AHJSA Match Reports

Great game today by the Mt Barker team. Way too good for the Rangers with the whole game being played at one end.  All our players played well and rotated around the ground.  Asher and Beau were once again stars but the standout was Talon and his first ever goal.

Today was the day of the "Js"! Hahndorfs sensational team work today permitted the 3 "Js" to score and score again! Well done to the J boys - Julian Hack (4 goals), Joshua Verryt  (3 goals) and Jacob Gardner (1 goal). Of course, these goals are the result of both great skill and great team work.  

 

We had three great subs today Riley Neumann, Zack Schwarz and Jacob Gardner ( and thank you to Toby Files for supporting the team - next time we need you too). Thank you boys for assisting our team. Your extra energy gave us the boost we needed. What a win!

 

Riley Bowden provided his usual outstanding goal keeper skills and saved many of potential Bridgewater goals. Matthew Knight followed this up in the second half and blocked Bridgewaters attempts and provided massive kicks back into the Hahndorf end of the pitch.

 

Oliver Dahmke, Harry Mumford, Lucas Leske excelled in this game marking their players and attacking the ball. The boys must have clocked up a lot of Kms during this game. Logan Maxwell was great attacking today and was on the ball. He made a beautiful cross pass which Verryt was able to get into the net.

 

Griffin Turnball played his best game this season. Totally on form and ready to attack or defend when required. Max Oliver was well placed in attack. He has proved again how speedy he is. Charlie Harvey despite an injury played well and passed and defended along the defence line to block the opposition. 

 

All round a great, well matched game against Bridgewater. Such an enjoyable game for all players and supporters. Well done to both teams. A great win for Hahndorf.

Another great game between Hahndorf Black and Murray Bridge Blue, played on Handorf home pitch at Pine Avenue. Murray Bridge's coach mentioned after the game that they always seem to lift a bit and play well against Hahndorf Black.

The game was competitive, and tough.. and both team played with excellent sportsmanship.

Hahndorf got the better of the scoreline this game.

All Hahndorf players did their jobs and played with courage and discipline. They all ran hard, all game, and were thinking what to do very well. With Angus and Gracie, and recently returned from injury Callum, playing excellent games. Esther showing great determination and skills, all game. Consistently good contributions from the younger guys Hayden, Jacob, and Zack. With Ryan and Damon playing another typically confident and strong game, and could easily have finished with a couple of goals each.

Hahndorf's coach contributed the following summaries around their best players:

3 votes - Manning Broadbent
Controlled the play in defense, attack and midfield. Made one-two plays exactly as asked, and scored a goal from a set play (corner) that we had practised at training. Very enjoyable to watch, and with Damon, they stepped up bigly to fill the Orland/Elwin gaps.

2 votes - Grace Haynes
Dominated in defense every time it came to her and made several good plays down the wings after looking up and finding a player as opposed to just booting it. Coach noticed that nearly every time she gets the ball a play is made.

1 vote - Ivy Wakelin
Really stepped up the courage this week. She went in for hard tackles and made two or three crucial clearances, when others seemed too tired.

With a week of rain, the Stirling United home game was moved to Strathalbyn. The filed was in great shape and it was a mild temperature which made it a good day to watch a great game, and that is what we had.

Stirling Untied got away early with a corner deflecting into goals, but the Rams fought back to level the scores and the next twenty minutes was an arm wrestle for goals. Both teams showed great skill and the smaller rams took it up to the physically dominant Stirling team and by the end of the first half the score was 1-3 to Stirling United.

The second half saw the Rams adjust and come back out with a different plan, and it paid off quickly with the Rams Aiden Williams getting one back early. The strength of the Rams defence was tested often but they challenged every ball and made clearances to their teammates. Johnno Holdback worked hard in the midfield to contain the breakaway runs and anything that got through was shut down by Sam Peplinski and Josh McCafferty. Ben Kramer took on the challenge of containing their dominant player and did a fantastic job.

The game intensified and the rams worked to be up 4-3 with 7 minutes to go after and Eric Fahner goal, but Stirling United found another gear and pushed up for two quick goals to finish ahead 4-5. It was a great day and a thrilling game.

Strathalbyn U14 Red team played Stirling Districts White team this weekend for their Round 2 clash.

From the start Strathalbyn played like pro's and their passing game was fantastic. Strathalbyn's support of each other throughout the game made for a rewarding match and as a result, goalscoring started early and continued well into the second half.

Stirling battled hard in response to Strathalbyn's momentum but for the most part were unable to crack Strathalbyn's solid defense.

A well earned victory for Strathalbyn with the final score:

Stathalbyn 5 - Stirling Districts 1

For their Round 2 clash, Murray Bridge U14 Gold travelled to the Warriors Fortress to take on Woodside U14 Blue. Conditions were prime for a clean, fast exhibition of the Beautiful Game and both sides looked keen to demonstrate their skill, determination and will.

From the opening whistle, the sides looked in stark contrast to one another – Woodside with their high (although vertically challenged) defensive line leading the tall Murray Bridge forwards to their own side of halfway – Bridge defending deep in their own half and happy to keep numbers back to clog the space. This created an interesting difference in styles and made for an enthralling spectacle. But despite these stylistic differences, all and sundry had come to play, and play hard.

Woodside’s high defence meant there was space behind, and the big Bridge strikers knew it. Not only were they big, they were also fast and seemed to have hidden Thor’s Hammer in their boots (when their foot hit the ball, it knew it!). And it wasn’t long before Bridge managed to push the ball behind the Warriors backs – creating a foot race for the ball, they won the race, created a one-on-one with the goalie and finished the job. One – nil, Bridge.

But the home side was undaunted, this group was born without the giving-in gene! They defended hard against their imposing opponents and then surged forward on the counter, creating a number of half-chances before finally finding the equaliser through some great footwork, a clean assist and an accurate finish. But, just as the Warriors refused to lie down, the visitors too were up for the fight. And whenever they had the ball, their hearts were set on exploiting the vacant turf at their attacking end of the ground. This relentless chip-and-charge style of play from Bridge had the Warriors defenders turning on their heels to chase back, and on many occasions they were able to diffuse the bomb and clear the ball. But eventually, the class of the Bridge strikers came to the fore as they found the sack and took the lead at 2 – 1.

The relatively inexperienced Warriors goal keeper was embarked on a rapid learning-journey – he was now acutely aware that one-on-ones hurt! But they hurt less if you meet your opponent head on and with clear intentions! After conceding two, he wasn’t going to wait on his line again and on several occasions he charged off the line to deny Bridge an easy shot on goal! And it was this natural courage that kept the score in check, with Bridge taking a deserved 3 – 1 lead to the break.

The second half saw some of the pressure released. It was still game-on but the intensity seemed a fraction down. Both sides were playing lovely football and half-chances were created at both ends of the ground. Bridge capitalised on two of these, sneaking one over the goalies head and slipping a spinning ball behind the defence to open up a comfortable 5 – 1 lead. But with their hearts and minds driving them forward, Woodside ignored the score-card and continued to strive for glory – they may have been unlikely to win the match but respect was still up for grabs! They ran, they tackled, they strove for the net, and they were eventually rewarded with a penalty in the dying minutes. This was accurately dispatched into the net and provided a consolation prize for the home team.

Bridge were comfortably the better side on the day, but full credit to Woodside for their relentless efforts and never-say-die attitude!

An impressive performance by Mount Barker on a chilly day in Hahndorf against a determined Hahndorf team. The first half was fast moving with possession swinging evenly. However, Mount Barker succeeded in penetrating the Hahndorf defence to go into the changing room with the score in their favour, 2 : 0.

In the second half, both teams showed tenacity but the Mount Barker forwards and attacking mid-fielders proved too strong and fast for the Hahndorf defenders. The Hahndorf team kept their heads high and gave their best but ultimately could not stop the well-coordinated Mount Barker forwards nor find a way through a well-drilled defensive mid-field and back line. Mount Barker took the game comfortably 6 : 0.

The Hahndorf goal keeper Tom Boekel displayed truly amazing athleticism and speed of reaction to save numerous strikes on goal. More than once, he brought the crowd to their feet in admiration of a flying save. The Hahndorf forwards, Harry Coles, Harry Williams and Isaiah Ajeero used clever footwork and coordinated their runs well with Stefan Panic and Shafiq Herriman in mid-field, with support from Cameron Norris, Damon Potts, Ryan Sickerdick and Toby Boekel who all pushed forward creatively but the Mount Barker defenders were up to the task and kept a clean sheet. Despite the pressure of constant, well-coordinated attacks by Mount Barker, the Hahndorf defenders, William Dimech, Hayden Abrahams, Oakley Lockyer and Konrad Michael jockeyed and tackled with determination right to the end. Both teams should be proud of a game that demonstrated skill and a good sporting attitude by all players.

With the Aldgate pitch waterlogged, the U14 game between Stirling United and Strathalbyn White was relocated to Strathalbyn. The game was played in near perfect conditions, with cloud cover but no precipitation and only the gentlest of breezes to contend with. An early goal from Nick Smith got the game underway, but it soon became clear that the game would be hotly contested with both teams having chances to break forward. Ky Henry continued his outstanding form this season at right back by constantly breaking down Strathalbyn attacks with exceptional closing speed, and when opportunities arose, pressing forward down the right wing to create opportunities for Stirling United. In the 11th minute, Araby Phelan had a chance to score, but great defence from Strathalyn saw the shot blocked, however the second effort from Phelan allowed him to get around the defender and slot the goal away with his left foot. Soon after, Phelan had another opportunity which he calmly slotted home.

Kalan Brooks for Strathalbyn continued to create problems for the Stirling defence, and a strong foray forward looked likely to result in a score for Strathalbyn before being closed down by Nick Smith on the left side of the defence. The subsequent rebound found its way to Phelan who scored his third. With only a few minutes left in the half, another opportunity for Brooks saw a powerful shot superbly blocked by Calen McCormick in the United goal.

Holding a comfortable half time lead, Stirling came out strongly, with a first time strike from Charlie Rollings hitting the left hand upright and deflecting wide, and shortly after, McCormick, released from goal keeping duties for the second half, shot powerfully from well outside the box, only to see the ball hit the crossbar and go over the top. Strathalbyn demonstrated their usual fighting qualities and continued to threaten, with Brooks breaking through on goal and shooting just wide. On 52 minutes, the ball found its way to Tyreece Wilson, who's shot got past Lachlan Stein in goal and rolled into the net to see Strathalbyn get one back. The rest of the half was a tight, with both teams starting to show signs of fatigue after such hard fought affair. A goal in the final minute thanks to a calm left foot finish from Toby Leigh saw Stirling come out on top 5-1, but the score didnt accurately reflect the closeness of this match between two of the strongest teams in the league.

Saturday's late morning U14 Div 1 clash between Woodside and Rangers was bound to be interesting. Woodside keen to add some much needed points to their slot on the ladder after losing to Strathalbyn White after grading. Rangers keen to prove that placing them in Division 1 was the right choice after losing to Mount Barker Red after grading. Unfortunately one was likely to win with a draw yet to appear in the 2019 season.

With an equal supply of parents, supporters, friendly coaches and energetic players, the only sway between the two teams was towards Woodside in that it was held on their grounds, otherwise it had all the makings of a classic battle. The referee blew her whistle right on 10:30am and declared the match underway.

The home team started with some unusually strong forward plays, often kicking it forward and just hoping for the best. Captain JETT TONKIN took the opportunity to score for his team with the first goal of the game. The unofficial formula paid off again when Jett slipped another past the keeper after a neat cross from right forward, AILBHE BIFFEN.

Despite the two goal difference the Rangers weren't likely to let the home team steal the thunder from what was a good 30 minutes of solid defending from their team. Notably a handful of girls in their team delivered an outstanding performance across the park. Having done most of the work across the midfield they fed it to one of the boys who managed to slip it past the Woodside keeper, opening up their scoreline, 1-2, before the second half.

The second half was much the same with Woodside's JAYDEN STEWARD preventing Rangers from an equaliser on the 40th minute. JAMES WALL, with a sensational centre-pitch run at top speed, managed to sink the goal of the match, at least in the eyes of Woodside's supporters. Jett added a fourth onto Woodside's scoreline before the referee declared time.

Despite strong performances from most of Woodside's players (CAMERON MCLEAN being a stand out), there were some obvious flaws that need addressing. "A win is a win", said Woodside's Coach post-game. "They've got a long way to go to deserve a 2nd or 3rd placing on the ladder though. Credit should really go to the Rangers team who ran that game out to the 70th minute."

With a weekend off before the next round both teams have extended time to discuss and address any issues. Woodside will see Hahndorf on Pine Avenue at 1pm on the 15th of July, whilst Rangers will take on Strathalbyn White at 10:30 at their Polo Grounds.

Although it was the first official day of winter, we were given perfect weather at Hahndorf for the 1pm match between Hahndorf S.C and Mount Barker United Red. A Solid start by Hahndorf attacking early in the first half, but proving difficult for the younger side to get past Mount Barker’s strong defence.

Following a few shots on goal and great saves by Hahndorf’s keeper came lovely first goal for the match by Max Chapman from the right wing. A second goal from Boyce Currie, set the half time score at 2-0.

After making a few position changes in the second half, Mount Barker found their rhythm. Richard Fries and Harrison Hoppe each scoring hat tricks, Anthony Palma scoring a couple and a second from Boyce Currie. An overall great effort by Hahndorf giving it their all against the older U14 team.

Final Score Mount Barker 11-0

What a great game between Woodside & Murray Bridge. Woodside applied pressure from the start & were rewarded with an early goal. The home side quickly replied to equalise. Both sides fought hard with Woodside showing their great structure by passing the ball around to press forward, whilst Murray Bridge applied their pressure by long passes out of defence & their forwards running onto the through balls. Both sides were dead locked at half time with two all. The second half brought lots of on the edge of your seat moments. Murray Bridge were rewarded on the scoreboard with there constant pressure scoring another couple to retain the lead. However they conceded a penalty with an unfair tackle in the 18yd box, with Woodside converting quickly to peg back the margin to one. Another score from Woodside left both sides tied, feeling the pressure to try & claim the three points with very little time remaining on the clock. Murray Bridge managed to get the ball in the back of the net, but the goal was disallowed due to the ball being struck out of the Woodside goalie’s hands after he had clearly controlled the ball. The game finished with a four all draw. Both sides needed to be congratulated for their hard work on the day.