Inglewood United has signed off from season 2014 by being crowned Masters League Over-45s champions in the most dramatic of fashion. Peter Cunningham and John Proctor struck in the final 90 minutes of the season to earn Inglewood victory away at Subiaco AFC on Sunday to propel the Masters to the top of the table, pipping Quinns B for the title by just a couple of points.

“It was a great feeling when the final whistle sounded to confirm Inglewood as league champions,” said Over-45s left-back Paul Jeffreys, who joined Inglewood last summer after several years out of the game for family reasons. “It was a tense final few rounds with the league title going right down to the wire … winning the league certainly was a great reward for our overall season.”

The foundations for the Over-45s success were laid through an amazing 16-game game unbeaten run stretching late-April to mid-September. “We really played to our potential throughout that period,” Jeffreys commented. “We were comfortable against most opposition teams and were superbly coached by Declan Kelly, who also popped up to score many crucial goals.”

That run came to a sudden end a fortnight ago when Inglewood suffered a shock loss to UWA-Nedlands, a result which allowed Quinns B to take top spot. “All the boys were disappointed with that as it meant we had to win all our remaining games,” recalled Jeffreys. “I think we were all wondering if it was going to be the game that messed up our chance to win the league.”

There was no way Inglewood was going to give up without a fight and, after despatching North Beach, they downed Subiaco to regain the summit. “For the first 35 minutes we were nervous, our passing and game in general was a bit off,” said Jeffreys. “But once Peter Cunningham planted a perfect header in the back of the net we settled and began to play as we know we can.”

Jeffreys admits post-game celebrations were subdued given the magnitude of the occasion, however, it will be a much different story when Inglewood commemorates 2014 later this month at Crown Casino. “There were a few songs and some champagne in the change rooms but that was about it,” Jeffreys said of Sunday afternoon. “We’re all waiting for the end-of-season wind-up to let what little hair we have left down!”

Inglewood’s Masters League Over-45s championship winning squad is Riccardo Berti, Massimo Cau, Peter Cunningham, John Delberello, Nicky Dyer, Fab Edwards, Jeff Faulkner, Geoff Frampton, Guidi Giorgi, Ian Glover, Dave Hebble, Paul Jeffreys, Marty Kaye, Declan Kelly, Kevin O’Neill, John Paroci, Kevin Pope, Norrie Sutton and Peter Thorpe.