2R Match Report

6 June 2009
Mt Kuringai

StM 2R [3] Berowra [2]
Goal scorers: Matt M, Peter G, and Dom F

Soccer report:

As match reports have become the stuff of legends, to ensure I could at least provide a report of similar length even if not in quality, I came to one conclusion, I needed to start writing before the actual game started. Actually wasn’t as hard as I thought as going by previous weeks, this is what would happen: 

Another typical Saturday where St Michaels 2s get to play while everyone else twiddles their thumbs.  Even better with so many games off, we have independent referees and linesmen.  And of course with so many games cancelled due to bad weather, we would be playing in beautiful sunshine.  It would be a long trek up into the north country where 30 minutes to go, with everyone guaranteeing after the last game to be there on time, there would be the same 4 people there watching Hilly have his first rollie for the day.  Mark our goalie would then be doing his strange yoga warmup positions on the goalline, and probably Bish, Marc, Scott and lets say, Hughesy there having shots at goal and then running after the ball as it sails over or wide of the posts. Greggy and Pete S practising long throws as the rest slowly join us, with discussions whether Wayne, Jock, or Blake will have recovered from their injuries and whether Rohit allowed back into the country, to complete the team for the day.  Customary stretch from Stewie while Scott tells us the team, Marc says pass and move, Scott called over to lose the toss and we are ready for the game to start, well nearly, as we wait for Matt and Steve to run onto the field as they have just arrived.

This report now reverts back to real time and it is now Saturday and should say close enough to not change anything except bloody impressive new boots by Matt were well noted by all.

Being in the North country, under the power lines, where if you train at night they don’t need lights with the warm radiant glow and that’s just the players and heading practise is so much easier when you have two heads.  Also everyone is so friendly and knows everyone so well, well you would if you were all related and married first cousins.  You have the idea.

The game started really well with us passing the ball around with total authority and with some luck could have been 3 nil up after the first 20 minutes.  Mark looked very bored in goals, I think still trying to remember who had not replied to his Wednesday invitation night, even though we had all emailed back 3 times.

The final third play though was just not clicking there for awhile, with the usual slick passing coming via Scott’s boots letting loose a fast moving Matt or Rohit onto the through ball but we couldn’t just put the ball into the back of the net.  Even one occasion on the counter down the right side found Greggy  there in open space in front of goal (yeah I’m not sure how he got there either) screaming for the ball to be crossed to him but not to be and another missed opportunity.  Our secret weapon Wayne as no one has seen him play, and that includes us, came on in a surprise move up front, I think Scott finally seeing the value of the mercurial talents of the backs to try and help the cause.  I am sure Wayne would have if he had been able to last more than 5 minutes and mubbling as he was carried off ‘ better see Jack’.

While the passing was some of the best around, and clearly showing to the home side why they call it the beautiful game, the first goal came from a piece of individual brilliance.  We gained a corner kick and Matt decided to curl the ball in and it went straight in off a weak ‘parry’ by the goalkeeper onto the head of one his defenders and in, and to those who know this beautiful game can understand the subtlety and cleverness of this goal as if you were watching closely you could see Bish stand in front of the keeper, probably standing on his toes, one hand on his jumper and so made it nearly impossible for him to reach the ball before it curled in, brilliant.  It’s the nuances of the game that sets this game apart and Bish has lots of them, which most of us unfortunately miss.  Matt’s kick was good too.

We totally dominated the rest of the half, with our midfield running non stop all over this monstrous field.  Steve and Hughesy controlling the centre which seemed about the size of Kingsford Smith’s entire ground and proved how fit they were, with Bowdy, Bish (and his nuances) and Pete creating the space out wide and great link play to the forwards. 

The backs did their part as always, playing it amongst themselves rather than the big hoof upfield, setting up and starting all the plays, totally unphased by the forwards charging down on them - well except those times we pass it straight back to the opposition and they then score but not today, well okay maybe once but we won’t dwell on any negatives.  So we had the speed of Dom up the right, the tackling demon that is Hilly, Greggy with his interplay down the left with Bowdy and his long throws, Mark yelling at us from Goal, me doing something - and you understand why opposition forwards continually are made to look stupid and feeble. We even had a guest appearance from Warwick, who fitted in to this well oiled machine as if had been there his entire playing career and would be welcome back at anytime, just as Paul must surely be due back soon to strengthen this already dominant force of nature.  Probably enough about the backs - did I mention setting up and starting all the plays?

The second half started after the first half had finished, this threw us and we didn’t quite have the same stylish play about us from the restart.  The opposition took advantage of this and came at us hard, wasn’t a pleasant look and we obviously held off and gave them space. While not dwelling on the negatives (again), they did put two quick goals past us and like Jan, we weren’t happy.

This is the time when real men stand up and be counted (luckily the opposition could use the fingers on both hands to count the whole team including reserves here thanks to the power lines), where men are men and sheep are nervous, where they separate the men from the boys, well they should, that’s just too friendly even for first cousins - anyway, we knew that it was a long drive home feeling miserable and so we soon got back on track.

Great build up work and passing (starting from the backs), through the midfield and eventually Pete smacked one in and we were back all level.  You could see the tide turning.  The first time we played this team, we had a 3-1 lead, and we finished with a draw, and so today we were very motivated to ensure this was not going to happen again.  We needed inspiration and funny enough, it came from the backs and after another corner, Bowdy sent the ball to just outside the penalty box, where Dom waited to cooly hit the ball through the mass of bodies, into the goal for our third.  It was one of those moments when everything seemed to be in slow motion - well actually it was, it must have been the slowest hit ball I have ever seen but with so many bodies in front of the keeper, I think the only time he saw it was as it was going past him. 

We just had to hang on now, and to bring more drama to an already filled day, we had the relief of a penalty being awarded to us (thanks Matt), the thrill that the game was now safe and then the shock of seeing Captain Reliable hit it straight to the keeper. 

This seemed to spur on the home side for the final two minutes and they moved the ball down to our end of the field for one last raid on our goal.  A free kick was awarded on the side line, in line with the penalty box and they moved virtually everyone up for this last ditch effort.  We called everyone back including our forwards, and this is what makes our team so special, as we hear those immortal words from Matt ‘that’s not my job’.  So everyone is back, Berowra is ready to pounce, the kick comes over, the fans hold their breath…  you always remember where you are, don’t you, the day man landed on the moon, Aloisi kicking that penalty to get us to the world cup, your first playboy centrefold, this was one of those moments I am sure will long be remembered by all and sundry as the backs held firm and headed off the line and we heard that final whistle for a well deserved 3-2 victory. 

So in summary, everyone did their bit in a all round effort by the team but in case anyone wasn’t sure, special mention must go to those unheralded, unrewarded, and totally selfless heroes of the backline that saved the day once again to ensure our march at the top goes on.

Marc Bineham (possibly a back)