The Yass Redbacks allowed a 1-0 halftime lead to slip and in doing so forfeited any remaining hope of claiming the Division 7 minor premiership.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The 3-1 loss at the weekend, in their top of the table clash with Belconnen, has relegated Yass to fourth position on the ladder with one match left in the regular season.
A third or fourth-place finish is the most likely outcome for the Royal Hotel/Think Technology Redbacks, who would need to win and hope other results go their way to finish any higher.
Coach Gary Lennon was disappointed to miss out on the minor premiership but believes his charges are more than capable of overturning the result if they were to meet Belconnen again in the finals.
"Fortunately we can't be knocked out this weekend but it also looks like we won't be able to make the major semi either," he told the Tribune.
"We probably could have won that game but they're a good team and I'd expect them to go straight through to the grand final so hopefully we'll get another crack at them then."
The Redbacks took a 1-0 lead into the break courtesy of an own-goal off a corner. Then momentum swung drastically when Belconnen were awarded a penalty, which they duly converted. Ant Gallagher was sent off soon after for a second yellow card and the home side never recovered.
"Yeah they are very hard to beat with 10 men and they skipped away," Lennon explained.
"They're a strong team and they scored two good goals after the penalty, but I'm confident when all our boys are fit and healthy we'll be too good for them."
Mitch Darmody and Stuart Bradshaw will probably be rested because of injury this weekend, with Lennon wanting his best 11 available for the first week of the finals.
Lennon was thrilled with the way Cameron Betts slotted back into the team after an extended period away and said with a full complement of players, the belief within the team will only grow.
"I wouldn't say confidence is sky high at the moment but morale should improve now with Cam slotting back in and Mitch hopefully 100 per cent right soon. Those players just lift the team; one scores goals the other stops them."
The Division 8 Redbacks earned a much needed competition point at the weekend, as they look to avoid the dreaded wooden spoon. The 1-1 draw with Belconnen on Saturday has moved Yass one point above bottom dwellers Palerang United. There is just one match remaining and Yass meet competition leaders Tuggeranong, so that point could prove to be the difference between last and second-last spot.
The women's Redbacks missed out on a crucial win, drawing 0-0 with third-placed Tuggeranong. They are mathematically still a chance of making the finals but would need to win their remaining two games well and await other results. They are currently eight points out of the top four (in sixth) and struggling on goal difference.
Tomorrow the Division 8 and 7 Redbacks take on Tuggeranong at Kambah at 1pm and 3pm respectively, and the women take on Gungahlin at Walker Park at 2pm on Sunday.