Senior Women’s Div.1 – Rd.7 on Sat. 13th June 2015
SW1 Weekly Round Up
The wet weather not only brought smiles to the farmers in the western parts of the state but also to the mudlarks who revel in playing in these conditions. Most of the games were played in drizzly or light rain conditions, which brought out only the die-hard supporters to the games, all rugged out in all shapes and forms of warm clothing.
The round began with a boil-over as the current leaders, West End, met a committed Salisbury Baptist team and went down 2-0. “From roosters one day to feather-dusters the next!” Raceview had a solid 4-0 win against Brisbane Valley. In the ‘Match of the Day”, Logan Uniting and Westminster battled it out with countless goal-mouth melees, but, experience seems to triumph over enthusiasm again, as the away team were relieved with the 3-0 result in a game that could have gone either way. The North Pine Baptist girls continued on their winning ways with a 2-0 away win at Logan Metro.
The final game matched in-form teams Rosewood United against the free-scoring Blackstone United team. The inclement weather and a couple of key injuries to the Rosewood girls didn’t help their cause as the Blackstone United team overran them 7-1.
After 8 games played this season the ladder is still congested at the top with three points separating 6 teams! Blackstone United and North Pine Baptist lead the charge with 18 points, closely followed by Westminster Warriors and West End on 16 points and Raceview and Rosewood a point behind. Logan Uniting, Logan Metro and Salisbury Baptist are involved in their own battle for 7th position, whilst Brisbane Valley have continued to battle on and have been very unlucky on a number of occasions this seasons going down by a solitary goal.
Match of the Day
Logan Uniting 0 v Westminster Warriors 3(H/T: 0-1))
Ref: Peter Murphy + Asst Refs: Declan Murphy & Campbell Paton
Coaches/Managers:
# Graham Henry / Cherene Henry (Logan Uniting)
# Paul Janson /Sue Peacock (Westminster Warriors)
We had not even sat in our seats as the game kicked off and the home team embarked on a period of relentless pressure on the Westminster goal. Wave after wave, the teamwork and enthusiasm displayed by the Logan Uniting, helped by the enthusiastic cheering of the home team supporters, had the Westminster girls camped in their own half for long periods of the first half.
Central striker Simone Bartolsic was practically in every attacking move with Tia Bennett, Gail McLellan & Penny Thorne playing some exquisite passes from midfield, whereas Shavana Ravji and Chloe King were storming down both wings and providing width on the flanks.
After an enterprising move was halted with a mistimed tackle in the 4th minute, Lana Ambrose fired a long shot from a free kick on the left side of the field just over the bar for the “Ooos and ahhs” of the home team and its supporters to continue!
In the 7th minute, Simone Bartolsic’s fantastic turn and lay-off to Chloe King, steaming in from the right, sees her shot slam into the side netting.
In the 9th minute, it’s Bartolsic and Shavana Ravji in a quick one-two, with Ravji’s shot going wide.
In the 14th minute, another exchange of passes by the Logan Uniting girls is denied with a foul. Lana Ambrose stepped up again and in a dangerous free kick at least three attempts at goal by different Logan Uniting players cannot go into the net!
The procession raids by Logan Uniting continues for almost the first half hour of the match, and numerous corners are created and whipped across creating half-opportunities, but, they are denied by either Westminster’s goal-keeper, Maddison Fitzgerald, or the composure of Marissa Maitland in central defence, or the lack of self-belief in front of goal, or the posts and the crossbar!?!
This period of sustained attack was the longest of any games I’ve seen this year, yet, the Westminster team held out, and like the Aussie battler in folklore, “Often down, but never out!” In fact, it took 29 minutes before the way team had their first clear opportunity and it came from a counter-attack involving Angie Sullivan, Lauren Herring and April Rustichelli, with the latter shooting just wide from a shot on an acute angle from the right.
The tide turned, and Westminster’s sluggish start was no longer as they reacted to a couple of tactical manoeuvres by their coach, Paul Jansen. Angie Sullivan almost broke through the Logan Uniting defence before being intercepted by an excellent tackle from Lana Ambrose in the 37th minute.
Westminster seemed to slow the game down and the tactic of trying to protect the ball from their opponents as the “pass and then shield the ball” directions paid off after Phoebe Lindberg was fouled out wide on the right wing, about 35 metres from goal. With Lauren Herring and Lindberg poised to take a quick free-kick, the coach called upon his free-kick specialist to come forward from defence and try her luck. Marissa Maitland didn’t disappoint with a wonderful lofted free-kick smashing into the top left hand corner of the net to open the scoring. With almost 10 to 1 chances created against them, the visitors take the lead.
In a final passage of play before the break, a mazey run by Simone Bartolsic leaves a trail of Westminster defenders befuddled and laying prone on the ground (to the amusement of most of the players and fans alike) before the most influential player in the match, Marissa Maitland, intercepts her run and defuses a dangerous situation.
The 2nd half begins with the home team coach, Graham Henry, making a few tactical changes with Amy Bruce leaving the goals to take up a position on the right wing and is deputised in goals by Emily Alfred. This seems to work from the start as Logan uniting return to their rampant best and Amy Bruce seems to figure in most of the plays. One attack after another, and the corner tally continues to rise (about 15 to 1 in Logan Uniting’s favour!) Corners are brilliantly executed yet the frustration continues for the home team as they try to bundle the ball home from inside the penalty box, with at least four players shots in a row on one occasion being blocked. As the rain begins to fall, bodies are sliding around everywhere.
In all this, there has been no mention of the men in black – or I should say man in the middle and his two young offsiders in assistant referee roles (linesmen). Because they were not noticed, speaks volumes of how good they were! For many a game is spoiled by a referee who believes that the game is about them …. hmmm, let me tell you, it’s not! It’s about the players in the middle and the coaches, referees and spectators are there because of the players!!! So congratulations Peter Murphy, and the two young linesmen Declan Murphy and Campbell Paton. Whilst the wet weather was making it harder for the players, the refs had it even harder due to the fading light conditions and still maintained their high standards of decision-making, keeping up with the play and the correct use of the flags to indicate throw ins, corners, substitutions, etc.
At about the 65th minute mark, Lauren Herring took the bull by the horns and began to take charge of the midfield, along with the ever-reliable captain, Emily Smith. Firstly, after a good passage of play by her teammates, Herring almost got on the end of a dangerous cross and courageously slid in, as did Logan Uniting’s gk, Emily Alfred. Moments later, Herring rose high at the back post on the end of a long cross from the right to just head the ball wide. Signs were ominous and the predictable happened in the 67th minute. A long range effort from Marissa Maitland flies high and over the Logan Uniting g/k and extends the score to 2-0 for Westminster.
It’s Logan Uniting’s turn to get the momentum and the never-say-die attitude of their captain, Penny Thorne, begins to create opportunities for herself and her teammates, most notably Amy Bruce on the right wing. But, either the steady goal-keeping of Maddison Fitzgerald in the slippery conditions, or the timing and composure of Nyomi Paczkowski, prevents the home team of scoring a goal.
In a final twist to the tale, Westminster’s April Rustichelli somehow eludes two defenders from near the left wing corner flag, turns back and inside and fires a right-footed curling shoot over the g/k from the acutest of angles just brushing the underside of the crossbar – for one of the goals of the season – and let me tell you, there have been a few!!!
So the game ends 3-0 to the visiting Westminster Warriors, yet, Logan Uniting should hold their heads up high in that they outplayed Westminster and created twice as many opportunities – which I’m sure on another day would have resulted in 6 or 7 goals. Both coaches should be applauded on the skilful passing game that they adopt and the wonderful spirit of the players as evident during the warm-ups, during games, at half-time intervals and at the end of games. Graham and Paul have been around for a while and they make everyone of their players feel important.
Both teams will face tough games next week with the Logan Uniting girls facing a goal-happy Blackstone United squad, whilst the showdown between arch rivals, Westminster and Raceview, will be a spectacle for all to see!
Senior Men’s Div.1 – Rd.7 on Sat. 13th June 2015
SM1 Weekly Round Up
After some exciting form in past weeks – except on the scoreboard, the Logan Metro boys had an excellent 4-1 win at home over Sunnybank Saints that I’m sure provided many passages of skilful play.
Westminster Warriors continued their winning form with an 8-1 win over Whitehill.
Brisbane Athletic overcame an even first half with the Latin Golden Boys and piled on the goals in the second half with a 5-0 win. By all accounts, the technical skills displayed by both teams was a sight to behold.
In a major upset, the visiting Mansfield Eagles took the points with an emphatic 4-1 win against a strong North Pine Baptist team. It just goes to show that SM1 in 2015 is unpredictable and every game can go either way.
The final game between Blackstone United and ladder ladders, St Pauls, played midweek, saw the visitors prove too strong and collect their 8th win on the trot!
