Luckless Langy Lose Derby Thriller
Posted: 21 May, 2008
| Langwarrin | 0 | — | 1 | Dandy Thunder |
Round 7: Langwarrin v Dandenong Thunder — 17 May, 2008
Six games into the season it was finally time for the big one. With Pines in the premier league and Cranbourne in state league two, Dandy Thunder traveled down to Lawton Park in what was to be the closest thing to a derby that Langwarrin will face this season. To witness the spectacle was around 400 eager fans who braved the icy conditions, most of them wanting to see Langy follow on from their 4-0 thumping of Clifton Hill the week before. The Thunder also had a big win, accounting for Keilor Park with a 7-0 victory. So with both teams in stunning form we were sure to see a passionate and quality ninety minutes of football.
And it was Langy who came out firing with a quality team move that ripped Dandy apart and should have opened the scoring. Straight from the kick-off, a long ball down the line by left-back Ben Cullen found Jamie O'Donahue who took one touch, played the ball to Shane Tagliaferro, who provided an excellent cross to the far post that was met on the full by Simon 'Sodder' O'Donnell. Unfortunately his left foot volley was well over, but it was a signal of intent by the boys in blue who were still chasing that elusive first home victory of the season.
The home team came even closer just a few minutes later by way of a corner taken by Jamie Heard. The Englishman, who hits the leather with a technique impossible to replicate is always a danger from the dead ball situations and this time was no different. A flat ball to the back stick hit Chris Quinn on the forehead, only for the defenders superb header to rebound off the upright.
So that was about it for the chances in a tight first half that saw the thunder fail to find a way past the Langy defence that consisted of Caffrey, Quinn, Cullen and Jones in goals. Thus, nil-all at half time with the Langy faithful certainly the happier among the crowd.
Again it was it was the home side that came out firing and went agonisingly close to breaking the dead-lock soon after the re-start. And again it all started off the boot of Jamie Heard. A free-kick on the half way line was hit to penalty spot where the man-mountain Caleb Nicholes shrugged off his opponent to flick the ball on with his head. This sent the Langy supporters into raptures as the ball seemingly found the bottom corner, only for the crowd to realise that it had in fact gone just inches wide.
The big hit man was once again in the thick of the action moments later. Dandy finally found the ball in their attacking half; one of their strikers dribbling into the six yard box in what should have been the thunder's first real chance of the game, only to find Caffrey in their way yet again. The big striker turned-sweeper dispossessed his opponent, the ball landing to Sodder who hit a sublime 60 yard ball over the Dandy defense and to the feet of Nicholes. The colossal number 15 took the ball on the run, causing the opposition keeper to have to run out of the eighteen yard box and become a defender. Nicholes went for the byline, got round the keeper, then tried to open up the angle by going around another two players and onto his left foot, only to fire over from 20 yards.
This proved to be a determining factor in the outcome of the game as it was the away side that finally found the back of the net not long after. The Dandy number 12 found the ball on the half way line, beginning a mazy run that would take him past three Langy players who broke the golden rule of not diving in when defending. This solitary lack of concentration was to be severely punished as the thunder midfielder slotted the ball into the bottom left hand corner, leaving Jonesy with no chance and Langy with little time to respond.
Though that didn't stop them trying. A Ben Cullen sliding tackle, which was one of many from the left back who had a blinder, was followed up by a long ball to Barry Tulloch. The young Scotsman, who was another Langy player that shone in the rain, went on another one of his mazy runs, taking it around two Dandy players on the right wing and playing it to Jamie O'Donahue. The ‘Gooner', as he is affectionately known, lined up a right foot angled drive from 18 yards that was low and hard, but unluckily into the keepers chest.
The equaliser that the blue army craved never eventuated, handing the points to Dandy Thunder. But it was testament to the Langy boys that they outplayed a big-spending team bolstered by number of new signings. So we shrug it off and pick ourselves up for Monday nights encounter at the Veneto Club against Bulleen Royals. Let's hope there is big support as usual by the best fans in the league as the Langy boys look to grab the three points against the former premier league heavyweights.
Team: Jones, Caffrey, Quinn, Cullen, O'Donnell, Herd, Tagliaferro, Poole (McAllister 70), Tulloch, Nicholes, O'Donahue
Unused Subs: Skelly, Rasimi, Thomas Ahmadzai
Best: Jones, Cullen, Herd
