Leeton United win Pascoe Cup grand final 6-3 over Hanwood in extra-time thriller

Leeton came from 3-0 down and landed the final six goals of the grand final to score a thrilling 6-3 extra time victory.

Adam Raso proved the hero for Leeton, keeping his team in the game with a regular time hat-trick before grabbing a fourth goal to seal back-to-back titles and sent the United faithful into a frenzy.

After going down 3-0, Raso scored an important goal just before half-time to keep Leeton in touch, before his second half double, the last coming in the 89^th minute, sent the game into extra-time.

From there, Leeton carried their momentum and delivered a stunning 6-3 grand final upset for the ages.

Leeton co-coach Ross Morgan was still coming to terms with the feat moments after the final whistle.

"Incredible. To be 3-0 down and come back against a quality team like Hanwood, unbelievable," Morgan said.

"Adam Raso. He made a difference. You're playing against a team that hasn't lost in two years, the best team in the competition and we managed to come back like that. Amazing. Full credit to all of the boys."

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Morgan conceded, he, like most of the Leeton playing group thought the game had slipped out of their reach for a moment in the first half.

"Yeah of course. First half until that goal went in," he revealed.

"You can see the team, they were deflated, they looked like it was over and then to come back with the energy for a full 120 minutes and score six goals. Unreal."

While the playing group's belief was tested during Sunday's epic grand final, Leeton had maintained belief all year they had what it takes to defeat Hanwood.

They were the only team not to be beaten by them in the regular season and saved the biggest upset for the last game of the year.

"There's a lot of older guys behind the scenes at the club and they've been there for years. They came to training and the speeches they gave really gave it the boys," Morgan said.

"It's a real club. Everyone's behind all grades, all grades travelled over today, players missed out that have been there all year and there here to support us. It was the club as one."

Christopher Zappala opened proceedings for Hanwood when he smashed the ball into the back of the net from a Chaise Donetto cross.

It was then co-captain Andy Gamble that found the back of the net with a header off a corner, that deflected off a Leeton's players boot into the goal.

Less than two minutes later, Josh de Rossi got in on the fun when he swung around onto his left boot and placed the ball perfectly past the Leeton keeper.

Enter Raso, who got a much-needed opening goal for Leeton off a free kick, just outside the box, in the 42nd minute.

It was that man Raso again who got the breakthrough in the second half as his shot from a near-impossible angle went in off the keeper.

With time running out, Leeton were awarded a penalty for a handball and Raso completed his hat-trick by calmly slotting the ball into the bottom left hand corner of the net in the 89th minute.

Henri Gardner put Leeton in front for the first time five minutes into extra-time with a sweet volley from the edge of the box.

Christopher Newman landed the sealer midway through the second half of extra-time before it was only fitting that Raso landed a long-range free kick to grab his fourth and clinch the title.

After waiting 23 years for a title with their 2020 triumph, the wait was nowhere near as long this time around as Leeton went back-to-back in the most remarkable of fashions.

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