By Tara Murray
Hume City’s National Premier League season came to an end on Saturday night at the hands of Oakleigh Cannons.
Playing its third match in the space of a week, Hume continued to show why it’s gone deep in three different competitions.
But an elimination final was a step to far for Hume, which lost to the Cannons 2-0 at Jack Edwards Reserve.
Hume coach Nick Hegarty said the club couldn’t have asked for much more from the playing group.
He said they didn’t want to use the packed schedule, including a mid-week trip to Adelaide for FFA Cup duties, as an excuse.
“It was one too many in a short week with the quick turnaround,” he said.
“We always knew we would match them fitness-wise and the work rate and intensity throughout the game was what people couldn’t have expected.
“It wasn’t our night. On another night we may have come away with the win.”
Hume controlled the game and play its own style of football for most of the game.
“A few minutes either side of half time, they scored goals,” Hegarty said.
“Full credit to Oakleigh – they did what they needed to do and they took their chances.”
Hume’s regular season might be over, but it still has at least one match remaining.
Hume will face A-league side Central Coast Mariners in the round of eight in the FFA Cup.
Hegarty said the players were pumped of that match.
“It’s in a couple of weeks and gives us time to prepare and focus on that,” he said.
“It’s live on Foxtel and we will be going out to take the game to them.
“Hopefully, we’ll put our game style out there and impose ourselves.”
Hegarty said no matter what the side did in that cup match, its season could already be counted a success.
The side this year claimed the Dockerty Cup for the first time.
“We started the process a couple of years ago,” he said.
“The first main target was getting nine or 10 players together and start building.
“We hit all our goals this season and we will have to reset our targets for the next year.
“We have to try and improve. Hopefully, it will be a learning experience for the players.
“Everyone wants more success.”
