AHJSA Match Reports

We had many opportunities at goal today in slippery conditions.  Our attaches pushed forward scoring 5 goals and our defenders held there position well.  Hahndorf was good in defence too holding there position in goal.

Today's game saw Hahndorf White under 12 take on Mount Barker Red at home.  We were fortunate to have perfect playing conditions with not a drop of rain. 

Coach Ben Dahmke was away this week so the team was very luck to have Jeremy Hack take charge.  Thank you Jeremy.  

 

Reily Bowden once again took on goalkeeper, and as usual produced many saves throughout the game.  The back line consisted of Matthew Knight, Max Oliver, William Whiting and Charlie Harvey.  These four players consistently shutdown the Mount Barker forwards, only allowing Mount Barker to get through to goals five times. Charlie Harvey, who was awarded one of the best players for the day played his center back role with efficiency and strength.  

 

Hahndorf midfielders-Griffin Turnbull, Julian Hack and Zac Schwartz moved the ball cleverly between each other, delivering well timed passes to the foward pairing of Joshua Verryt and Rieley Nuemann. These passages of play set up the three goals Hahndorf scored.  

 

Logan Maxwell, Harry Mumford and Jacob Gardener played a solid game in the forwards and midfield, which also attributed to the Hahndorf goals.  

 

Today's game proved that the each week this team is getting stronger and more confident.  They are showing significant progress in all aspects of the game.  

A great game today between two very evenly matched teams. Hahndorf had a lot of the ball, and attacked all day, but Bridgewater’s defense were hard to overcome. And Bridgewater also converted their opportunities very well when they came.

Best players for Hahndorf this week, with coaches summary:

3 - Grace. Completely dominated her side of the pitch, made some quite complicated through balls up front, and always seemed to have space and time with the ball. 

2 - Damon. Scored, and played striker and then centre defence very selflessly when needed. 

1 - Manny. Stunning crosses from out wide which looked much more senior than his age. Excellent coverage of the pitch. (Missed out on top spot just for having too many touches a few times when he needs to have the confidence to shoot instead of passing).

A great day on a wet pitch set the scene for a tough game. After the toss the game surged both ways as the teams tried to find a way through. A charge from the Rams was stopped and resulted in a penalty goal by Aiden Williams, the Rams got the jump to 1-0. With a few more tough challenges and covering every piece of the pitch the Rams pushed up for Aiden to get one more goal before half time, but Stirling districts would not be denied and they worked to the goals once more and this time converted to bring it back to 2-1.

After half time the game continued to be a tight tussle with no team getting an advantage finally Stirling Districts found the break they needed to draw even at 2-2. the Rams would not give up and they raised the game to another level and worked the field to have the midfielder Eric Fahner, move up in support and score the winning goal.

Everyone there enjoyed a great display of junior soccer and it showed that great soccer was alive and well in the Adelaide Hills.

When you are at the bottom there is only one way to go - and thats up. After a tough rub, the Warriors decided to change tactics, changing up positions and focussing on their defence as they squared up against Mt Barker Blue at Anembo Park. They dominated possession in the first half, Troy Murray, Sidney Cotton and Max Davis making good use of the wing.

Max nearly popped one in, and it was not long after that Troy made a sweeping pass across goal to a waiting Will Limbertwho drove the ball into goal.

Sidney Cotton had a close shot that was just denied and Mount Barker's strikers got a good run on past our defenders to equalise. Goalie James Lunnon saved his first goal and Woodside mobilised, with Troy getting us back in the lead with our second goal.

Our defenders were much tighter this match tighter this match,  sticking to the opposition players, and had the odd opportunity to score with Israel Maxwell nearly sneaking in a shot in front of goal.

In the second half, Matisse Mack, Morgan Burroughes, Mack Olsson and Eddie Moylan were a solid defensive line that Mount Barker struggled to breach, and any that got through were mopped up by Israel, Ollie Boerth and player of the match Jett Warren, who always seemed to be in the right place at the right time.

The play was fast paced in the seccond half and Woodside again dominated possession, with several attempts at goal denied by the goalies on both sides. Troy made a great pass to Mack who lobbed the ball high and into the goal for Woodside's third. Dom Silvestri worked the front of goal and Barnaby Beven ran the wing, narrowly missing two shots. Dom also had a few shots denied, but his persistence paid off when he drove in a goal inside the muddy net area after the goalie fumbled.

Woodside's win demonstrated how teamwork, communication and persistence can pay off. These will be lessons they will take to their next game.

On a sunny Saturday mid morning a competative but friendly game between Stirling Districts Blue and Stirling United took place at Strathalbyn. This was the third time the teams had played together (including a Cup round). Stirliling Districts Blue had won the last two games and this game was a win for Stirling United. Stirling United got away with a cheeky shot by one of their strikers going into the back of the net. This was immediately followed by a reply goal by Stirling Districts Blue. This set the scene for the remaineder of the game. The teams were very evenly matched providing a tough well played competition.  Good sportsmanship was displayed on and off the field by both teams. The final score was 6-3. 

Strathalbyn Under 14 RED played against Murray Bridge Blue team this Saturday.
 

Murray Bridge opened the scoring early in the first half which put pressure on Strathalbyn to match their game and they did so with much forward movement and many shots at the Murray Bridge goal but unfortunately they were unable to score and as a result the away team had the lead at 2 goals to none up to half time.
 

It was early on in the second half however that Strathalbyn pulled out all stops to show Murray Bridge that they weren't going to go down without a fight and the Strathalbyn defense was very convincing in their efforts to thwart the Murray Bridge attack. Strathalbyn regained  composure with more midfield prescence and forward runs which gave the home team the momentum they needed and in turn allowed the forwards to counter Murray Bridge's attack which resulted in 2 goals for the home team.
 

Murray Bridge responded with 2 more goals to put them back in the lead and as the game 'heated up' Strathalbyn's response was to score 2 more goals themselves.
 

With only 2 minutes left on the clock  and both teams battling for a win it was literally anyone's game...a  Strathalbyn striker was brought down in the box but the penalty wasn't given in favour of playing the advantage and sadly no goal came of it.
 

The final whistle sounded and the score was even at 4 - 4.

Woodside Warriors U14 Blue hosted Mt Barker Yellow at their Fortress for the Round 3 clash. Both teams were winless coming into the match and were gagging at the chance to turn their fortunes. As the referee spoke to the players before the game he noted the great condition of the pitch: the earth was firm but forgiving; the turf short and slick; and the air dry and crisp. Goals were on offer for whoever could control the ball and make best use of space.

Soccer is a team game in every sense. To score, the ball must be passed through multiple players to transfer it from one end of the ground to the other; players must work hard off the ball to control open space on the field of play; and all must contribute if the team is to be ultimately successful. And on this occasion Woodside did it better. They started the game at a full throttle – surging forward and dominating from the get-go. Multiple chances were created early as the Mt Barker goal keeper was put through his paces. And though he performed admirably under heavy fire, Woodside eventually found the back of the net via a great curling strike into the corner of the goal. On the back of this, the Warriors surged again – after a couple of tough losses in recent weeks, they could now smell the choccies and were keen to feed. But rather than losing their minds and striving for individual glory, they maintained their structure and played the team game that they knew would serve them well. By the midway point of the first they had stretched the lead to 4 – blot.  By half time they were well in control, taking a 6 – nil lead into the break.

But if anyone thought Mt Barker were ready to lie down and submit, they were sorely mistaken. The boys and girls in Yellow drew deep and lifted their intensity at the start of the second. They were clearly made of stern stuff and were going to make a contest of it in the second stanza, one way or another. And although Woodside were first to score in the second with a couple of beautifully constructed goals, it wasn’t long before Mt Barker responded with one of their own. After being denied by a brave Warriors goalie just minutes earlier in a hair-raising one-on-one contest, Mt Barker found the back of the net through a well struck shot from just outside the box. As the game continued, Woodside created another couple of goals from beautiful running and some sweet crosses into the waiting forwards. These selfless acts of team play have always been a feature of this Woodside team and are a testament to their character and will to win, together.

In the end, the score card showed a solid win for the Red and Blue of Woodside but credit must be given to Mt Barker for their high level of play, and to all and sundry for demonstrating impeccable sportsmanship throughout the encounter.

After some heavy rain mid week, the U14 Div 1 game between Stirling United and Mount Barker Red was moved to Woodside. Despite the rain, and some light early morning fog, conditions were excellent for what proved to be a very tight contest. The first half was dominated by the respective defences, with most of the play between the two penalty boxes and few clear chances for either side. Stirling held a slight edge in terms of posession, but Mount Barker were at times able to use their pace to counter attack. A corner at the end of the half fell at the feet Joseph Doyle, but his shot was wide of the mark, leaving the score at 0-0 at the break.

Stirling came out strongly at the start of the second half, with a shot well outside the box from Tom Harris just going over the cross bar. Shortly after, Henry Monaghan pressured the defence after a goal kick, got around the diving goal keeper and rolled the ball towards goal, only to see a desparate Mount Barker defender clear from right on the goal line. A subsequent corner came out to Doyle on the edge of the box, whose shot was blocked over by the keeper. With Stirling continuing to press but not making any impression on the scoreboard, Monaghan went for an ambitious bicycle kick that looked spectacular but went well wide.

After 50 mins, the deadlock was finally broken when Toby Leigh passed the ball superbly to allow Araby Phelan to run on to the ball on his favoured left and he slotted it home in the bottom right corner. This however did not deter Mount Barker, who mounted a strong counter attack which saw a powerful shot strike the crossbar but deflect over the top. With the play opening up, Phelan had another shot blocked by an excellent save from the Mount Barker keeper, and then with less than 5 minutes to play, a shot from well outside the area cleared Lachlan Stein in the Stirling goal to level the scores.

A frenetic final few minutes ensued, with both teams having opportunities to take the win, before Phelan took the ball on his right hand side and slammed the ball home with his non-preferred right foot to give Stirling the narrowest of victories.

On this performance, both teams can be expected to be fighting it out for the trophies come the end of the season.

Woodside U14 Red’s first game of football with an afternoon kick off was held at Pine Avenue over the weekend. Hahndorf Soccer Club, with their long list of registered players to their name, are to be admired for pitch management. With multiple modified games followed by full-pitch junior and senior games the single pitch held up beautifully, despite the preceding days of rain.

The age-old, pre-game question, “Does anyone have any metal studs?”, was asked by the referee to both teams, followed by a general addressing. The coaches gave some final words of advice to their players before everyone moved to their respective positions. With a sounding of his whistle the referee declared the game open at 1pm.

Woodside, with a comfortable ladder position, took the opportunity to test out an alternate structure. AILBHE BIFFEN relished the opportunity to star as the centre midfielder, JETT TONKIN (C) stepped back a row from right wing to right midfield, HAYDEN DAVIS took the right wing position whilst JAMES WALL started on the bench.

With an an early goal by AIDEN SUTTON, a subsequent goal by Woodside’s Captain, Tonkin, followed by an accidental own goal penned to Aiden, all within 18 minutes, one would have thought the Woodside Coach was onto something with a refreshed line-up.

Unfortunately Hahndorf didn’t think so, seizing the opportunity with clearly open fractures within the away team’s structure to score two goals in as many minutes. The home crowd were ecstatic with their performance, even more so when the referee declared time on the first half.

Woodside, shaken, used the half time break to revert to their tried and true formation, something they’ve had success with in the season so far.

The second half fell heavily in the favour of the away team, with CHRISTIAN FRANCIS, Wall and Tonkin all scoring. Sutton, whose performance was outstanding, added another two to his name after scoring two in the first. Sutton, cramping in the dying seconds, was substituted by super-sub and star centre-back, JOSH VASSOS. Josh, in his brand new position, was halfway through forming a grin, before the referee called time. The second half ended with an additional 5 goals to Woodside and was unchallenged by Hahndorf.

“We took the opportunity to experiment and we paid the price”, said Woodside Coach BRUCE TONKIN. “Hahndorf deserves praise for being part of a strong AHJSA U14 Division. They’ve done well to scare us, something we weren’t expecting obviously.”

Woodside’s man of the match went to Aiden Sutton, whilst both CAMERON MCLEAN and TOMMAS BALACCO performed well.

Woodside will play Strathalbyn White under lights at home on Wednesday night, 6:30pm, in the second round of the AHJSA Cup.

The rain held off for the Under 16s clash between Torrens Valley and Hahndorf at Birdwood. The game started with some good physical contests and due to a great pass into the forward line, Torrens Valley’s Tara Witter kicked the first goal of the match, beating Hahndorf’s keeper James Bagley. Sam Nanasheff crashed through Hahndorf’s backline and made it 2-nil. Hahndorf had to lift and lift they did when Jye Martin found himself in front of goal and chipped one over the Torrens Valley keeper’s head. Hahndorf’s Jack Anderson was busy up forward and kicked his first goal of the game before Torrens Valley found the back of the net again through Joshua Nanasheff. Hahndorf’s Xavier Kell was outstanding, so too was Tully Probert who dominated in the midfield and Micah Edgecombe tied the game with a stunning goal late in the second half. At 3-all, the second half started with Hahndorf’s Jamie Hamilton and Eddie Hardingham narrowly missing goals but the ever-reliable Anderson broke through and slotted a goal with his strong left foot. Hahndorf’s Will Bailye was kept busy and set up a number of Hahndorf forward plays with David Nielsen, Josh Rayner and Alex Montagu stopping Torrens Valley’s tall forwards. Hahndorf’s attack was relentless and Anderson scored a hat trick followed by his fourth goal late in the game. Hahndorf walked away with a 6-3 victory in what was a hard fought game between two very even sides.

The U16's headed up to Bradwood Park to play top of the table and undefeated Stirling District's. With both keepers out and a few injuries we knew it was going to be a tough task. The boys played well for the first 20 minutes holding the defence well conceding shots but District's couldn't finish their chances. Eventually Woodside started to get the ball playing in their half but allowed District's to counter and break through with the pressure. It was good football from both sides and quality was met with quality. The half time score was 3-0 but the boys were kept their heads up and were passing really well. District's went up a level in the second half and Woodside just couldn't keep up the intensity and determination from the first half. The injuries were getting the better of us but we fought till the end. Woodside were unlucky not to walk away with a goal but should be positive with their efforts and carry that into the next few games. Stirling District's add another big win and continue their undefeated run looking to win the league. 

The U16 match between Stirling United and Stirling Districts Blue was moved to Strathalbyn due to the rain during the week, and even there, conditions were a little slippery underfoot. The game started slowly, with chances for United but with nothing on the scoreboard after 20 mins, it looked like it could be a low scoring affair. A slight positional change saw Joseph Doyle moved into a more forward position, and it was he who opened the scoring for United, and the score was doubled when Kyle Fenlon followed up to see you United two goals up at half time.

After half time, things started to open up, with Joseph Doyle scoring a second  and then Charlie Rollings, called up from U14s, striking a beautiful left foot shot into the top corner. A subsequent penalty shout was confirmed by the referee, and 11 year old Mark Doyle stepped up to take the resultant kick. His shot went into the top of the net, to see him take the mantle as the youngest Stirling United player to score in the U16s. After this the game turned into a bit of procession for United with a hatrick for Sam Bartlett and a brace for Tyson Reuter before a consolation goal for District rounded out the scoring for the match.

 

Hahndorf and Torrens Valley Under 17 girls met for the second time this season at Birdwood Park on a muddy, well-worn pitch, making the play slow and a challenge for all players. Hahndorf had a good start to the half with much of the play in their attacking half. Torrens Valley answered with some good attempts on goal and often being consistently first to the ball. Freya Roberts for Hahndorf stole a ball from the hands of the Torrens keeper and passed off to Kiora Hemmings in a great attempt on goal, but this was well saved by Torrens Valley's Claudia Kennedy. At the 20 minute point in the game the first goal was scored when Ilana Biffin from Torrens scored. Siena Epstein and Eliza Stone performed well in midfield for Hahndorf and  Matilda Shotton and Erin Peacock in goals continued to uphold a strong Hahndorf defensive line. Roberts almost scored with a great chip past the keeper late in the first half and Peacock continued a great run in goals with a fantastic save at the 38 minute mark. The score stayed at 1-0 as the teams finished the first half.

Early in the second half a handball in the box resulted in a penalty kick taken by Hahndorf's Eliza Stone, who slotted the ball away well to even up scores at one all. Matilda Shotton continued to make a big difference to the game with her goal keeping as did Charlotte Nielsen for Hahndorf. Torrens Valley scored 2 quick goals at the 11th and 13th minutes in the second half and Shotton and Hahndorf's defensive players continued to have pressure put on them throughout the second term. Shotton made an amazing save through a tap that pushed the ball just past the top cross bar of the goal. Late in the second half a foul was called in the box and Torrens were able to score their fifth and final goal of the game. Ruby Homer ended the game on one, Biffin scored a second goal and Adelaide Williams scored 2 goals for the Torrens Valley side. Despite further attempts by Roberts, Hahndorf did not add to their score but were pleased to have played a competitive and well-fought game despite the results not being evident on the scoreboard. Hahndorf coach David Peacock acknowledged the good sportsmanship shown by MJ Strauss from Torrens, who confirmed that a ball had gone out off her boot despite a call giving the ball initially to her team.