Goals: Steph K.

 

I had to go back long and hard to remember when we last lost to JLeaguers, however it was clear in the memory in Season 2006/2007 cup final we got beaten by them on the 21/07/2007 3-1 here is a video to remind of us of that tragic day http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yManjWZQYU4.

 

And so almost 5 years later a deteriorating Spartans took on a much improved JLeaguers although have to say definitely not world beaters. We started off with Tom M in goals, Tommy D and Scott in centre defence, Leandro on the left and Sean on the right. Centre pair of Rob D and Tarik, left Adam and right Miles. Forwards Coombs and Steph. Our new recruits Mateo, Nav and Matt waiting on the sidelines to come on…Joey running late and Marriott on his way from work.

 

We actually started ok and it wasn’t long before a Sean cross was met by an excellent Steph header to put us one nil up. We continued to press forward however JLeaguers started to get a grip of the game. It wasn’t long before they started to create chances one hitting the post and the other was a bad miss from their experienced Albion player Keinchie. In the end Joey and Marriott arrive and a few changes with introduction of Matteo saw us hold out for the rest of the half.

 

The second half we pretty much left off where we started in first half with JLeaguers dominating play. But the defence of Tom D and Scott was clear everything able supported Sean and Leandro. A loopy cross by JLeaguers and some kind of mix up in the defence with the keeper and somehow a JLeaguers player taps the ball into an open net 1-1.

 

It’s now JLeaguers go in their shell and we start to attack. A glorious through ball from Miles to Marriott puts him through on one with the keeper and Marriott hammers straight to keeper. Opportunity missed. As the game goes on we start to lose players to injury, Tarik comes off, Matt S doesn’t even make the pitch and Combs has a knee problem. Jleaguers sense an opportunity and when a scrappy pass finds it’s way in the defence they somehow knock the ball in the back of the net to score the winner.

 

All in all a pretty poor game from us start to finish the team work for mine was the difference, while JLeaguers have stuck together over all these years we had some what a new team on the park and it really showed. A few players can hold their heads up high, Scott, Tom D , Leandro and Sean had good games in backline, Nav played well when he came on. Rob was the heartbeat for the team in the centre of park while Tarik and Miles helped when they could. Adam had an excellent game on the left while Steph was a shining light up front I thought and got my MOM of the day which was a fair achievement given he was probably still drunk from the night before.

 

With three games to go it’s clearly a rebuilding phase for next season with so many players leaving the team or are injured. Let’s get a few wins up before the season is over and finish with a high.