Despite the best efforts of the home side, goals from Adrian Zahra and Player of the Match Sean Ellis either side of the break were enough to see off the former NSL champions in the NPL Grand Final on Saturday afternoon.

NPL Grand Final pic special

Brisbane's Jake McLean had the best opportunity of the opening minutes, with the diminutive forward mazing his way through the Heidelberg defence but his lobbed attempt bobbled over the bar.

Ellis also provided zest on the right wing, cutting back to Lewis Hall who curled his opportunity over the bar for the visitors, much to the relief of the Strikers faithful.

With a third of the half already played, Ken Athiu nodded on the ball to the pacy Adrian Zahra however his left footed shot failed to make goalkeeper Zac Speedy work.

Palmer and Lee were continuing to provide some spark for the home side but Heidelberg time and time again proved a tough opponent to break down in the middle of the park.

Both sides would fight for the acendancy in the first half, with the most exciting opportunity coming courtesy of an inch-perfect Ethan Docherty through ball that found the legs of Jeremy Stewart who narrowly cut his shot wide of the goal.

But it would be the visitors who would break the deadlock, after Athiu nodded on once more for Alexander Schiavo.

The striker was taken out by Speedy however the Strikers goal was left wide open for the former Perth Glory and Melbourne Heart winger to give the Bergers the lead.

Half-time brought a breather for both sides and it was the Strikers who came out on the attack, with a sliced pass from Lee missing the legs of the oncoming Brisbane forwards.

One the hour mark, Sean Ellis however would double the home side’s misery with a true poachers goal.

The striker teed the ball up after a shocking attempt at a clearance landed at his feet at the left side of the penalty area and unleashed with a left footed strike to the bottom left of the helpless keeper.

As the clock wound down, Heidelberg continued to pepper the South End goal through the lively trio of Athiu, Zahra and Ellis.

With ten minutes to go, Michael Lee spurned a golden opportunity to get the home side back into the match.

McLean once again unleashed the winger into the box but Lee failed to make it count with just Christopher Theordoridis-Petropoulos in the Heidelberg goal and blasted it wide.

Heidelberg almost added a third after a lofted ball from Lewis Hall found Steven Pace who only narrowly shot wide accross the face of the goal.

In the dying embers of the match, the loud travelling party from VIctoria broke out into song as the yellow and black of Heidelberg became champions of the 2017 PS4 National Premier Leagues.

NPL Grand Final pic special