Match report

Match report

After the recent wet weather, Woodside was forced to host their home game against Stirling at Strathalbyn, with the Strikers committee kindly offering the use of their facilities for all five of the matches scheduled to be played at the Warriors Fortress.

The past two times these teams have met, Stirling has come away with the choccies, but after a great mid-season, Woodside were backing themselves to steal the contest and from the outset, that looked a very real possibility. To add a bit of spice to proceeding, a draw for either team would be enough to see them leap-frog their opponents on the league ladder.

The first half was an enthralling encounter – Stirling were on the attack for extended periods of time without creating any real chances, while Woodside looked likely to goal on every counterattack, and created the best chance of the half when a beautiful shot hit the post mid-way through proceedings. But although both sides worked their asses off, neither could break the deadlock and we went into half-time tied up at nil-all.

Woodside were again short-staffed this week, with only a single sub available to freshen up the weary, and as the second-half wore on they were finding it more and more difficult to get the ball out of their own end. This was creating real problems for their defense and midfield, who were pressing with relentless intent, but unable to find a clean target past half-way. Thus, each clearance was delivered back into the fray by a well-organised Stirling eleven who were both methodical and talented. Time and again a Stirling player beat the first defender and ran down the wing; time and again they delivered the cross; time and again they lined up a shot; and time and again their opponents shut them down before they could send the ball goalward. It was an enthralling contest. Could woodside hold on for a draw? Could they sneak a goal on the counter-attack as they had threatened to do in the first half? They could not. But it wasn’t for a lack of trying! With only five minutes left on the clock, body and brain were beaten to submission and an uncharacteristic miss-timed pass playing out from a goal-kick (borne of the exhaustion of 30 minutes of continuous defending), a fumbled first touch and an eager opposing striker gave Stirling the lead that they had worked so hard for. It was devastation for the young Warriors and they had every right to drop their heads and concede the game. But, as they have so often done over the past years, they refused to take the easy path. Winning was going to be hard from here, but there was no way they were going to back down. Stirling were buoyed buy their goal and looked a team possessed for the last five minutes of the game, but Woodside held tough to keep it to a one – nil score line when the ref blew her whistle to close proceedings.

The Warriors were visibly shattered by the result. Clearly this one meant something to them. But those who had watched the encounter had witnessed one of the most extraordinary displays of defensive football that you are likely to see in the Hills Junior League, and such an experience is sure to carry this team forward with great hope for the future, after all, goal-scorers may win games, but it’s good defense that wins titles…