P Turner 2, C Quirk 1, J Buggy 1, P Carbone 1, J Buckingham 1, L Manion 1.
Park Orchards: M Nicholson 3, D Price 2,
B Stevens 1, B Heyde 1, L Caulfield 1, K Dooley 1, M Snowball 1
BEST, Ferntree Gully: L McComb, C Woods,
L Manion, J Blatancic, J Buggy, S Parker
Park Orchards: B Heyde, M Nicholson,
S Rowland, R Turner, T Hewitt, K Dooley