Match report

Match report

Depending on your point of view, the Round 5 thriller between Woodside Warriors U15 and Murray Bridge United was either delight in the dying minute or despair at the death.

For the first ten minutes of the match, Woodside appeared to be in complete control of this one, creating five shots on target, only to be denied by some of the best goal keeping you’ll see in junior football. And despite the relentless pressure, the Bridge backmen clearly had no intention of backing down. Results may not have gone their way in recent weeks, but it is clearly not from a lack of will. Every single player in a yellow shirt fought desperately to protect their nest, covering one another when beaten and haring back with impressive speed to save the day and prevent further shots on goal. In football, it is the accumulation of these smaller, oft-overlooked acts that create a true team performance. And before long, Bridge had found a way forward and were lining up a corner for their first real chance of the day. They went low and hard, sneaking the ball into the six yard box, before a deflected ball bobbled up and was headed from waste-height between two defenders. Somehow, they’d done it! After absorbing a black hole of pressure, they were ahead – And their blood was up! But Woodside responded in the way we have come to expect, resuming the pass-move style of play that had established their early dominance. It took another three attempts for them to find the back of the net, when their center back stepped up to nod one home from a corner on the twenty-minute mark. This threatened to relieve the pressure for Woodside and open the floodgates, but Bridge were having none of it, continuing to scramble in defence while the goal-keeper kept up his show. And so we went into half-time with the game locked at one goal a-piece.

Again, Woodside jumped out of the blocks in the second term, with the Bridge gloveman put to work in the opening minute of play. But again, it was Bridge who hit the scorecard early. And again, Woodside found themselves behind, despite enjoying a sound advantage of territory and possession. This was testing the nerves of the home crowd, who were both astounded and infuriated by a keeper who is winning more admirers with every performance. But you can’t save them all and finally, after 54 minutes of play, Woodside’s left wing sent one into the onion bag on his umpteenth attempt of the day, to bring the scores level… Twenty-six minutes were left on the clock… Woodside were dominating, but Bridge were keeping them out... Who would break the deadlock? With twenty left to play, Bridge created another opportunity, driving one on target. But the Woodside keeper got his mitts in the way. Woodside then missed from a free kick with ten minutes left. And the clock ticked on... With each defensive effort and every miraculous save, Bridge looked certain to hang on, until… With a minute left to play, Woodside surged forward for one last chance. Surely Bridge could keep them out one final time. The ball was played through the line, Woodside’s striker got there first, the keeper came forward, and the ball was struck with precision and grace to curl past the gloves and stretch the net in that glorious and elegant way that it does. This brought elation for the Warriors, but it was a bitter pill for the visitors, who had given every ounce of themselves to get the result.

When the ref brought a close to proceedings, Bridge were gutted. Their disappointment was palpable, but they should surely carry their heads high. Not only did they fight like lions protecting their pride, their structural discipline was also impressive, and will carry them to any destination they crave, if only they can keep the faith. For the Warriors, it was relieved elation that should now provide a springboard as they move forward with new-found confidence.