Match report

Match report

Most of this group of Warriors have had many visits to Bradwod Park over the past two years always ending in disappointment, but with the sun shining and a new season they went into the game with a sense of purpose after last week's first win for the season. 

Woodside started the better team with good passages of play and many strong runs into the Stirling Districts defensive third, but their opponents stood strong and worked hard to clear the ball out of their defensive line. Woodside maintained its pressure winning a number of corners and when a ball was finally played across the goal away from the keeper it fell to the feet of a Woodside player, who struck the ball first time and placed it into the bottom right corner. Woodside had been here many times before scoring early and then giving their opponents an opportunity to get back into the game. The same could have occurred today but Stirling Districts were unlucky to not put away their chances as they pressured the Woodside goal, either just missing, deflection from the keeper, hitting the post or even the crossbar in continuous attacks. To Woodside's credit they tightened their defence taking greater responsibility for their opportunities and stopped their opponent's run.  With the ball travelling from end to end it could have been anyone's game, but when a free kick was awarded in the last few minutes of the first half Woodside took its opportunity, with a direct shot on goal that was not cleared by Stirling Districts the ball found the feet of a Woodside player who turned with the ball and slotted it into the back of the net.

The start of the second half started as competitive as the first, with both teams making challenging runs into each others halves. The Woodside defence stayed strong running and closing down Stirling Districts attacks. Woodside continued to play is brand of good passages of soccer and were rewarded when a player finally broke through the Stirling Districts defence and beat the keeper. Stirling didn’t give up and continued to play the ball around providing themselves a number of opportunities that were stopped by the Woodside keeper and defence. As the game continued to flow with Stirling pushing players forward they finally had a shot that ricocheted off a Woodside player, there was nothing the Woodside keeper could do as the ball flew over his head and into the back of the net. Stirling continued to push forward again and the Woodside keeper and defence held strong. When Woodside had the ball they looked the better team, finding team mates in better positions. When the right winger and central midfielder combined to beat the Stirling District defence it left the winger with a one on one with the keeper, taking it in his stride he slotted the ball home. 

Stirling Districts lifted again and applied pressure to the Woodside defence but after multiple attempts by the Woodside team to clear their lines Stirling Districts scored again. Both teams should be commended for their sportsmanship as the game was played in good spirit, in a free flowing game Woodside finished up the winners but the story could have been different if Stirling Districts found its mark in the first half.