Monday September 11 2006


Points shared in testy encounter with Monarchs

The Hahndorf Magpies hosted a fired up Adelaide Monarchs in Round 21 of SAASL football on Saturday and could not capitalise on their superior numbers, the game ending with both teams scoring one goal each.

Past games between the Magpies and the Monarchs have usually been tight, torrid affairs and this encounter proved to be no different, with both teams playing some highly contested and, at times, frustratingly tight soccer. Hahndorf started veteran goalkeeper Finch Cowlam in goal, directing the defence of the Italian Maestro Edmondo Palombo, Matt Norris, Brad Francis and Todd Newman. In midfield, coach Peter Cottle opted for Angus Hambrook, Jon Lynn, Jeremy Dunning and the South American Wizard, Alex Perez with Craig Thompson and Roly Tobar as twin strikers.

The Monarchs jumped out of the blocks early and had managed to put the ball past a despairing Cowlam within ten minutes of kickoff. Both teams were having a little trouble adjusting to the conditions, the ball sliding on the wet surface and getting the ball under control was difficult for some. Hahndorf began to get their game into order and put together some fine moves. Dunning twice made runs down the wing and fired in dangerous crosses, Hambrook got his head onto the first but put it wide. Thompson ran and stretched to get on the end of the second but just failed to get a touch with the goal beckoning.

Continued pressure from the Magpies eventually paid off, Hambrook made a dashing run down the right after recovering the ball from a cleared Hahndorf corner. He sent the ball back into the penalty area where the Wizard Perez leapt to head the ball past the Monarch’s goalkeeper’s outstretched fingers.

With the scores level, Hahndorf tried to make the most of their period pressure with Hambrook finding space and attacking down the flank until his run was ended by a crude Monarch challenge. The referee dished out the first yellow card of the game and Dunning lined up the free from twenty-five metres. He struck the ball well but a little too high as it whistled just over the crossbar with the ‘keeper just looking on.

Hahndorf were now playing some nice football, passing the ball on the ground and making the Monarchs work hard for possession. The Hahndorf defence was doing a great job, Norris and Francis steadfast in the face of the Monarch attack, and Newman quick to harass and dispossess the forwards. The Magpies created another chance, Hambrook sending the ball across the 6-yard box where it was poked out for a corner.

The final few minutes of the first half were marred by a dispute that saw some argy-bargy on both sides. Thompson chased a ball into the Monarchs’ penalty area and a late challenge on the defender saw him get a yellow card. Some words were exchanged and Tobar, feeling a little testy during the verbal sparring, drew the ire of the Monarchs for his hand in proceedings. The referee struggled to contain the emotions of both teams and the resulting fallout was an early shower for one of the Monarchs and stern warning for the remaining players.

Both coaches used the half time break to get their players’ minds back on the game and the opening minutes second stanza saw some hard battling in the midfield. The Monarchs threatened on goal, only to find Cowlam quick to pounce on any shots going his way. At the other end, Thompson was finding the ball but unable to get in a clear shot.

Tobar remained a target of the Monarchs defence and it was no surprise when he was on the end of another late challenge. Unfortunately for the Monarchs, the foul also drew a second yellow card for the infringing player and he too was given his marching orders. With over thirty minutes remaining in the match, the Magpies sought to break down the nine-man Monarchs and take hold of the game.

The Magpies pressed forward and created several more chances, the best from a series of passes between Thompson and Tobar that saw the shot go narrowly past the goal. Despite their numerical advantage, Hahndorf were not making things easy for themselves. The Monarchs were putting up a real fight and closing Hahndorf down and forcing them to make some poor decisions.

The players and the Hahndorf faithful were getting tense as the Monarchs repeatedly forced the play into tight contested areas of the park and frustrated the Magpies. It was the Monarchs who did create some of the better opportunities, Cowlam called into action to punch a dangerous corner away and Palombo clearing a ball from a potential scoring position.

Hahdorf battled on but lost their width as the game drew on, repeatedly trying to force balls through the centre where the Monarchs had numbers. Coach Cottle brought on Paul Charles, Tyrone Blunt and Brendan Kilpatrick over ten minutes to gain some control and slow the play down. But the Magpies continued to rush and give the ball away, their frustration resulting in a few more yellow cards being dealt.

As the game drew to a close, Lynn was unlucky to see his powerful drive deflected for a corner when it was arrowing in on goal. The resultant corner was punched clear and the referee soon ended the game, to give each team a point. It was a frustrating game by the Magpies as they fell into some of the habits from earlier in the season and they will want to turn it around this week when they visit Flinders University in a must-win game. Best on the day were Francis, Norris, Newman and Lynn.

Reserves

The Hahndorf Reserves put together a fine finishing fifteen minutes to eventually see off the Monarchs’ reserves 4-2.

Hahndorf shuffled their lineup to give Rupert Lindon a run up front with Michael “Big Bear” Murphy, ably backed by the midfield presence of Jay McIntyre, Andros Georgiou, Brad Newman and Danny Pace. In defence were veterans Andy Craig and Owen “the Black Pearl” Boyce with youngsters Tom Short and James Astley in front of goalkeeper Nathaniel Brooke.

The opening fifteen minutes were fairly even, both teams adjusting to the slick conditions and trying to forge the opening goal. Brooke made several fine saves to deny the Monarchs, but was powerless to stop a looping shot from 20 metres that just dipped under the bar.

Hahndorf then made a series of attacks, McIntyre and Murphy going inches wide with the goalkeeper beaten. Their persistence paid off however as Big Bear Murphy burst through on goal having beaten the offside trap. He deceptively went wide of the goal before firing in a low shot that beat the Monarchs’ custodian and leveled the scores.

Hahndorf gained confidence and started to play some fine football, Pace and Newman getting plenty of the ball in midfield, while Astley and the Black Pearl were having fine games in defence. When the defence was compromised, Brooke was on hand to deny the Monarch attack, making two excellent pointblank saves and dominating the penalty area.

In the second half, Hahndorf found the goal they were looking for, Newman showing excellent ball control to bundle the ball over the line after some fine interplay by Murphy and McIntyre. Hahndorf continued to control the game and with fifteen minutes to go looked to be cruising to victory until Craig decided to make things a bit more exciting. Stretching for a well hit cross, Craig only managed to push the ball past Brooke for an own goal that evened up the score.

Set the challenge to regain the lead, the Magpie Reserves pushed forward to find an opening. Several chances went near but the final touch was astray, until Big Bear Murphy pounced on a mishandled ball by the Monarchs’ goalkeeper and tucked it into the net for his second and restored Hahndorf’s lead.

A fourth was added just before time, with Short on the end of a fine cross to nod in at the back post. The full back celebrated his debut goal for the club in style as Hahndorf rounded out a well-deserved victory. Best on the day were Short, the Black Pearl Boyce, Big Bear Murphy and Brooke.

Next week Hahndorf travel to Flinders University for the final game of the season with both teams having plenty to play for. Flinders will be looking for the win to gain promotion while the Magpies will be desperate for the points to ensure second division survival.