AHJSA Match Reports

It was a stunning sunny morning for the Hahndorf U8’s to play Stirling Districts. All players were keen to
get started and see who could score the first goal. Owen Hoyle was in goals for the first half. It wasn’t
long into the game that Soren Mickan came very close to scoring a goal. Coach Michael Newman
faithfully tied his first shoelace for the game for one of the players which is a common occurrence every
week. Oliver Knight meanwhile was doing a superb job in defence as Stirling pushed in to try and score.
Indie Dunning along with Levi Neumann charged into attack to bring the ball back down Hahndorf’s
end. However, in this tight fought game it wasn’t long before Stirling had the ball back down their end
where Carter Hartley and Violet Mitchell fought hard to keep the ball away from goal. Mickan was again
strong in attack closely missing the goal and Stirling were quick to retaliate but thanks to Josh Blain in
defence and a great save from Hoyle they were not able to score. This tight battle quickly reached the
second half where Neumann swiftly had an attempt at goal, followed by another with a spectacular field run
from Knight to bring the ball back to Neumann. Ali Semple worked hard in the midfield to keep the ball with
Hahndorf. Mitchell in goals stopped another Stirling attempt to keep the score nil all. Rosie Semple along
with Blain and Neumann strongly stopped Stirling’s attempts to get close to the goals. Knight gave a huge kick
downfield which led to another goal attempt from Mickan. It was an evenly fought game so at full time the score remained nil all.

So many near misses this week for some kids we really wanted to see get some goals before the end of the season . Oliver Jones was all over the ball and took many shots but never quite made it . Keep at it Oli ! Logan Bridge was all over the ball today too.

We also saw some fantastic passes  and goal assists from Laughi Smith .

We were more evenly matched this time by Torrens Valley who have come a long way since we first versed them .

Goals - Q .Klein (2) D Farnam (2) B. French (1)

It was a very exciting game with hahndorf black vs hahndorf white. Both teams had a high intensity from kick off, closely matched on the sidelines! Both teams had some great shots on goal, with one from Luca Falvo Lopez that snuck through to put black in the lead. Both teams very evenly matched and there was an epic header from the white team and great body block buy Jhett Frost but the score board remained at 1 -0 to hahndorf black despite some close calls both ways.

Saturday morning’s game saw a scrappy affair between the two under 9 Hahndorf teams with few genuine chances and even fewer shots on target. Tyson Bancroft provided a target up-front for Hahndorf White, but found little time on the ball as it spent the majority of the match being bundled about in midfield. Fighting hard for possession in that area of the pitch were James Timmins and Cohen Whinfield who both made a number of important tackles to protect their goalkeeper Benjamin Kowald from attack. He had an excellent game in goals, and while he wasn’t called on to make any saves, he did well to corral a number of attempts out of play for goal kicks.

​Hahndorf Black finally got the breakthrough late in the first half when the ball spilled out to their forward line, and without anyone in defence, the keeper was powerless to stop Hahndorf Black’s forward from slotting home the goal. They had been threatening in the lead up, and only moments before, Connor Ozolins had made a crucial, last-man tackle to prevent an almost certain goal. The lead almost didn’t hold to half time either with Simran Singh almost equalising on the stroke of half-time, but was dismayed to see his shot go wide of the outside post.

​The second half saw an unusually quiet Thomas Gould come alive with a number of trademark runs, however, the toll of the first half showed in the rest of his team and they struggled to provide him support up front, electing instead to soak up pressure in defence. Josh Pettit and Archie Greene, who had been energetic in the first half had seemingly run out of puff and weren’t able to link up with the forward man as they had done so often in prior games this season. 

​In the end Hahndorf Black ran out winners with a 1-0 scoreline.

What great day for a game. The first half was very tightly fought with each team having control of the ball and it going up and down the pitch. We were trying to spread out and hold our postions this week. Mt Barker managed to get the first goal over us but we responded very quickly to convert a goal of our own. 

After a big drink at half time we were trying to push the ball towards our goal with some great defence and long kicks. Mt Barker had a coupe of very fast players but our defence held up in the second half and not much got past William and Lachlan, followed up by Lewis diving on the ball in goals. Sam, Hardy, Leo and Seb ran the midfield and defence so well today. They tackled the ball and tried hard to push the ball to our end. Well done teams on a great game.

Spring was definitely in the air, a beautiful pitch made running for the boys easy.  Hahndorf kept the pressure on from the first whistle.  After a few attempts the first goal was scored by Lawson Shotton.  Mt Barker did some great tackling, but Hahndorf seemed to be everywhere.  An attempt at Joel Bateman was brilliantly saved by Mt Barker goalie followed by another great save against Thomas Stapleton.  Finally Mt Barker #49 had their first attempt at goal but unfortunately missed, I think it woke Hahndorf up and the pressure was on Mt Barker again, bringing another goal to Thomas.  Again #49 put the pressure on Hahndorf.  Some very fancy footwork by Jenson Ingram entertained the spectators.  Great defence by Billy Cook meaning 3 attempts at goal by Mt Barker was stopped.  A great save by Goalie against Joel in the 2nd half.  Again Hahndorf kept the pressure on.  After some great passing Jenson scored the 1st goal of the half.  Joel finally got a goal.  An amazing attempt at goal by Mt Baker got the goalie on his feet.  A good attempt by Harry Wood again kept the pressure on their goalie.  Another good save by Mt Barker goalie denied Hahndorf a goal.  Harry had a few attempts at goal, giving Mt Barker some pressure but Joel put one through in the last few minutes.

A bunch of hot sweaty and happy boys left the pitch today.

On Saturday morning, Ashton Rangers hosted Woodside Warriors U12 Gold in ideal football conditions. Both teams have had a fairly tough 11 weeks leading into this one with only 3 and 2 wins each so far. But watching the kids before the match, you wouldn’t have known they’d had a tough season. Parents and friends were greeted by 26 smiling young faces as the kids chipped the ball around with their mates and enjoyed their pre-game routine. Unfortunately, only 10 of them were dressed in Woodside shirts as 3 late withdrawals saw the visitors unable to field a team of 11. But Ashton’s rock star coach once again showed his class and humility, offering to also play with 10, leaving them 6 on the bench to rotate throughout the game. 

Ashton got off to a flyer in this one, goaling in the early minutes – Scrappy ball deep in the Woodside half bounced awkwardly and was shinned into the middle of the pitch. It sat nicely for the Ashton striker who but boot to ball and sent a long powerful shot past a desperate diving keeper. The early goal was a bit of a shock to everyone. Perhaps they hadn’t adapted to the extra space of ten-a-side football. Whatever it was, Ashton were up and Woodside had to find a way back in. The rest of the first half was as even as the number 2. Both sides defended well, as has been their want all season, and prevented any clean shots on goal. The best chance of the half was a long strike from Woodside’s Right wing that cleared everyone, only to hit the bottom of the cross-bar and spin out off the line. And so we entered half-time with Ashton up by a single kick. 

The start of the second half saw Woodside take a small ascendency. Chance after chance was created as the Ashton keeper was put through his paces. A plethora of on-target shots were saved in spectacular fashion as the goal-keeper single handedly kept his side in the lead. The closest was a rolling ball in heavy traffic that stopped half-across the line, only to be saved by desperation and will. But as the game wore on the substitutionless Warriors began to flag. And when six sets of fresh legs were introduced into the Ashton line-up it was just a bridge too far for the visiting team. They continued to defend hard and create chances, but they just couldn’t get enough bodies forward to sink one into the net. Eventually, Ashton scored a second goal through a long shot that burst over the Woodside goalies mits. This was a well-earned win for Ashton who played the game with impeccable sportsmanship. 

Strathalbyn Travelled to Woodside today for the match up against Warriors Blue. Warriors Blue were eager to keep their winning streak going with the end of the season in sight. Whistle went and Warriors set too it but Strathalbyn gave them a surprise and went at it just as hard. Strath kept Warriors on their toes and Warriors soon realized they had to lift their game and that they did. Warriors started to pass between players with precision and that is what helped Eddie Moylan kick the first goal for the game 12 minutes in. That then set the fire under Warriors that they needed. Domenico Silvestri had a couple shots at goal, but Strath Goalie was all over it and stopped him in his tracks. Ryan Sutton and Mack Olsson worked well together moving the ball towards goal. Sydney shot the second and third goal for the game with the third being a spectacular shot, kicking it from mid air straight to the back of the net. Warriors James Lunnon and Morgan Burroughes made their presence known and got in there to attack any forward play Strath tried to make. Poppy Thomas was as always a pillar of strength in the middle with her accurate passes helping Warriors move forward. Ryan Sutton finished the first half scoring three goals in 7 minutes. Warriors went to the half time break with a 7-0 lead. Second half started and Warriors were hungry for more goals and they continued to play as a team. Warriors were working well together and Sutton and Cotton scored the first two goals for the second half. Will Limbert moved forward and he went to work straight away gaining control and when his boot went to ball it went straight to the back of the net for his first goal for the game. Credit must go to Strath players as they never once gave up and they continued to apply pressure to Warriors players. The times they gained control of the ball and made it towards their goals Barnaby Bevan was there to put the pressure on and Ollie Boerth tackled those that did get through and sent ball back out to his teammates. Max Davis was a pocket rocket on the wing and with his quick feet was able to offload to Silvestri. Silvestri was more controlled in the second half and managed to score two goals before the end of the match. Mention must also go to Sutton who scored an amazing goal from the far corner, was a great kick and the crowd loved it. Player of the day Jesse Mewettt used his speed to catch Strath players and he continued to hustle Strath players until he got the ball back in Warriors possession. Warriors had a 17 nil win but the scoreboard does not show how well Strathalbyn played this match. They constantly applied pressure and never once gave up. Great team to play against. Warriors goal kickers were Ryan Sutton (6) Sidney Cotton (3) Domenico Silvestri (2) Eddie Moylan (2) Will Limbert (1)

Woodside Warriors Red U12’s travelled to Nairne on a beautiful spring’s morning to face mid table and very competitive Nairne. Both teams started well and the game initially became an entertaining swift paced affair where both defenses were regularly tested. Although Woodside had created a few forward scoring opportunities, Nairne’s defenders on the counter attack played a very dangerous long ball to clear their defensive lines. Woodside’s defenders led by Nate Dealtry, Jordan Virgara and Deagen Arnold had their work cut out and expertly dealt with Nairne’s very quick wingers who had tried to make the most of the long ball against the break. There were some nervous moments for Axel Vassos in goals however most shots on goal were successfully saved or parried into safety. Elliot Klein, Jamie Spooner and Rojo Nambiar linked up in the midfield positions and provided many rebounding opportunities for Finn Craddock and Woodside’s central striker, Josh Constable. Klein picked up a knock which re-injured a wound from a previous game and Woodside held the last minute attack from Nairne as their captain was patched from the sidelines. With the game and sun starting to ramp up, at half time the score was nil all and both teams left the field red faced giving their all in a very even first half.

 

During the half time discussion, the Warrior’s coach mentioned that he was very happy with their work rate /intent and implored the players to stick to their game plan and their rewards will come for the movements forward as they had caused some hearts in mouth moments for the Nairne defense. Nairne started the first minutes positively and some slick passing forward made Finn Randall started to cover a lot of ground along the wings as he protected Nairne’s attempts to penetrate the Warrior’s defensive lines. Virgara’s interceptions in central defense allowed the Warrior’s to start controlling the tempo of the game. Ball movement through Nambiar Constable and Klein started to put enormous pressure on Nairne’s fullbacks. Klein was creating havoc in Nairne’s penalty box and eventually was fouled from behind in a mistimed tackle which gave the referee no other option, and a penalty was awarded. Klein stepped up to the spot and expertly put one into the back of the net, the Warrior’s players ecstatically surrounded their captain and celebrated by finally breaking the deadlock. However, Nairne refused to throw the towel in and stepped up a gear in the blink of an eye they had cut through the Warrior’s defense and equalised. The Warrior’s players with only one substitute on the bench were starting to fatigue and there was some concern of how the next goal was going to be manufactured. Spooner who was the playing his best game of the season, started controlling the ball beautifully through the midfield and gave steady supply to Craddock, Gracie Lloyd and Constable. Wave after wave of attacks started and the Warrior’s started to force more corners with deep in the box opportunities. Somehow the Nairne keeper managed to negate the Warrior’s attempts through some very desperate lunging and vice like hands kept Nairne in the contest. Constable produced some amazing acceleration and continually cut through the Nairne’s 3 defenders single handily leading the forward press charges. All we could do was watch in amazement from the sidelines and wonder why and how he wasn’t rewarded for the amount of times he successfully got onto a one on one with the goal keeper. Klein and Nambiar continued very dangerous link ups and eventually Klein netted his second goal for the day swinging the momentum back the Warrior’s way. With 15 minutes to play, the Warrior’s continued their forward attacks and Lloyd continued to position herself within goal range and was unlucky not to press for the 3rd goal. Nairne’s kick out of goals caused some awkward moments on the center bounce however, Arnold playing at Right Back owned the play and completely nullified any of the Nairne’s forward presses with his best performance for the year. Again Dealtry and Virgara linked up holding the last line of defense expertly and, although Nairne’s attack was creating enormous pressure, the Warrior’s absorbed it and cleared the ball out and pilled the pressure back on the Nairne defense. Full time whistle finished with the Warriors 2 and Nairne who had played very well 1. After the game the Warrior’s coach had noted that this was the most evenly spread contribution from the Warrior’s side to date, in very hot conditions, to maintain that intensity against a strong Nairne side was very pleasing and no doubt the players will sleep well Saturday night.

The match got off to a cracking start with first goal to Ryley Neumann in the opening moments of the game. Jacob Neumann followed with a second score minutes later. Stirling was quickly playing in defence in response to Hahndorf's attack. The ball remained in fast play down around Hahndorf's goal, with some good saves from Stirling's goalie. The match made its way down the pitch before some great defensive work by Angus Mifsud set the scene for J. Neumann to score again. Pepe Zahra was in a strong battle for control of the ball, before clearing it and kicking it down the field. The Hahndorf team played well together, Jet Zahra was strong in midfield with Henri Bjordal playing well in attack. The strong defence from Mifsud, Joash Ng and Luca Cannavo saw the ball return again to the Hahndorf goal end. Bjordal had a smooth run to goal, scoring beautifully after the opposition goal was left wide open. Shortly another Hahndorf gaol was scored after a pass by Blane Balcom to P. Zahra. Towards the end of the first half, Stirling regained some nice control, seeing the ball back in their goal area.

The second half started with some nice headers and numerous corner kicks from Hahndorf. R. Neumann scored his second goal with an efficient manouevre. P. Zahra showed his kicking prowess in defence, sending the ball well down the field. Many Hahndorf players saw good touches to move the ball - J. Zahra, J, Neumann and Ng careering play towards the goal, with good defence from Stirling stopping the score. J. Zahra remained good in clearing the ball, with passes to Sam Jansink and Cooper Liddle seeing the ball continue in fast play. A kick from the Stirling goalie was stopped by a header from Balcom, which was then taken up by Ng and converted by J. Neumann into a goal. Stirling got the ball close to a score, but this was prevented through a good save by Hahndorf goalie Zack Schwarz. Hahndorf's defence and midfield played well together, with great passes from Mifsud, Liam Sickerdick and Cannavo to move the ball back into play for the team. Cannavo showed some good moves stopping the ball and changing direction back into Hahndorf's control. The last minutes saw a lot of action around the goal square. A good kick from Sickerdick was converted into a goal with a mighty header from Toby Perkins. In the final moments of the match, the last score was for Hahndorf by Balcom. 

The match was well played and we would like to thank Stirling Districts Blue and the referee for a good game.

SDFB Best: T Dunn, E Hawthorn, T Byrne

It was a bright and sunny mid 20s degree day when Murray Bridge United Soccer Club Under 12 Gold hosted Hahndorf Soccer Club Under 12 White captained by Emlyn Gilroy. Initially Hahndorf slipped into defence as they got a feel for the pitch and opposition’s play. Dante Man, Oliver Aylen and Oliver Dahmke each had an early opportunity to stretch their legs and show some good defensive play before Hahndorf commenced with heavy pressure on goals by Levi Beesley and others. This was quickly rewarded with Gilroy and Harrison Gould scoring goals within the opening minutes with support from their team mates. There was a nail-biting moment when Zoe York’s backwards kick narrowly missed. Hayden Lien quickly followed up and scored another goal for Hahndorf. Jacob Gardner certainly put in the leg work and ran hard throughout the half supporting his team mates with a keen eye on the ball. When the opposition managed to push past into Hahndorf’s attack, they were consistently met with solid defensive play and some great goal kicks by Ryder Hill pushing play back to Hahndorf’s attack. Some excellent team work displayed between Beesley and York. Jasper Jones had a few well timed kicks and is not afraid of some of the more dauntingly physical aspects of the game. Patrick Hinze made a great pass to Gould and soon after went in for a strong tackle. The resulting play saw Beesley’s persistence rewarded with a goal. The final few minutes of the half saw Gould score another goal. Overall, the first half saw Hahndorf work through two rounds of three substitutions due to the heat, a move which initially startled the players.

As the second half commenced, one family were put to work refilling all the players’ drink bottles which had all been emptied. Murray Bridge commenced the half with pressure on Hahndorf’s defence in the first minute before pressure by Hahndorf’s attack resumed. In a shock move a penalty was called against Hahndorf resulting in a goal to Murray Bridge despite Oliver Aylen’s valiant effort. Beesley continued with good pressure on the opposition and a header by Hill looked to almost be a goal. There was a good cross by Gould and more solid defence from Man. Another goal thanks to Gilroy and some good work by Reilly Bowden. Good pressure on goal by Lien on left foot backed up by great pressure by Gardner. Another goal was conceded despite Aylen’s best efforts. An impressive kick by York before a goal kick taken by Murray Bridge’s most statuesque player was met by a solid wall of Hahndorf players forming a wall on the half line – only Aylen seemed to stay back in goals! There was more strong play from Hill in midfield. In the end, the second half saw Hahndorf work through four rounds of three substitutions and gave the opportunity to experiment with players in positions they don’t usually play.

At the final whistle, the scores were an equal Murray Bridge Gold 2 to Hahndorf 6. Hahndorf Under 12 White wish to thank Murray Bridge United Soccer Club Under 12 Gold for the game played Saturday 12 September 2020.

The game started with Woodside pressuring their opponent's goal and they finally found their mark after 5 minutes. Woodside’s intensity for the ball and ball movement had Forest’s defense scrambling but the Warriors were unable to find that elusive second goal. This gave their opponents hope and Forest started to apply pressure of their own with long balls down the narrow ground that had Woodside’s defense scrambling. Woodside continued to defend well but after 20 minutes Forest broke through and found their first for the day. The tide was slowly shifting and Woodside had to dig deep if they wanted to win today. Woodside lifted a gear but so did the run of their opponents and as the half was drawing to a close Forest scored its second with a well placed shot. At halftime Woodside 1 Forest 2

For the first time this season Woodside went into the break a goal down but their spirits were high and belief strong. The second half started off with again Woodside dominating the play but Forest had tightened its defense and were making it difficult for the Warriors strikers. Forest again resorted to long balls out of defense that gave their quick forwards every opportunity to put pressure on the Woodside defense and it paid off with Forest scoring their third for the day from a free kick outside the box. Woodside continued to play its brand of soccer and moved the ball around but credit is due to Forest's defense who remained on their toes and repelled Woodside’s efforts. Forest continued to apply pressure and scored their fourth for the day and gave Woodside its biggest defeat of the season. The game finished Woodside 1 Forest 4.

The heat of the day provided a stark contrast to the matches earlier in the season.
Stirling took an early 3-0 lead in the first, before Harry B scored twice for BHSFSC to bring the half-time score to 2-3.
The second half saw the visitors score twice and an unfortunate own goal from BHSFSC. BHSFSC had several near misses and Stirling's keeper made some great saves to keep the home side scoreless. The final score 2-6 

Hahndorf U16's travelled to the Ashton oval to meet the Rangers today in a vital game that would test their depth, with star midfielder Kane Gibbs missing for a second successive week and his equally important sidekick, Xavier Kell, being on restricted playing time after a calf strain in last week`s loss to Woodside

 

The match started in warm sunny conditions on a difficult hard and uneven playing surface which made it very hard for players form both sides to control the ball effectively and a highly unusual number of handball calls due to the uneven bounce. The Hahndorf coach rotated normal defensive specialist Jackson Doley into the midfield along with Angus Mason to cover the loss of the abovementioned players

 

The first 20 minutes was an even scrappy affair with the conditions making clean play very difficult. Rangers had good chances early with ex-Hahndorf player Shannon Cox proving especially dangerous . However, 'keeper James Bagley, in his best game for the year, made short work of the challenges with his very clean hands and springboarded many Hahndorf attacks with his powerful throws. The injection of Kell midway through the half settled the team, and his persistence and Doley`s creativity started to lead to the cleaner scoring chances the forwards were desiring. Eddie Hardingham, in a strong captain`s game, opened the scoring with a powerful strike from the right side. Kyle Fenlon added another shortly after with a typical bullocking effort and just before halftime, Doley set up Fenlon with a wonderful set play for a third goal. Halftime came with the scoreline of 3 – 0 not really reflecting the evenness of the struggle.

 

The second half started and the class and experience of Hahndorf really started to shine through. Defenders David Nielsen, Josh Rayner, Alex Montagu, Oakley Lockyer and Kit Erhart-Bruce completely shut down the Rangers forwards and the ball spent most of the half camped in the Hahndorf attacking zone.  Mason, Kell and Doley dominated the midfield early and Hardingham, when moved there through player rotations, did a terrific job also. Hardingham added another goal midway through the half and Kell added his second shortly after. Coach Kerr gave him the rest of game off thereafter to freshen him up for the important game next week against Strathalbyn.

 

The final scoreline was 5 – 0 and was a welcome return of confidence for the boys after last weeks disappointing loss. A special mention to the new boys Toby Bockel, Hayden Abrahams, Erhart-Bruce and Lockyer who collectively put in their best performances of the year in difficult conditions and at a time when, for the first time, it looked like the injuries etc may have a role to play in the drive for the title.

 

Next week should welcome the return of Gibbs in a game where a win will surely wrap up a thoroughly well deserved title for the boys.

By Mark Doley

 

Stirling United travelled to the new venue of Springbank College for the first time for the return match against newcomers BHS Forest. Forest put up a spirited display last time, so it was no surprise to see them produce another strong performance today. Of note, a swarm of small flies added to the challenge of the contest – undoubtedly drawn out by the warm sun on this delightful spring morning.

From the start, both sides were pressing forward and so the ball was moving from end to end. A sequence of short passes into the box opened up the opportunity for Araby Phelan to score the first for Stirling. A little later in the half Phelan again was the beneficiary of a goal mouth scramble and when Nik Smith curled a corner straight into the net it appeared Stirling were going to be in for a comfortable win.

BHS Forest had other ideas, with Harry Butler scoring twice in the space of 6 minutes on a couple of fast breaks to bring them right back into the match, trailing by the barest of margins at half time.

The second half started tensely, but a lovely corner from Phelan fell for Smith who timed his run into the box to meet the ball perfectly and gave Stirling a two goal buffer again. Despite this, Forest continued to challenge the Stirling defensive line and had a number of good chances.

In the last 10 minutes, a long ball found Phelan open to complete his hat-trick and an unlucky own goal saw the final score at 6-2, but this didn’t reflect the closeness of the contest.

The weather held itself together as these two fierce teams played off for the final time this season. The Stirling team entered nervous - last time felt like a crushing defeat. 

Today changed all of those nerves into energy to find the Stirling girls defending hard and attacking at all times. Sadly, the first goal was scored 16 minutes in by Torrens Valley and the crowd could feel the team starting to lose hope early on. Emma's amazing goal keeping kept the team holding for just the one goal in the first half.

During the break, Bill coached his girls through how to hold positions. This talk paid off late in the second half with two scores on the board for Stirling, but too little too late for Stirling as Torrens Valley secured their win by scoring three more AMAZING goals!

It was an amazing game to watch - with the Torrens Valley manager stating just how much the Stirling team had grown in such a short amount of time.

The Hahndorf U13 girls V Strathalbyn White.

The game was played in high spirits  on a muggy afternoon with Strathalbyn White dominating most of the game. Lola McKay-Puyo, Eloise Cutting and Gracie Curtis worked well as a team in attack. They passed the ball well creating a few opportunities to score. However, the Strathalbyn defence was too strong. Hahndorf defence was under pressure for most of the game with all the girls working hard against a very strong attack. Whilst they all played well, Gemma Langford,Grace Haynes and Amiel Kerber gave it their all never giving up. The standout player of the day for Hahndorf was the goalie Charlotte Fairley. She had her work cut out for her with many attempts on goal. She saved many certain goals only letting 5 slip through. Well done Hahndorf, it was a very good game against a very strong team. The final score was 5 goals to nil Strathalbyn’s way. 

Woodside were eager to kick things off at their home ground and they were straight into it, contesting the ball and applying the pressure on all fronts. Play resumed in the middle of the pitch for the good half of the game until Valley broke through the defence line after several attempts of not being caught offside, scoring the first goal of the game in the 17th minute. Valley then got back into the rhythm of things and were quick to score their second goal in the 21st minute. Woodside were not going to the let the third be awarded any time soon and turned the game around by applying the pressure and winning the ball off valley. The game proceeded into Woodside’s half and with a glimmer of light saw Woodside’s forward Lauren Jackman taking on Valley’s defence and no time but to use the opportunity to take a shot and was awarded the first goal for Woodside in the 26th minute.  It was that moment that Valley knew they couldn’t let anything slip in their defence line and were persistent in ensuring the ball was cleared out. Tensions were building on and off the pitch and you could see the desire of the next goal from both teams. Nearing the half time mark, Woodside’s midfielder Beth Bryant couldn’t take the tension anymore and with some support of MJ Strauss were able to break through Valley’s defence line yet again and score. Though with Valley’s kick off, they were quick to brush through Woodside’s winning high and scored their third goal of the match in the 39th minute, seeing the half time saw the score at a nail biting 3-2.

Second half saw a dramatic change in weather as the rain started to come down heavier and pitch became darker. Though the weather’s mood didn’t rub off either teams as they were itching to get back into the pressure cooker. Within minutes of kick off into the second half we saw Warriors taking on the advantage of kick off and powering through Valley’s defence. In those few short moments we saw Woodside’s forward Lauren Jackman at it again taking on Valley’s defence and scoring the third goal for Woodside. The sheer excitement and joy on and off the pitch was evident. To witness the top team of the division versing bottom team with an even score in the second half of the game was unbelievable. Though the overwhelming feeling didn’t last long as Valley soon got back into the rhythm and turned things back around.

Superb work played by all players on the pitch, it certainly was a great game to watch. Thank you to all of the supporters for supporting our girls from the sidelines, as well as the lines men and of course the referee for a great job.