AWFA announces night blockbuster

CHRIS MITCHELL
17 Feb, 2011 01:00 AM

IN a major win for soccer on the Border, a night match between two Albury-Wodonga Football Association heavyweights has been scheduled for Lavington Oval.
The AWFA has received the tick of approval from the Albury Council to play a night game between long-time combatants Albury United and Albury Hotspurs at the region’s premier venue in April.

It is believed to be the first time a local match for premiership points has been played at the ground.

The move comes just weeks after soccer identity and Greens coach Scott Kidd called for Lavington Oval to one day host the AWFA senior grand final.

The first Ovens and Murray league home-and-away game at the venue for 2011 will be a night game on April 2 between Lavington and premier Albury.

AWFA spokesman Steve Hayes said the league had been granted permission to use the ground for two consecutive mid-week nights before Easter — April 19 and 20.

“It’s been approved,” Hayes said yesterday.

“They’ve given us Tuesday and Wednesday before Easter.

“We are thinking of maximising the use and getting three games each night but it hasn’t been approved by the association yet.

“Four of those six games will be Albury Hotspurs and Albury United because they didn’t have a ground allocation.

“We will probably try and rest Jelbart Park by moving a couple of games off there but that has to be approved by the executive.

“The council are promoting it as a multisport venue now.”

Albury Council parks and recreation team leader David Armstrong said he couldn’t guarantee further matches at the venue in the future.

“We are doing it as a trial to see how things go,” he said.

The AWFA season, which starts on March 20, only has one night round scheduled.

The grand final, or cup final, is scheduled for September 11, but the venue won’t be known before mid-season with clubs having to put forward expressions of interest to host it.

Kidd told The Border Mail last month that “I’d really like to see it at Lavington Oval”.

But Hayes, who is personally opposed to moving it from Jelbart Park, said yesterday that it would be impossible to hold the soccer grand final at Lavington Oval a week before the O and M decider.

“If it’s going to be the week before the O and M grand final my answer would be no,” Hayes said.

“There is no way they would want that ground chopped up a week before the premier event of the year.”

The Lavington ground has previously hosted local preseason, national and international soccer games.

The ground will host its first AFL practice match in six years on March 5 and the Nitro Circus stunt show on March 9.

http://www.bordermail.com.au/news/local/sport/football-soccer/awfa-announces-night-blockbuster/2079171.aspx?storypage=0