Tara Murray
It’s a case of what might have been for Sunbury United in the FV state league 3 north-west this season.
Sunbury, who are set finish their season on Saturday, will finish in the top half of the competition but fell short of what they wanted.
After such a good start to the year, it’s a case of what might have been for president Greg Czapnik.
“It’s been a bit disappointing to be honest,” he said. “After round 13 everything was looking pretty good.
“Rounds 10, 11 and 12, we lost to Altona North, we drew with Williamstown with penalty in the last minute and drew with the top side Westvale.
“We then beat Sebastopol and were sitting second and looking pretty good.
“We then lost four out of eight, drew two and won two. Picking up eight points out of 24 points at the end of the season, you can not get promoted with form like that.”
Sunbury was still in the promotion mix until a couple of rounds left in the season, showing that they could match it with the best sides when they played well.
Czapnik said they didn’t have the consistency of the top two sides, Westvale and Altona North, who will both be promoted.
“You can look back at individual games and you don’t get a bounce here or there,” he said. “ We still had a chance, but we had some topsy turvy performances.
“The ladder doesn’t lie. The top two teams were consistently getting results and we didn’t get the results were were after. It’s a kick in the guts.”
Czapnik said it was disappointing to drop away like that with so much work done to put a team on the park each week.
Like all clubs, Sunbury has had challenges in the first full season back after COVID-19.
“It was disappointing to finish like that,” he said. “The first 13 weeks were so exciting.
“We’ll look at what we can do better. We have to sit down and look at every aspect.”
Sunbury are set to finish their season against Williamstown on Saturday.
Czapnik said they are hoping to finish the season on a high. A win would have meant Sunbury finished third. They could finish as low as fifth.
He said the club as a whole this season was going OK.
“COVID-19 has brought a whole heap of challenges for people,” he said.
“COVID gave kids an alternative, something else without sport. A lot of kids 15, 16 gave up the sport.
“We do have a lot of new members as well. Especially in the younger groups.
“Trying to keep all the kids especially the older kids that is the plan and vision for them to progress through.”
In state league 4 west, Gisborne was set to finish its season against already crowned champions Westside Strikers.
The Sky Blues couldn’t move out of fourth spot.
