The finals series for all three Broken Hill Soccer Association (BHSA) senior grades have been set following the completion of their regular season matches this last weekend.
The BHSA will now go on a brief break due to the South Australia Junior Soccer Association (SAJSA) Country Championships coming to the Silver City next month.
In the women’s A-Grade, championship favourites West Panthers warmed up with a hard fought 4-2 victory over Alma Goats in what might well have been a Grand Final preview.
Defender Ataliah Stevens put in an impressive display in the victory for West.
“Ataliah really impressed me,” said Coach George Bugeja.
“She keeps getting better and better. She’s been with us since she was a kid, and has really impressed this year. She’s taken her game to another level.”
The other fixture saw St Joes record a comfortable victory over this year’s cellar dwellers, Celtic, 12-1. The focus for Celtic now switches to the 2023/24 campaign, while St Joes have a semi-final match up against Alma to look forward to. The winner of that semi-final clash will face the juggernaut that is West Panthers in the decider.
WOMEN’S RESULTS
St Joes 12-1 Celtic
Alma 2-4 West
BHSA WOMEN’S FINAL STANDINGS
| TEAM | MP | W | D | L | F | A | GD | Pts |
| West | 15 | 12 | 1 | 2 | 116 | 24 | +92 | 37 |
| Alma | 15 | 9 | 2 | 4 | 64 | 30 | +34 | 29 |
| St Joes | 15 | 7 | 1 | 7 | 65 | 29 | +36 | 22 |
| Celtic | 15 | 0 | 0 | 15 | 3 | 165 | -162 | 0 |
In the men’s A-Grade, The Mighty Goats of Alma recorded a comfortable 8-0 victory over West Panthers. George Bugeja’s West A-Grade squad had a season to forget, while Alma achieved a second place finish that will see them play a semi-final in the first week of the finals’ series.
St Joes booked themselves a Grand Final berth in the other men’s A-Grade fixture with a comprehensive 5-1 victory over Celtic.
Pat Nash of St Joes praised his side’s ability to see the game out after a tight first half.
“It was 2-1 at half time, and the boys – to their credit – didn’t take their foot off the gas at all and now we will take some good momentum into the Grand Final.”
Despite the loss, Celtic have bounced back from a terrible 2021/22 season and will be very pleased to have a shot at an unlikely Grand Final appearance when they take on Alma in the men’s A-Grade semi-final.
MEN’S RESULTS
St Joes 5-1 Celtic
Alma 8-0 West
BHSA MEN’S A-GRADE FINAL STANDINGS
| TEAM | MP | W | D | L | F | A | GD | Pts |
| St Joes | 15 | 10 | 1 | 4 | 67 | 22 | +45 | 31 |
| Alma | 15 | 8 | 4 | 3 | 47 | 16 | +31 | 28 |
| Celtic | 15 | 6 | 4 | 5 | 30 | 38 | -8 | 22 |
| West | 15 | 1 | 1 | 13 | 9 | 77 | -68 | 4 |
There is no soccer this weekend, as the league takes a break in preparation for the SAJSA Country Championships next weekend, but when action returns to O’Neill Memorial Park on Saturday September 9 it will be St Joes vs Alma in the women’s A-Grade semi-final and Alma vs Celtic in the men’s A Grade semi-final.
