PORT Saints FC have etched their name into local football history after a massive double-header weekend, culminating in a dominant 9-1 victory over cross-town rivals Port United FC to seal their first-ever First Grade Premiership.
But it wasn’t all smooth sailing for the Saints, who first had to travel to Lake Cathie to weather a physical and blustery encounter against title contenders Lake Cathie FC on Saturday, 30 August.
In a match shaped by high stakes and howling winds, both sides fought fiercely to gain the upper hand in a top-of-the-table clash.
The breakthrough came in the 13th minute when a corner kick caused chaos in the box.
A deflection off a Lake Cathie defender popped the ball into the air, and Port Saints’ Jordan Stevenson pounced, striking a crisp volley into the net to give his side a 1-0 lead.
From there, the game turned into a tense back-and-forth affair.
Lake Cathie pressed hard in the final 20 minutes, seeking a vital equaliser, but the Saints held strong, grinding out the 1-0 win.
Dominance in derby day demolition
Less than 24 hours later, on Sunday 31 August, Port Saints returned to their home pitch Findlay Park with a Premiership on the line and local bragging rights up for grabs.
What followed was a ruthless and clinical performance as the Saints overwhelmed Port United FC 9-1 in a derby day demolition.
The tone was set early, with Travis Pascoe lighting up the scoreboard in the 14th minute.
Turning his marker and finding space at the top of the box, Pascoe fired a precise right-footed drive into the bottom corner to open the floodgates.
Just four minutes later, a deflected Pascoe effort fell to Caiden Grimmett, who smashed home a stunning volley from the edge of the area.
A fumble from the United keeper in the 20th minute gifted Pascoe a chance he couldn’t refuse, chasing it up and finishing from an impossible angle on the goal line with his left foot.
The Saints were in full flow by the 35th when Pascoe was brought down in the box after being slipped through by Josh Gardner.
He converted the penalty to make it 4-0 and secure his hat-trick inside the first half.
United pulled one back shortly after, capitalising on a loose ball at the edge of the box, but Port Saints weren’t done. In the final moments of the half Pascoe’s fourth nearly arrived, with his shot saved and rebounded through a chaotic scramble before Matt Hunt tapped in to make it 5-1 at the break.
The second half offered no reprieve for United.
Within five minutes, a handball saw Mike Findlayson slot home from the spot, before Pascoe added his fourth and Saints’ seventh in the 65th minute with another composed finish.
Jesper Prestegard and Findlayson linked up beautifully for goal number eight, with Findlayson chesting down a fizzed pass and picking out the top corner.
The final goal came via Caiden Grimmett, who capped off his brace with a delicate lob over the onrushing keeper in the 75th minute.
Saints eye back-to-back glory
The emphatic victory not only ensured local bragging rights but confirmed Port Saints FC as First Grade Premiers for the first time in their history.
With three regular season matches still to play, they are now firmly focused on going back-to-back in the grand final and finishing a dream season in style.
In other results from the weekend:
Saturday 30/8/25
Camden Haven FC 0-2 Kempsey Saints FC
Macleay Valley Rangers FC 7-3 Port United FC
Sunday 31/8/25
Camden Haven FC 0-5 Macleay Valley Rangers FC.
You can help your local paper.
Make a small once-off, or (if you can) a regular donation.
We are an independent family owned business and our newspapers are free to collect and our news stories are free online.
Help support us into the future.
