Reserves draw at St Albans
Posted: 5 June, 2007
| St Albans Saints | 1 | — | 1 | Langwarrin |
| Stuart Craig | ||||
Round 8: St Albans Saints v Langwarrin — 3 June, 2007
A dubious goal by St Albans stopped Langwarrin taking all 3 points at Churchill Reserve on Sunday however it was a huge improvement from a team that was defeated 6-1 the previous week.
After last weeks disappointing result, Langwarrin were keen to show there critics what they are capable of and why they went the opening 5 games undefeated. This week the boys came up against 3rd placed St. Albans on a very bumpy pitch and began the game with a slightly different formation to previous weeks, with Mitten playing a defensive midfield role, and Colville and Cameron coming in to the side at left and right back, respectively.
Langy began well and after 15 minutes nearly took the lead after a great ball by Swaine found Robinson up front, but his shot just went wide of the post. Both teams struggled to create many clear cut chances in the first half, with St Albans winning a couple of dangerous free kicks just outside the 18 yard box, however they didn’t manage to trouble Skelly in the Langy goals and the first half finished 0-0.
Both teams came out hard in the second half however it was St Albans who managed to take the lead in controversial circumstances in the 45th minute when the ball appeared to go out for a throw-in and both Smith and the St Albans striker stopped, however the ref waved play on and the St Albans striker was first to react to the referees decision and was able to cut back in towards goal and slot the ball past Skelly to give St Albans a 1-0 lead.
Langy began to lift and 5 minutes later got the equaliser they deserved when the St Albans keeper fumbled a McAlister free-kick and Stuart Craig was first to follow up and blast the ball in to an empty net to take the score to 1-1.
Langy continued the good football, however the situation was made harder when goalscorer, Craig, was shown a second yellow card for arguing with the referee and Langy were left to finish the game off with 10 men. St Albans tried to take advantage of the extra man and pushed forward looking for a winner, however it was Langwarrin who had the best chance to seal victory when second half substitute Ferguson was played through and lobbed the ball over the advancing St Albans keeper, however it dropped just over the bar and out for a goal kick.
That is how the game finished and even though Langwarrin were unable to take all 3 points, it was a significant improvement on the previous week’s performance and the boys will now be looking to take all 6 points from the 2 games to be played over the Queens Birthday long weekend.
