21st April 2007 - Round 2: Scotch vs Grads Red

A1: Scotch 1 - Grads Red 1 B1: Scotch 0 - Grads Red 2 A1 Summary Well, let me start by reminding you of the Arsenal vs PSV 2nd leg Champions League match a few weeks ago, where Arsenal had total domination of the entire game and over 30 shots for no goals. Today, we were Arsenal!!! Apart from the fact at least we scored one goal, that we didn't get knocked out of the Champions League, and that we're probably got a little more depth than the Gunners anyway! The game was a Scotch home game, but due to our immaculate pitch still being unavailable, was played at Grads Red's home ground, at the Adelaide Uni parklands in the city. The game started at a great pace for a Collegiate League game and Scotch had all the running right from the first kick off. Due to a couple of late arrivals, SUPER-FIT Alasdair Rodgers and Joel Quinn had to back up a full B's game by starting in the A's also, and did very well! Quinny had an early chance go just wide from a stinging shot, with another couple of chances falling to Dane who shot narrowly wide from distance, and Danny Adams was almost on the score sheet following a great solo fun from centre back. But, as would be the rest of the day, these chances somehow just missed or were parried away by a rather lucky keeper! However, around the 25 minute mark, Scotch got on the board for a deserved goal and the first for the club in A1 competition! Following some constant forward pressure and shooting from our attacking midfield maestro Fergie Ferg, the ball fell for our new Norwegian "Super-Signing" Eirik Sandvik to calmly slot the ball past the keeper from 6yards at his near post! GOAL!! The remainder of the first half had the ball firmly planted in Scotches offensive half with attack after attack, where the posts and crossbar were both tested a couple of times each and several more shots that would have left the rather flat-footed keeper's hands stinging. It was turning into one of those days where each shot somehow either found some way of hitting the frame, narrowly missing or being put straight to the keeper. No exaggeration!! Anyway at half time it had been a one sided game and we would have been excused for thinking that we were going to put the ball into the back of the onion sack few more times. The second half was much more of the same with possession predominantly held by scotch, and several more chances going begging and being wasted. With 70 minutes gone, and the game should have been sewn up much earlier, the inevitable happened of course!! The score was levelled with one of the few decent attacking runs Grads Red put together coming on from the left flank, that was finished with a great strike from 20 yards to beat Ravo and make it 1-1. The game was again finished with Scotch doing the bulk of the attacking, but unfortunately not being able to score that elusive 2nd goal. Silky smooth Waz and Auzzie-born Englishman Geordie both had great attacking games at wide midfield, with Waz treating us to some wonderful Christiano Ronaldo like step-overs, and the super-strong central defensive duo of Chrissy Rogers and Dr Danny Adams were well organised and hardly tested all day. Our highly anticipated French summer signing Fabs had another good game at left back in only his 2nd game of outdoor football ever. Eirik and Dane were menacing and dangerous all day up front, and Fergs was his usual elusive and dangerous self at attacking mid. However, in the eyes of both myself and the umpire (who had a severe lack of understanding of the 'advantage' rule and a scary pettiness for 'shirts-in' and politeness on the pitch) gave 3 votes to Mr El Capitano John McQueen for his leadership on pitch, constructive talk, overlapping runs from right back and long raking balls cross pitch. 3 votes: John McQueen 2 votes: Warren Farrington 1 vote: Nick Ferguson Anyway, although a disappointing result for what could have been, it was a much improved display from the previous week with regards to possession, build-up play and organisation. With a couple more summer signings still to grace the club and hopefully some improved attendances at training, watch out league!!!