"Attack, attack attack - that's what we both do."
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Orana Spurs coach Ben Manson perfectly summed up his side's thrilling 2-1 win over the Parkes Cobras in Saturday's Western Premier League clash.
Jake Ferguson was at his clinical best, scoring Orana's two goals while spot kick wizard Alec Bateson scored a penalty for Parkes in the 87th minute, setting up a nail-biting finish.
It means the Spurs have put themselves in the box seat to secure the minor premiership, now a game clear of the second placed Waratahs.
It's a little trickier for the Cobras after the loss, with the Parkes side needing a win over last-placed Lithgow next Saturday to secure a finals spot.
Right from the opening whistle, it was clear both sides had come to play very switched on and focused.
The game resembled pinball at times, such was the relentless attacking nature of both sides; and the half-time score of 0-0 reflected the evenness of proceedings.
Spurs struck first after an unfortunate error by Cobras keeper Ryan Dunn in the 56th minute, before brilliant attacking play 10 minutes later by Joel Tongue and Duncan Cahill set up Ferguson's second goal on the back of an exquisite cross.
From there, the Cobras camped themselves in their attacking third - leaving both coaches and the healthy crowd to strap themselves in and hold on for dear life.
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The desperation of the Spurs defence, combined with a lack of polish from the Cobras attack, proved to be the difference in the end, and Manson said he was very pleased with the effort of his side.
"I just wanted the game to be over to be honest!"
"The scrambling defence is something you can't really teach and that's what we've done all year; we have scrambled well and shown great desperation," Manson said.
A number of times the ball was on the goal line, but Parkes just could not find a way to get it over, with Bailey Delaney and his defence playing with great fortitude in the face of a purple wave.
Bateson and Ben Coultas once again led the way for a Cobras side that, outside of the pair, just couldn't match the class of the ladder leaders
Cobras coach Meaghan Kempson couldn't have been any prouder of the way Bateson, a striker with skills as silky as anyone else in the Western Premier League, has stepped up in 2021.
"Acka is part of the leadership team this year, it has made him more accountable and he is really stepping up as a leader," she said after the game.
"I think the young boys in particular really look up to him and he is taking on the game a lot more now too."
He demonstrated that perfectly when he calmly drilled home yet another penalty with just five minutes remaining, but unfortunately for the Cobras it wasn't enough to beat a side who displayed exactly why they are on the top of the Western Premier League ladder.
PARKES COBRAS 1 (Bateson goal) defeated by ORANA SPURS 2 (Ferguson 2 goals)
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