Monday August 20 2007
TOOTHLESS TIGERS DONT TRAVEL WELL
Hahndorf went into their game against the Adelaide Tigers with promotion still a possibility and were determined to keep the pressure on the teams above them. A brace to Craig Cottle and another haul of four to Sam Bowman was enough to cancel the Tigers single score as the Magpies dominated a potentially dangerous match.
The game got off to a slow start with both teams adjusting to the slick surface and putting in some probing forays forward. Sam Bowman, resplendent in borrowed green boots, had early chances, but both times found the Tigers goalkeeper denying his efforts. The Tigers hit back with a sharp break and fired in a shot that hit the post and fell to a fellow Tiger forward. He wound up and hammered the ball at goal but Todd Newman was Hahndorf’s saviour when he blocked a certain goal from point blank range.
As the game developed Hahndorf began to take control with Jon Lynn and Matt Norris battling hard for the midfield posession. However, it was the Tigers who surprised Hahndorf with the opening goal after twenty minutes. The Tigers moved forward and with no-one putting in a challenge, a short pass found a free forward and he stepped around one player to fire a low shot into the corner of goal.
The Magpies set about restoring parity, with a fine move from Chris Wilson and Norris finding Bowman, who again found the ‘keeper with his shot. Lynn and Bowman combined to set up Norris but he pushed his effort wide. However, he was on target minutes later with a bullet-like header from a corner and was denied a goal by a blatant handball that earned the culprit a straight red card.
Bowman stepped up and made no mistake from the spot, powering his shot past the ‘keeper. At 1 –1, the game stepped up and Hahndorf custodian Danny Pace made a parry from a narrow angle before a putting in a fine second effort to reach the ball. Michael Stevens continued his excellent season, stopping the Tiger wingers and then exploiting the spaces down the flanks.
Hahndorf’s second goal resulted from Neil Slater’s precise free kick finding Bowman on the edge of the Tiger area. He quickly nipped past the defender and shot, the ball arcing into the bottom left of goal. Soon after the restart, Pace made a great save, a long shot from the Tigers heading for the top corner before Pace’s timely intervention. As the game drifted into half time, an off-the-ball incident drew the referee’s attention and a second Tiger player was given his marching orders.
At half time Coach Peter Cottle made a substitution, bringing on Steven Ness for Wilson as the Tigers came out roaring. Pace was on hand once more to deny the visitors, making a strong challenge to gather the ball in a one-on-one situation. The save was a contrast to the effort at the other end, Bowman running through the penalty area and slotting past the ‘keeper as he was totally deceived by Bowman’s guile.
Hahndorf made a second substitution, Owen ‘the Black Pearl’ replacing Stevens, as the Magpies used their superior numbers to play the ball around. Several chances went begging, Craig Thompson hitting the post and Norris having two chances in succession before being substituted for Tyrone Blunt.
Hahndorf dominated the middle as the nine-man Tigers began to tire, with the Black Pearl winning every tackle and fellow defenders Slater and Brad Francis in excellent form. Soon Cottle made the score 4 – 1 with a fine finish after the Tiger ‘keeper could only push away Blunts cross to his feet. Cottle then made it two goals in two minutes, the two Craigs combining, with Thompson leaving Cottle a tap in after a fine build up and cross.
The Magpies then should have added more but were denied three more goals by the linesman signalling for some dubious off-side decisions. However, Bowman added his fourth and Hahndorf’s sixth to add more woe to the Adelaide Tigers afternoon as the Magpies totally dominated the final fifteen minutes. The only blemish occurred when a Hahndorf player retaliated to Tiger player and was sent off one minute from full time.
Despite playing for half the game against nine men, it was an impressive display by the Magpies and they thoroughly deserved their victory. Best on the day were Slater, Norris, Cottle, Lynn and Stevens.
The final game of the season sees Hahndorf hosting Old Ignatians, with the Magpies hoping for a favourable result in other games in order to secure promotion.
Hahndorf Reserves
Hahndorf Reserves exacted revenge for their previous encounter with the Adelaide Tigers, trouncing the visitors by 6 goals to one in an emphatic display. A brace to John Lawler and a stunning four by the hard-charging Ashley Parr were no match for the shell-shocked Tigers.
The Magpie Reserves got off to an ideal start, hitting a quick three goals in the first ten minutes. After seeing off an initial Tiger attack, the Magpies opened the scoring when Andy Craig won a midfield ball and sent a through ball to Lawler. Taking the ball in his stride Lawler picked his spot and easily beat the Tigers goalkeeper from fifteen metres.
The ‘keepers day did not get much better as minutes later he hit his goal kick straight to Parr and could only watch as Parr returned the ball with interest as it flew past him and into the net. The fired up Hahndorf side soon had a third as Kyle ‘Teabag’ Eglinton made a fine run down the flank and sent a perfect cross to Parr, unmarked on the edge of the six yard box. Parr made no mistake with his header and left the Adelaide Tigers’ defence pointing fingers at each other.
Despite being three goals down, the Tigers launched a few forays forward but defenders Craig, Graham Philips, Brad Kroehn and Ben Wells were on guard to keep the Tigers out. However, they were caught out by a huge goal kick and failed to reach the long ball before one of the speedy opposition forwards nipped in to put the ball past Magpie custodian Nathaniel Brooke.
Hahndorf hit back immediately, ‘Teabag’ again finding space down the flank and putting another fine cross. The pass just failed to find Tyrone Blunt at the front post but instead it fell to Lawler at the far post and he netted his second and Hahndorf’s fourth.
Hahndorf rounded out the half with their fifth, some excellent work by Blunt and Steven Ness ending with Parr in the penalty area. Swinging onto his preferred left foot he curled the ball just under the bar with the goalkeeper flapping at air. The 5 – 1 score line underlined the determination of the Reserves as they battled hard to put the unpredictable Tigers under pressure.
In the second half the constant rain began to have an effect on the game with the pitch getting slippery under foot as both teams fought for the ball. Hahndorf continued to push forward, with Stuart Thomas cleaning up in the midfield and catching a few late challenges for his troubles. Tensions began to rise as the Tigers players appealed any decision made by the referee and some niggle began to enter the game.
The Magpies concentrated on playing football and added a sixth goal, Parr scoring a cracker from out wide that sailed into the far top corner. With the game well out of reach of the Tigers, Hahndorf maintained their concentration and made substitutions, Blunt, Eglinton and Ness replaced by Brad Coleman, Steve Handley and Rupert ‘Enforcer’ Lindon.
The Tigers threatened the Hahndorf goal a few times but Craig, Wells and Philips commanded the back lines well with support from Kroehn and Thomas. Even when Brooke made a rare mistake, there were two defenders back to protect the goal as a Tiger shot went wide of the mark. Minutes from full time a Magpie player reacted poorly to the constant niggle and was given an early shower for collecting two yellow cards, the only downside to a comprehensive Hahndorf victory. Best on the day were Blunt, Craig and Thomas with quote of the day going to the Tigers coach who said his team had “shown Hahndorf how to play”
The win cements the Reserves in second place and next week they host third placed Old Ignatians with the Magpies looking to atone for the one nil loss incurred earlier in the season.
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