A look back at the Horsham Falcons' first senior premiership

The Falcons were accepted into the South West Victoria Football Association for the 2024 season after the club was decimated by the COVID-19 pandemic.

To celebrate the start of the SWVFA season, The Wimmera Mail-Times decided to look back at the club's first senior premiership in 2018.

On Saturday, September 15, the Horsham Falcons defeated Forest Rangers in the Ballarat and District Soccer Association division two grand final.

It was a comprehensive 3-0 win that ensured the Horsham and District Soccer Clubs first ever senior flag.

Premiership coach Elijah Macchia said it was a huge achievement that meant a lot to the club.

"At the start of the season we set out to complete the double the minor premiership and then the cup and we've done that," he told the Mail-Times.

"Its our first senior cup so its exciting. It gives the younger children at the club something to look up to and strive for."

Forest had beaten Horsham twice in the season; 1-0 in round 19 and then 3-2 in the qualifying final.

"I feel like because of the past two games they might have underestimated us a bit," Macchia said.

"We also had a full list to choose from, so we had the best side for the season."

Horsham started strongly and with a significant height disadvantage to Forest, focused on playing the ball along the ground.

Horsham's first goal came from a lobbed pass from midfielder Lewis Gebert which found the run of Craig Muller with precise accuracy.

Muller forced a slight touch on the ball which trickled under the opposing goal keeper and through for a goal.

It was Mullers third goal in two games after a brace in the preliminary final.

Macchia, who played as goal keeper, said it was as solid a first-half performance he had seen from his side this season.

"We played it on the ground and did everything we have worked on for the past month," he said.

"I didn't have to make a save in the first half. They tried to get the ball over our defence a bit more in the second half. We had really good full-team pressing."

The second half was a scrappier affair on a freezing and wet Ballarat day.

After 66 minutes, Horsham striker Jake Hinton was brought down in the box and scored the resulting penalty to give Horsham a two-goal advantage.

Dardareh Maw Kay made it 3-0 on the 77^th minute from a free-kick which slipped through the fingers of the Forest goal keeper.