8 Of The Best From The Reserves
Posted: 2 July, 2008
| Langwarrin | 8 | — | 0 | Spingvale White Eagles |
| P.Ferguson (3) K.McAlister (2) D.Biondo H.Shippers B.Caffrey |
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Round 13: Langwarrin v Springvale White Eagles — 28 June, 2008
Good to be back home at last after two consecutive away matches. Today, we played host to Springvale White Eagles who are currently sitting bottom of the ladder. Never the less, not a game to take lighty as every point is important as we make the turn at the mid-season point.
The team today is once again slightly changed with a welcome return to the action by Darren McClenaghan after a long road back from injury. He takes his place in the back line along side, Brenton Smith and Matthew 'Scud' Hodgson. Midfield: Anthony Famalaro, Liam George, Kevin McAlister, Adam Ahmadzai and Hayden Shippers. Up Front: Ben Caffrey and Peter Ferguson. The Bench: Luke 'Burgo' Burgess, Daniel Biondo, Sean Smith, Mitchell Blake and Nick Thomas.
With a good crowd in attendance the boys went straight into attack and we had hardly settled into our seats (so to speak) when Peter works the ball down the left flank. His cross finds Kevin who is about to pull the trigger when a desperate defender hooks his legs from under him! Penalty! Kevin picks himself up and calmly dispatches the spot kick into the net! 1-0 to Langy and only 90 seconds on the clock. What a start.
Soon after our first goal, another nearly followed, Darren hit a lovely long ball down the middle where Kevin nodded the ball on to Peter who unluckily half hit his shot and the grateful Eagles keeper gathered safely. It was plain to see that even with ten minutes gone the game was only going one way!
A terrific move came from another long ball from the back by Darren to Ben coming deep. He let the ball bounce, waiting for the pace to come off it. Then, with a sweetly struck left foot half-volley, sent a superb pass through the defensive line to Peter who hit it on the run! Unfortunately his shot was just a bit too high and bounced off the bar for a goal kick!
The 15 minute mark saw our persistence pay off with a brilliant strike by Peter. He chased a bouncing ball, wide left of the Eagles goal. We thought the best he could do was knock it over into the center of the goal mouth before it went out for a goal kick. No! Peter had set himself for a strike on goal. With perfect precision, he hit the ball with the outside of his left foot, sending a high looping, cross shot that landed softly into the far side netting. Goalkeeper totally stranded and defenders watching helplessly. What a finish. Sheer class. 2-0.
It could have been three within another two minutes! Ben moves inside towards the middle of the park and draws two defenders with him, holds the ball up and slips a reverse pass down the line to Famo racing into space. Famo's cross ball is straight into Kevin's run into the Eagles box, but he can't quite get a solid touch on it and the ball bobbles into the keeper's hands. Lucky escape for the Eagles, the signs are definitely there for a big day!
Liam is having a top game in the middle of the park. High work rate, winning tackles and being creative with his possession. His defense splitting pass down the center channel finds Peter who, just when as he is about to hit his shot is fouled and the resultant direct free kick is smacked just over by Famo from 22 meters.
Although the Eagles battled hard, it was always going to be an up hill climb for them. We were simply too good!
How's this for a dominating attack. Darren plays a ball 25 meters like an arrow down to Ben, two touches and on to Famo wide on the right, two more touches and the ball is at Kevin's feet. Bang! Goal number 3. The ball had travelled 3/4 of the pitch and had been touched no more than seven or eight times en-route into the net. Magic!
This was starting to look like a very ordinary day for the visitors when the Eagles right winger hits a high 'floater' into our goal area which somehow beat everyone, including a surprised Sean Skelly in goal, the ball hit the far post, rebounded off Sean and was finally belted away by Brenton to safety. Nearing half time, Kevin once again slipped away from his marker and hit a cross shot that somehow managed to stay out. We thought it was just skimming past the far post when up pops Hayden and tucks it away for goal number four. At the break Langy 4 v 0 Eagles.
No sooner had the second half started than goal number five was in the bag. This time it was Peter; clean through on goal with the defender chasing in vain and is about to shoot when he is tripped from behind. Penalty, no doubt. The Eagles defender was fortunate that the referee did not sent him off for 'last defender' rule. Peter buried the penalty kick and that was 5-0.
It was now a procession. Attack after attack, at will; Langy poured forward. Our defense was sound, solid and in complete control dealing easily with any threat from the Eagles strikers. Goal number six saw Kevin stride passed three pedestrian defenders and stroked the ball wide of the on-coming keeper. Silky Kev! 6-0. It was Ben who added goal number seven to the list. Slipped his marker and banged one in from 12 meters. He made it look so easy!
Famo headed for the dug out after yet another productive afternoon. Daniel Biondo made is entrance and within minutes was on the score sheet with a lighting strike from 15 meters after Ben had done some trickery around a couple of Eagle defenders and laid it off. The ball was in the net before you could blink! Good goal Daniel!
Hayden made way for Mitchell for the final few minutes, followed closely by Sean Smith on for Brenton. Just to finish the day off on a high note, Mitchell produced a good diving header that just missed the target. That was it for the match and the sound of the final whistle would have been very welcomed by the Eagles players who looked very forlorn indeed. 8-0.
Congrats to Peter for his three goal haul… A quality display of finishing. Great win by the boys. Once again. Well done to everyone.
Cheers again from The Man Over the Fence. See you all at St Albans next week.
Team: Skelly, Mcleneghan, B.Smith (S.Smith 70), Hodgson, Famularo (Biondo 59), Shippers (Blake 81), George, McAlister, Ahmadzai, Ferguson, Caffrey
Unused Sub: Thomas, Burgess
