Sport
13 September, 2026
Cracking end to 2026 Highlands soccer season
The Southern Highlands soccer season has ended in sensational fashion with two upset wins and a thrilling penalty shootout.
The Southern Highlands soccer season has ended in sensational fashion with two upset wins and a thrilling penalty shootout.
The Highlands Soccer Association hosted its Under 12, Under 14, Under 16 Mixed, All Age Men Premier League 1 and 2 and All Age Women Premier League 1 and 2 grand finals at the David Woods Sporting Fields in Bowral on Saturday.
Hundreds of fans enjoyed perfect spring weather throughout the day and made the most of the opportunity to cheer on teams from Bowral, Moss Vale, Hilltop, Exeter, Robertson-Burrawang and Bundanoon.
Mittagong, Oxley College, Moss Vale, Bowral and Hill Top were all represented in the junior grand finals.
Bowral clinched honours in the All Age Men (AAM) Premier League 1 grand final, defeating minor premiers Moss Vale 1-0.
It was Moss Vale’s first loss of the season.
Fill-in captain and president of the Bowral Football Club, Brenton Barker, said his team had lost to Moss Vale three times this season and had simply learnt from its errors.
He said Bowral didn’t press too hard and was physical in the 50/50s.
Barker said fitness was probably a factor – as was grand final experience.
Bowral has played in five consecutive grand finals and has now won two in a row, so it has plenty of experience when it comes to playing in big matches.
Young Bowral midfielder Joe Earl was named player of the match.
Barker said the premiership-winning team would remain much the same heading into the 2027 season.
He is hoping Bowral’s success will help inspire more young people to join the club next year and bolster its numbers even further.
Hilltop spectators were in full voice for the All Age Women (AAW) Premier League 1 grand final between Hilltop and Bowral.
Hilltop scored early in the hard-fought match and was able to protect its lead through until the final whistle.
Both teams created plenty of opportunities but were unable to add to the scoreboard.
Hill Top’s Sam Parker was named player of the match but was limping badly when she accepted her medal.
The AAM Premier League 2 grand final between Exeter and Hill Top was an absolute thriller with the scores locked at 1-1 at fulltime.
Neither team was able to break the deadlock during extra time, forcing the game into a penalty shootout.
Both teams found the back of the net with their first six penalties however, Exeter goalkeeper Isaac Martin was able to deflect Hilltop’s seventh.
He told The Southern Wire that he had committed to one side and the penalty had been hit “pretty straight”.
“I just got lucky he said.”
Exeter went on to claim victory when its seventh penalty found its way past a devastated Hill Top goalkeeper.
Hill Top captain Kyle Martin said a penalty shoot out was never a good way to decide a match, “but on our side of the fence it feels pretty good”.
Exeter wasn’t even supposed to be playing in Premier League 2 this year but “stepped up” after being asked to do so by the Highlands Soccer Association.
Association officials said the team’s performance on Saturday was evidence it deserved its place in the higher division.
Exeter’s Andrew Hong was named player of the match.
Robertson took out the AAW Premier League 2 title with a 1-0 win over Bundanoon.
It was the only senior match of the day in which a player from the losing team was named best on ground, with the honour going to Bundanoon’s Lilly Hines.
Bowral went into the AAM Highlands League grand final against minor premiers Robertson-Burrawang as underdogs, and things didn’t look good when Robertson-Burrawang found the back of the net shortly before half-time.
However, Bowral hit back with three goals within 10 minutes early in the second half to take a commanding lead.
Robertson-Burrawang scored a second goal late in the game to put the wind up its opponent but ran out of time to put away the equaliser.
Bowral’s John Jamieson was named player of the match.
Moss Vale took home the Under 14 title with a 3-0 win over Hill Top.
Moss Vale’s right winger Dominic Brown made his presence known throughout the game and was named player of the match.
A special presentation was made at the end of the day to 2026 Young Referee of the Year, Ashton Kruger.
The association started the 2026 season with just six referees but ended it with 30 – many of them youngsters willing to take on an unenviable position for the good of the game.
Keep an eye out for our grand final day photo album.
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