Falcons 2000 have joined the ranks of the Latrobe Valley Soccer League’s elite after defeating league champions Moe United 2-1 to seal a Battle of Britain Cup three-peat on Friday.
The Birds are just the third team in the competition’s history to achieve the feat, after Yallourn in 1964-66 and more recently Churchill in 2005-07.
Falcons coach Nick D’Alessandro said the achievement was made even more special by accomplishing it with the same group of players.
“We didn’t want to get too far ahead of ourselves at the time but it’s certainly been a competition we’ve risen to the occasion for,” D’Alessandro said.
“We’ve got that core group that’s been part of the club for a number of years and to have them involved in the three-peat has been good for everyone involved.”
The Birds victory was sealed thanks to a pair of goals from Jesse Kennedy, whose cup heroics follow 39 league strikes this season.
D’Alessandro said Kennedy “had done it” for the Birds three-years-in-a-row, but credited Friday’s triumph to the team’s performance.
“Most of the players got really stuck in and we said after the game it was difficult to label anyone the best player,” he said.
“Even Jesse said he was well supported to be given the chances to score.
“I’m just proud of everyone’s efforts really.” The victory was the Birds’ first against Moe United across all competitions this year and the Falcons mentor said the result would provide momentum going into the finals series, which begins this weekend.
“We knew we’d probably let the league slip a bit during the year but having a few players come back strengthens the resolve,” D’Alessandro said.
“Now we’re looking forward to showing what we can do in these games that matter the most at the end.”
He now aims to draw on the club’s big game experience to finish the year on a high.
“The experience we’ve had in the past couple of years in these bigger games has come to the fore to give us that extra confidence to know we’ve been there and can do that,” D’Alessandro said.
“To come in with that big game experience after a few years with the same group is going to be a big factor and not being overawed by the occasion.”
