Match report

Match report

For their Round 4 encounter Woodside Warriors U13 Red hosted Murray Bridge Gold for the mid-morning match at the Warriors’ Fortress on a cool, sunny autumn morning. And conditions were set for fast open football!

Bridge was coming off a great start to the season, with a couple of wins and an abundance of goals in their first three encounters, while the Warriors were coming off a couple of tight losses and a hard-fought win. This one was anyone’s for the taking.

Despite a few last-minute withdrawals through illness and isolation and a flurry of last-minute text messages to fill a team, Woodside leapt out of the blocks, driving the ball forward to get behind Bridge’s line and create scoring opportunities, but the Bridge backs were up to the challenge, clearing to safety on a number of occasions and keeping their card clean though the early skirmishes. And when Bridge surged forward, they looked dangerous! Their goal-loving strikers were desperate to stretch the net and looked set to break through whenever the ball was at their feet. But time and again, Woodside proved equal to the challenge, repelling every foray and returning the ball with interest to create opportunities on the counter-attack. Eventually, they found a way through to challenge on goal, only to be denied at the death by a keeper willing to put his body on the line and save the day. In doing so, Murray Bridge’s keeper took a ball to the face and was forced from the field as a spring of claret tinged his chin red. But his absence was temporary, and he returned to fold for more heroics after his replacement made some incredible saves of his own. Eventually, the weight of pressure paid dividends and Woodside’s right wing broke through to take a crucial lead in a very tight affair – his attacking flair was matched only by his relentless pressure and fight for the ball. And although both sides pressed hard, neither net was ruffled again before the break.

The tempo of second half was initially set to frantic before gradually being dialed up to intensely hectic. Woodside had the edge for much of the game, with possession and territory in their favor. But a one goal margin is a precarious thing, and with the Warriors’ legs tiring, no reserves to throw into the fray and a Bridge team oozing with goal-scoring talent, no body watching dared to predict the outcome. Midway through the second term things got harder for Woodside as their striker went down with a sprained wrist and was forced to sit out the rest of the game. Playing one-short up front, Woodside were still creating opportunities, but all were repelled by disciplined back-work or exceptional keeping. As the game wore on and Woodside were clearly flagging, Murray Bridge sensed blood from their tiring opposition and found another level of intensity, now elevating the tempo from intensely hectic to ridiculous chaos, and with ten to go a powerful right leg enrobed in a yellow sock struck a ball with irresistible power directly at his target. The world stopped. The ball curved on its immaculate parabola. Then, from amongst the fray, a gloved hand soured through to deflect the ball out and away. Woodside fans breathed, Bridge fans threw their hands to their heads in disbelief, and the young footballers went on with their journey. The final ten minutes seesawed, with the ball surging from end to end as two tired midfields were unable to find clean possession and control the game. But neither side could goal and Woodside hung on in a thrilling finish.