The last song played over the announcing system before the kick-off at Bob Jane Stadium tonight in the game between South Melbourne and the Gippsland Falcons was "Shall I stay or shall I go".
It was a song of some relevance, as it had only been published in that morning's papers that Gippsland Falcons were going to stay in the Ericsson Cup for at least another season when their status had been so uncertain to that point.
In truth Gippsland will probably never be one of the glamour clubs of the National League, and might never really be a serious contender for title honours - but if tonight's performance was an indication, the Victorian regional side will always hold up their end of a contest.
The game was to end 2-1 for South Melbourne, but it was usually in the balance, especially after Gippsland had brought back the South Melbourne lead from two up just before the first half ended.
South had scored its first on the quarter hour when a Con Boutsianis shot proved to hot to hold. But the goal was earnt through the build-up work done by Vaughan Coveney running through on the left. Scarcely six minutes later South had converted again. A powerful run from the half-way line by George Goutsoulis had Falcons defenders backing-off allowing Goutsoulis to work a one-two with Paul Trimboli before striking the return low to the left and past Falcons keeper Bojo Jeudjevic.
If you had your money on a rout from that point, you'd have been in the majority, but slowly Falcons wrenched themselves back into the game. Mark Foy was the be the chief hope for Falcons, and it was after some of his work Falcons had gained a corner deep into first half stoppage time. The resulting kick was swung in, a scrambled shot sliced off the cross-bar and fell at the feet of Foy who hammered home from one metre.
Although there was to be no more scoring, it was not for the want of trying by either side. In the second half the game opened up. The tightness of the midfield during the first half had slackened, and both teams were able to exchange attacking forays.
Foy failed to react quickly enough to a cross in from the right when an open goal beckoned shortly after the restart. Trimboli had a shot which must have picked up the chalk from the goal-line as it ran across the face of the goal ten minutes later. And Boutsianis had a chance to wrap up the match with just three minutes remaining after a deft Goran Lozanovski touch sent him scampering goalwards, unleashing a shot from the 18 yard line which was well claimed by Jeudjevic.
Regardless of other results on Sunday, that win meant that South Melbourne became the first team to claim a Finals spot, and is now unable to be dislodged from the top six. For Falcons, although the count is not concluded, the result means, once again, they'll be idle from mid-April.
In a South side weakened by the absence on representative duties of four first-teamers, and Clarkson through injury, the win was a welcome one indeed. Falcons had usually proved a test for South not often passed, and the wiley Arok had frequently been the reason for this.