The Heads received another freekick in the 12th minute and this time it was the Basin keeper Lee who made a good save under the pressure of a Komel chip shot and oncoming attackers.

The Basin fired back and a Dave Hampton shot from 30 out went over the bar when Dane McGinn appeared open to the right.

Another chance for the Basin came in the 68th minute when a through ball found Liam Flanagan who sent in a great cross from the left after partially drawing out keeper Arnott, but the ball agonisingly went across the face of goal and no-one was there to put it away.

Shortly after the Basin players and crowd thought they had equalised – a McGinn corner fell to replacement Cory Ryan just outside the box, but his shot cannoned into the side of the net and rebounded back into play.

Referee Bruce Napper checked with linesman Tony Hooper and correctly awarded a goal kick.

The Basin were making the running in the closing stages and a challenge between Danny Armstrong and McGinn saw the latter come down, outside the box.

Try as they might though Basin could not pull back the goal and Heads progressed to the grand final.

Obviously disappointed with a few decision during the game McGinn vented his frustrations at ref Napper after fulltime and was given a red card.

Sharks coach Bruno Komel was delighted with the win describing it as a “gutsy effort”.

“The boys all played well, we have so many blokes who have the flu, have been sick or are carrying injuries, but they really lifted,” he said.

“They all played fantastic and to get into a grand final that’s all we had to do.

“It’s what we have been working towards, we’ve got a really smart team and I’m, looking forward to the clash with Illaroo next week.”

The Sharks are the only team to defeat the Roos this season (2-nil), while the other clash was a 1-all draw.

“They play a similar style to us, but we know how they play and we know what to do about that, so hopefully we can be good on the day,” he said.

He praised “veterans” Bob Phillips and Brad Page.

“Just their experience is invaluable,” he said.

“They have both played at high levels, they are smart, they may have weary legs, but we have some young fast guys around them.”

He also praised Miller’s match winning goal as a cracker.

“He can do things like that, he only needs to do one or two of them.”

Komel maintains he has had a game plan against Culburra and Basin and also has one for Illaroo.

“We’ve already had that. It was 2-nil,” he said with a smile.

Basin coach Tony Blunn said it was a disappointing way to finish the year.

“But that’s football,” he said.

“Very disappointing, but it’s the way it goes, they put the goal in, we didn’t, we had our chances a lot of chances and you have to put them away to win.”

He dismissed suggestions that his side lacked experience.

“We’ve been back in first grade for three seasons now, we made the grand final in the first year, it’s the same players basically, a couple leave, a couple come in, I can’t put my finger on it.

“Maybe the fact that we have so many players who live away that don’t train.

“The last two weeks we’ve trained Friday nights and had 10 there, all year we’ve had five.”

And having seen both Illaroo and Heads at close range in the past two weeks who’s going to win the decider?

“Illaroo is the standout team, but Heads is the only team to beat them this year – Heads can do it, they are a well structured team and can change the way they play to whoever they play, I think they can frustrate Illaroo,” he said.

“But I think Illaroo can do it.”

The Sharks’ best were Danny Armstrong, Kim Leonard and Bob Phillips, while Ben Cubbo was a standout for Basin and Adrian Argall and John Lee also played well.

Shoalhaven Heads Berry 1 (Jack Miller) d St Georges Basin nil.