Waite breaks derby deadlock
Posted: 7 May, 2007
| Frankston Pines | 1 | — | 0 | Langwarrin |
Round 4: Frankston Pines v Langwarrin — 5 May, 2007
One defensive lapse and a brilliant move and finish decided a nail-biting local derby at Monterey Reserve last weekend as Frankston Pines sent Langwarrin’s first team to its second 1-0 loss of the 2007 season.
For 77 minutes, Elliot Brooks had taken on and mastered the daunting task of shackling ace Pines striker Nick Waite. Time and again Brooks was on his haunches trying desperately to get his battered body to recover in what was a demanding physical task as both Brooks and Waite asked for no quarter and gave none. The Langy central defender had had an interrupted pre-season but it was testament to his will and commitment that just when you thought he would have to go off he kept soldiering on.
When Pines made what was to be their decisive break down the left, Brooks glanced to his right and noted Waite taking off on a supporting run. Brooks tracked Waite back inside the Langy area but when the inch-perfect cross came in found himself a metre off his opponent and Waite’s well-placed header finally broke the deadlock.
Pines had created the best chance of the opening 45 minutes when their right winger had not been tracked and found himself on the end of a fine interpassing move well inside the Langy area. In rounding Langy custodian Chris Jones, he pushed the ball too far forward and Chris Quinn was able to effect a last-ditch clearance.
The closest Langy came in the first half was in the 41st minute when teenage midfielder Thomas Ahmadzai crossed from a tight angle on the right, forcing the Pines keeper to tip the ball over.
Two minutes later, Langy suffered a major blow when the unusually sandy surface claimed the scalp of captain and sweeper Darren McClenaghan who is likely to be out for some weeks with a knee injury. On came Adam Poole in his customary midfield role with Karl Cochrane taking over as sweeper.
The tempo lifted after the interval and was more befitting of a much anticipated derby. One minute into the second period, Tim Paton won a free kick on the right. From the resultant cross the ball was headed clear to Ben Caffrey who slewed his shot wide.
Caffrey was replaced by Stevie Vernon after 57 minutes and it was becoming evident that one slip could decide the contest. In the 70th minute a back-pedalling Jones got a hand to the ball swung into the far post from a Pines’ corner. He recovered quickly though and was able to go to ground and grab the loose ball at the second attempt.
In the 73rd minute Shane Tagliaferro won the ball well and slipped it wide to Paton whose deflected shot flew out for a corner. Two minutes later Paton was replaced by Darko Djuric who played wide on the right with Tagliaferro joining Vernon up front.
When Waite put Pines ahead, Langy tried to press for the equaliser but against an experienced and solid Pines unit it proved fruitless.
Throughout the pre-season rumours abounded about Pines’ financial situation and there was a strong expectation that the relegated club would find it difficult to hold onto its players. These rumours proved unfounded and this Pines outfit is almost a mirror image of last season’s Premier League side. It operates very effectively as a unit and should continue to be a hard nut to crack throughout the 2007 season.
