Match report

Match report

You don’t have to win the game to feel like winners, and Saturday morning’s U16 game between Woodside Warriors and Stirling United certainly reflects this.

Both Woodside Warriors and Stirling United have not changed a great deal over the last three years. The relationship between the two has traditionally been strong. This is partly because both coaches share the pitch in a couple of senior competitions and partly because a high numbers of current rep players appear in both teams. There’s nothing sour between the two groups and this will no doubt continue beyond this season.

With that said Stirling United have always been dominant over Woodside. This started with Woodside being minor premiers in 2017, followed by the ever-unusual finals series where Stirling United pipped them at the post with a victory in the Grand Final. From then all games have fallen in Stirling United’s favour. Recent examples? 3-0 over Woodside, Round 1 this season. 6-0 over Woodside, Grading Round last season. There have been many others, 100% in Stirling United’s favour.

Woodside took to the pitch to at least put up a fight against Stirling United, once again, and for the last time this season. The game was held on a moderately wet Woodside Recreation Ground pitch. Thankfully the rain held off, however we are possibly a couple of weeks off of the pitch being saturated and unplayable (or at least very muddy).

From kick-off the play was in Woodside’s favour. Unfortunately a dedicated stats person is outside of either team’s budget, but it would have been interesting to know how much time was spent on the attacking end of the pitch or at least in control of the ball. Twenty-five of the forty minutes perhaps? Higher even?

Either way a slight lapse of judgement and a strong series of passes saw TOBY LEIGH of Stirling United shoot across the keeper to score. It was neither surprising nor unexpected that Stirling United would score first. What was surprising was that they took 25 minutes to do so; unusually slow, given how matches have previously played out.

The goal didn’t dampen the home team’s spirits and the last 15 minutes of the first half saw Woodside continue their control over the game, however it ended with 0-1 in Stirling United’s favour, despite the higher amount of strikes at Stirling United’s goal, albeit wayward and often grossly off-target.

Most second halves see a complete change of control. Stirling United usually enter the second half with a comfortable lead. This subsequently results in calmer play and ultimately an easy victory. A lead of a single goal at half time had them rattled.

The second half saw the game continue as it was from the first. Stirling United struggled to fully experience Woodside’s strong defensive line (MASON DUNOW, AIDEN SUTTON, CHRIS COLLINS and JOSH VASSOS with JAMES RENSHAW and TOMMAS BALACCO also playing parts) as they had to get through Woodside’s mid-fielders first. Meanwhile Woodside held control of the play, probably in as equal portion as the first half.

A couple of injuries saw Stirling United’s NIK SMITH leave the game early, but a dubious call from the referee saw a striking EDDIE HERMAN come off second best to defender KYE MCDONALD. Both players were simply doing their job, but the referee saw something else and paid it in favour to Stirling United.

The game ended 0-1 in favour of the away team, Stirling United.

“I don’t think either team, nor spectators on either side, felt the result was reflective of the game”, said Coach BRUCE TONKIN after the game. “It was a draw at best. Either way, given the history, it felt like a win and the boys were happy only losing to them by a single goal. Now Stirling United are now a single win away from challenging the top rung of the ladder, so good luck to them!”

TOBY VINCENT played outstandingly and was very deserving of best and fairest. JETT TONKIN and BENJAMIN BAILES also delivered strong efforts.

Stirling United will now travel to Pine Avenue to take on ladder leaders Hahndorf Soccer Club, whilst Woodside will travel to Springbank Secondary College to play BHS Forest after their recent defeat over Rangers.