High five for reserves
Posted: 30 April, 2007
| Langwarrin | 5 | — | 0 | Bentleigh Greens |
| Nick Robinson Kevin McAlister John Jovan (2) Anthony Famularo |
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Round 3: Langwarrin v Bentleigh Greens — 28 April, 2007
Langwarrin cemented its claims as a reserves title contender with a thumping 5-0 home win on Saturday against a Bentleigh Greens outfit that travelled to Lawton Park fancying its chances of challenging for the championship.
Sean Smith, Grant Colville and Peter Ferguson came into the starting line-up in place of Dave Jurisic (on the bench), Liam George (bench) and Dave Breslin (first team).
Young Kevin McAlister, in just his second senior outing with us, looked the part from the kick-off. He’s got a great left foot, glides over the ground and looks every inch a footballer and in the 8th minute went close to setting up Peter Ferguson with an excellent ball inside the area.
Six minutes later Robinson, for the second game running, struck with a well-taken opener. Liam Swaine’s free kick into the Bentleigh area was only partially cleared. Big Niall Mitten won the ball in the air and Robinson spun around at the near post and struck the ball first time, neatly knocking it past the despairing Greens goalie.
In the 18th minute a John Jovan volley from outside the area sizzled inches over the bar. Langy was looking OK now but it remained a great contest and Bentleigh showed that it was capable of causing a few problems on the break.
In the 24th minute, McAlister robbed a defender and squared the ball to Robinson who tried to place it rather than drive it and sent his shot straight at the opposition goalie. Not long after, Swaine won the ball in midfield and played it forward to McAlister inside the area but the teenage midfielder skied his shot and the chance went begging.
Just before half-time Bentleigh created its best chance by playing the ball over the top as Langy struggled to get back and defend. Langy custodian Sean Skelly charged off his line but could only partially clear and the Bentleigh midfielder who found the ball at his feet with the goal unguarded watched in dismay as his chip rolled wide of the upright.
The second half was only three minutes old when Jovan virtually iced the contest. The hard working midfielder was on hand for a tap-in after the Bentleigh keeper could only parry a fierce Swaine drive and Langy finally had a two-goal cushion.
Jovan’s second goal in the 47th minute came via a dreadful defensive mistake and put the contest out of the visitors’ reach. It was then that caretaker Langy reserves coach Robert Mathieson made his first change, replacing Ferguson with George.
The Greens deserve credit for refusing to sit back and accept their fate and they should have opened their account in the 52nd minute when they blew a one-on-one with Skelly, knocking the ball past the keeper but also wide of the far post.
Robinson was replaced by Jurisic a minute later and the big man went up front when most onlookers were expecting a defensive reshuffle to allow Jurisic to slot into his familiar central defensive position. Nevertheless, Langy went in for the kill and the two Liams (Swaine and George) played a lovely one-two before George chipped the ball to the back post and McAlister headed in to make it 4-0.
Off came Deni Skopljak and on came Anthony Famularo who, like his teammates, lacks little in confidence. As Famularo prepared to come on he turned to the overworked youngster on the scoreboard and told him to get ready to hang up the number five sign. True to his word, Famularo bagged the fifth with a cracking strike which cannoned in off the back post. As SBS special comments man Craig Foster would say: “It was a fitting finale to a truly sumptuous display.”
