FOR Panorama Goats it was elation and relief and Eglinton bitter disappointment as Sunday's Bathurst District Football Association's women's premier league preliminary final was decided in a dramatic penalty shoot-out.
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After scores were locked at 1-all following extra-time, Panorama won the shoot-out 6-5 at Proctor Park.
They thought had let their chance of a title defence slip when Eglinton goalkeeper Darby Elms saved their fifth attempt with her boot, but the custodian was ruled to have moved off her line prematurely.
Panorama goalkeeper Brooke Inwood juggled and ultimately saved Eglinton's sixth shot, so when Katie Ramos Holden slotted home the following attempt it triggered celebrations from the girls in red and black.
"It's a horrible way to win a game and even worse way to lose one. It would have been heartbreaking for them, they would have thought they won it when Darby saved that one, but then the linesman put his flag up," Panorama coach Brent Hiue said.
"I was absolutely emotionally drained at the end of it, ready for a cup of tea and a lie down.
"I don't think any of the penalties were savable. Brookey picked the way of two of theirs and didn't get to them and I think she [Darby] got a hand to a couple."
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Naturally, Eglinton coach Ian Crook was bitterly disappointed his side did not emerge victorious.
Even before the decision on Elms in the shoot-out, his side had endured tough moments.
In the 67th minute, at which point the game was locked at one-all, Eglinton thought they had been awarded a spot kick after Inwood had fouled Ash Crook in the box. Instead the call was for an indirect free kick and Panorama survived the play.
In the shoot-out young talent Tayla Slattery had her first successful attempt to the right denied as she was judged to have taken it too early. She netted her second strike to the left.
"It meant the world to them and to see that happen was just so disappointing. It's disappointing that some critical decisions went against us," Crook said.
"We were brilliant, everyone of them, even the girl that missed out and had to sit on the bench and cheered her heart out. Across the park, everyone gave everything they had.
"We've been so close to them so many times. I thought we were the better team, but anyway, the sun will come up tomorrow."
It meant the world to them and to see that happen was just so disappointing.
- Eglinton coach Ian Crook
While both teams had their chances in the opening half, it took 52 minutes for the first goal of the preliminary final to be scored.
It was a brilliant effort from range from Panorama's Talesha Bartlett, her strike curling into the top corner of the net.
But seven minutes later Eglinton was back on level terms as Lauren Dove's effort from the left of the area beat the diving Inwood.
After 90 minutes it was locked at nil-all, which saw the need for 20 minutes of extra-time.
Just 40 seconds into that period Elms came up with a superb save - tipping a Sarah Browning attempt over the crossbar - while in the 12th minute Panorama's Maddi Gallegos hit the framework.
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Eglinton winger Eileen Cosgrove also had a chance with just over three minutes left when she burst into the box, but her shot flew high.
Huie admitted he was nervous as he watched on.
"I was getting a bit worried, we were committing a lot of numbers forward. We did create a couple of chances, Maddi hit the crossbar - but I was really worried given how direct Eglinton were playing that we would get caught forward and they'd hit us on the break," Huie said.
"I thought there would be a goal, I didn't know who it would be from in extra-time, but I didn't think it would go to penalties."