Saints Punish Langy's Mistakes…
Posted: 23 April, 2008
| Langwarrin | 2 | — | 3 | St Albans |
| C.Nicholes B.Tulloch |
||||
Round 3: Langwarrin v St Albans Saints — 19 April, 2008
Langy played St Albans in the second home game of the season, and the first game on the main ground after its recent renovations by the Frankston Council. St Albans were coming off a good win the week before when they beat Keilor 2-0, but so to was Langy who won 1-0 away from home to Springvale White Eagles. It was the same Langy squad that won the week before with only one change to the starting line-up, with Shane Tagliaferro coming in for Jamie O'Donahue. Upfront Langy had Simon O'Donnell with both Caleb and Barry Tulloch just behind him.
So in front of a great crowd Langy got off to a great attacking start putting the St Albans defence under extreme pressure, unfortunately they didn't convert that to any clear cut chance on goal. As the game wore on in the half St Albans came back into it but like Langy they could only create a couple of half chances that were well dealt with by Chris Jones in goal. Just as it seemed Langy would go into the half time break all square St Albans scored. A short free kick was taken by Karl Cochrane to Jamie Heard, who under pressure from the St Albans winger lost possession of the ball. A Great cross from the left was found by the St Albans midfielder who took it to the goal line and cut and back with the St Albans forward smashing it into the back of the net. So that's how the 1st half finish 1-0 to St Albans with the goal coming in the last minute of the half.
Into the second half and it was a more determined Langy team that came out putting the St Albans defence under extreme pressure, having a couple of half chances and a few corners. It was from one of these corners that Langy took that the next goal came but it was not for Langy. A corner taken by Jamie Heard was belted away by the resilient St Albans defence, their lone forward controlled it well and laid it off to a break away pack of three St Albans Players, as they tried to play a through ball Chris Quinn intercepted the pass but unfortunately his pass went directly into the shins of Dave Breslin where the ball broke very nicely for the unmarked St Albans forward just inside the box. He was able to take one touch and slot it into the bottom left hand corner. So 2-0 to St Albans and just about game over.
To Langy's credit they had not given up and straight from kick off both Stuart Craig and Caleb Nicholes managed to play a few one twos until Big Caleb was brought down about 5 meters outside the box. The big man dusted himself down and placed the ball in the spot and smashed it into the top right hand corner with the St Albans keeper rooted to the spot. So 2-1 and game on again!
Langy upped the tempo again putting the St Albans defence under pressure, but just as they thought they might get back on level terms St Albans scored again. Some poor marking at a corner allowed the St Albans centre half to come up and get his head on it unchallenged and score the goal and make the score line 3-1.
So with 20 minutes left Langy took off Caleb Nicholes and brought on Jamie O'Donahue and pushed him up front with Simon O'Donnell. O'Donahue came on and did very well causing the St Albans defence all sorts of problems. Shane Tagliaferro made a great run down the left hand side and received a free kick on the goal line near the corner flag. Jamie heard swung in a great cross and Dave Breslin flicked it on and Barry Tulloch got the last touch with his head to send it into the net and game on as the score was now 3-2.
Langy threw everything at St Albans in the last 15 minutes as they were out on there last legs, Langy brought on Thomas Ahmadzai for Adam Poole and Ben Cullen for Shane Tagleferro for some fresh legs for that final push for the equalizer. They managed to create a couple of chances that were well saved by the St Albans keeper and also cleared off the line. In the dying seconds Langy had a corner and everyone went up for it including the Langy goal Keeper Chris Jones. It was another great cross from Jamie heard and shots from Breslin, O'Donahue, O'Donnell, Tulloch, Cochrane and Cullen were either blocked and saved in those dying last few seconds before the ref blew his whistle to end the game.
So that's how it finished Langwarrin 2 v St Albans 3 in a very entertaining game for the neutral but not so good for the Langy faithful. The result leaves Langy in 6th position five points behind league leaders Sunshine George Cross who Langy play this week away in a massive game for the club. So hopefully all the Langy supporters can make that one on Saturday 3rd May at Chaplin reserve the home of Sunshine George Cross.
Best on Ground: Breslin, Craig, Heard
Team: Jones, Quinn, Cochrane, Breslin, Tulloch, Poole(78), Craig, Tagliaferro(78), Nicholes(68), Heard, O'Donnell
Subs: Ahmadzai(78), O'Donahue(68), Cullen(78), Skelly
Goals: Nicholes(57), Tulloch(78)
