Triumphant Rosebud Players Remember Ailing Coach

Newcastle Herald

Monday August 25, 2008

Neil Goffet

ADAMSTOWN assistant coach Matt Moncrieff got the victorious Rosebud side to autograph the game ball and delivered it to coach Bob Mountford in Lingard Hospital last night.

Several Rosebud players and officials shed tears in an emotional dressing room at Adamstown Oval before the minor premiers completed a stellar season by beating Maitland 1-0 in yesterday's Northern NSW First Division grand final.

Mountford has been battling cancer for three years and was too ill to make it to Adamstown's last two matches of the season.

"He still picked the team for the grand final," Moncrieff said.

"It was his team that won it."

Moncrieff's younger brother Rikky Moncrieff scored the only goal of the game when he headed in the winner from a first-half corner.

It was the first time Adamstown had beaten the Magpies all season despite taking the minor title off them in the final round of the regular season.

Veteran goalkeeper Mark Shalimov was the stand-out for Adamstown as Maitland piled on the pressure in the second half.

It was the first time Adamstown had saluted on grand final day since winning Northern Federation titles in 1987 and 1988.

Neil Goffet

© 2008 Newcastle Herald

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