AHJSA Match Reports

With the sun out and blue skies, Hahndorf U9s played Strathalbyn White at the Polo and Recreation Grounds in Strathalbyn.
Both teams boasted good numbers and the game was played with 9 on field in a free-flowing game. Hahndorf went into attack early and a corner taken from Levi Neumann found Hugo Curtis but the shot on goal was well saved by the Strathalbyn goalkeeper. Mason Saywell was busy in defence intercepting the ball in midfield and turning the Strathalbyn player inside to pass off and send Hahndorf forward. Both teams had good use of the ball moving end to end and Neumann goaled from close range as Hahndorf went into attack. Strathalbyn went forward with speed at times keeping Rowan Gilroy on his toes making a couple of great saves in goals. Thomas Gould made his mark on the game with a goal from a well directed throw in from Curtis in the forward half. Back down in defence, Oliver Knight was reliable not allowing easy shot from the opposition with assistance from Saywell.
Neumann ran the ball the length of the field down the sideline and centred the ball to Gould who finished with an accurate shot on goal. Strathalbyn finished the first half off with a goal intercepting the ball deep in Hahndorf’s defensive half.

Soren Mickan started the game well in defence and went forward in the second half stretching Strathalbyn with some strong runs. Owen Hoyle was busy in the midfield covering a lot of territory and using the ball well. After running well through the midfield, Joshua Blain was busy down in defence and was up to the challenge. Despite several good shots coming in including a long range shot that was deflected well, Neumann looked comfortable in goals for Hahndorf in the second half.
Curtis was involved a lot throughout the game and was rewarded with a goal late in the second half, receiving a pass from Gilroy. Strathalbyn made a fast rebound from a kick out and scored in quick succession.

Well done to both teams for playing a high energy game in good spirits.

Woodside Warriors Soccer Club U9 Red versus Woodside Warriors Soccer Club U9 Blue

 

Derby day at last! The streets of Woodside have been thick with anticipation all week and the tension has built to just about breaking point. The chatter in the pubs, cafes and schoolyards has been entirely focussed on the game: Who would come out on top – the Reds’ piercing attacking runs or the Blues’ well-organised defence? Do the Blues need to sign an attacking midfielder next season? Will the Reds manage to hang on to their pacy forwards during the summer transfer window? Was that goal in the 1968 cup semi-final really offside?

 

Despite a pessimistic forecast for the weekend, the morning of the match presented perfect weather for football: bright and dry but cool. The Blues won the toss and started the match defending the shed end. Drawing inspiration from the catenaccio system, the Blues lined up with three in defence: a sweeper and two marking centre-backs. This was a big ask for defenders Theo Nicholson and Jock Mills whose roles were to mark the Red forwards, and they rose to the task admirably, tirelessly tracking forward runs and snuffing out attacks. At the other end of the pitch this week’s Captain Charlotte Cosgriff and Forward Lachlan Mitchell both found some good possession in the attacking third and on a different day either of them could have had the ball in the back of the net. All this made for an entertaining first half, but the Reds gradually imposed themselves and they headed into the break with a decent lead.

 

In the second half Austin Levy joined the defence to take up the role of marking the Reds’ attackers which he stuck to with enthusiasm, imposing himself several times to limit the Reds’ chances and contributing to some very solid defending that the Reds required considerable persistence to break down. Forward Tommy Garden showed he learnt something from watching Pogba’s through balls take Leeds United apart last weekend, playing a neat forward ball straight from a restart that sliced through the Reds’ defence and allowed Sam Balacco – in a purple patch of scoring form – to latch onto the pass and slot past the keeper at the far post, which cheered the Blue team and their supporters as the final whistle approached. The game concluded with plenty for both sets of fans to talk about in the close season with the Reds having scored a handful of well-deserved goals that showcased some fine individual skill and the Blues showing they are organised and can be dangerous moving forward.

 

With Woodside Red generally on a hot streak this season the Blues’ approach to the game was to track forward runs, mark tightly and try to sneak a goal or two on the counter. Our under-9s did spectacularly well to stick to task, defend solidly, create chances and most importantly they kept their heads up despite having to chase the game. This all bodes well for another tough match against Stirling Districts next week.

 

What a perfect Saturday to play soccer. The sun was out and the field dry. The Woodside Warriors under 9 teams train together and were excited to compete against each other. The reds started the game with determination. Elliot Stewart Bastian French and Joshua Clifford found some great plays to get in front in the first half. Then
Logan Bridge, Justin Smith and Arlo Areamkaew kept dominating the second half to keep the reds on track. Both teams showed their skills and competed with respect for each other. A great game and a big thank you to Josh Stewart for referring.

A perfect day for soccer in the hills, the sun shining but a slight cool breeze to keep the players from over-heating. A small Torrens Valley side travelled to Aldgate Oval to greet the Stirling United U10 team.

The Torrens Valley team only consisted of 5 players on the day so the Stirling United coach asked a couple of his players if they would play for Torrens Valley. Graciously a Stirling United player accepted and donned a Torrens Valley shirt for the game.

The game began with Torrens Valley playing 6 and Stirling United playing 7. Stirling United started strong scoring within the first few minutes of play. Stirling United kept the pressure up but Torrens Valley found their feet and defended well to keep the ball out of the goals. Cutting through the Torrens Valley defence Stirling United found the back of the goal to score again. A Stirling United player from the game previous offered to play for Torrens Valley to even the teams up. Stirling United kept the attack up with the ball in front of the goals for most of the first half. Torrens Valley struggled to get it forward with Stirling United continually keeping them back. A corner for Torrens Valley gave them their first attempt at goal, unfortunately the ball went wide.

The second half started as a more even game with both teams coming on with 7 players. Torrens Valley came into the second half with energy and managed to get the ball forward and had a very close shot at goal hitting the post. Stirling United came back strong with some counter attacks and a clear strike to goals scoring once again. A long strike for Stirling United caused the ball to bounce and spin confusing the Torrens Valley goalkeeper who appeared to have it under control but is slipping out of his hands to go into goals. A corner from Stirling United resulted in a quick attempt at goal but the Torrens Valley goalkeeper reacted just as quickly and kept it out with his foot. From a Torrens Valley throw-in Stirling United took the ball with a fast run forward and kicked it to the goals resulting in another goal for Stirling United. Another strong strike for Stirling United gave them a final goal to finish off the game.

A cold morning with a wind chill factor of well below zero reminded the Hahndorf parents that this winter sport is not yet done! Today the boys took on Woodside in a tough and evenly matched game ensuring all players didn’t have an opportunity to get cold. Captain Jackson Bidgood started in goals as the Hahndorf boys kicked off. Jhett Frost was quick to take the first shot on goal but in the excitement it sailed straight over the cross bar. A big kick out by the Woodside goalie was returned by a spectacular header by Simran Singh. A great passing combination of Zack Perkins to Caleb Earley to Sol Cootes and then on to Cohen Whinfield before ending up at the feet of Frost for another unsuccessful shot on goal. Finally the Hahndorf boys’ stars aligned and Lucca Falvo-Lopez found the back of the net. But Woodside soon returned to their end and replied with a goal of their own to even the score at half time. The second half saw the ball move around the pitch much more with strong defensive plays keeping it out of either goal for the majority of the remainder of the game. A fancy trick shot by Bidgood saw him evade the Woodside defender and make a dash all the way up the side line but no conversion was made this time. Woodside piles in the pressure in the last minutes of the game keeping goalie Connor Ozolins on his toes. The Hahndorf defence was fighting hard but just couldn’t hold of Woodside’s final charge with another goal finding the back of the net in the dying moments of the game. Well done to both teams on a hard fought game today.

Strathalbyn Red hosted Hahndorf soccer club for round 18. The teams enjoyed beautiful sunny conditions for play.

Hahndorf went out strong early, led in attack by William Tully, Samuel Whitehead and Sonjae Cook, supported by Harry Wood and Thomas Stapleton in the midfield. Hahndorf’s strong defence line of Jensen Ingram, Eddie Bjordal and Billy Cook together with Nayasha Muradzikwa in Goalkeeper, worked hard against Strathalbyn Red’s attack. Joel Bateman and Cooper Newman started off field. Both teams are to be commended for great sportsmanship. The Hahndorf under 11s wish to thank Strathalbyn Red for a great game.

In a high-stakes 3rd vs 4th clash, Mt Barker U12 hosted Murray Bridge Gold U12 at the Summit Sport and Recreation Park. The last time these two sides met, it was a nail-biting 2-2 draw, so both teams knew they would have to bring their A-game in this round 18 matchup.
Unfortunately for the visitors, they were taking to the pitch with no subs, having a few late withdrawals including their star #13, who leads the individual goal tally and causes headaches for every opposing team.

From the opening whistle, Mount Barker looked to hold possession and structure some dangerous raids into the forward half. The central midfield of Thomas Honner and Lincoln Denley did a fine job of sending through balls to strikers Taya Kumnick and Arlo Turner, and played the ball out to the wingers Danny Paterson and Joseph Main when the Bridge defence fortified the middle of the ground.
It didn't take long for Mt Barker to open the scoring: Harrison Burt sent a perfect free kick into the path of Turner, who threaded the needle into the bottom corner from the edge of the box. 4 minutes later, Beau Curran, who was in *checks notes* right defence (?), joined the party, running all the way up the wing and shooting from inside the box to make it 2-0. Murray Bridge hit back in the 23rd minute, a concentration lapse in the Barker defence allowing them to make it 2-1. Game on!
The home defence and midfield started working overtime, determined to hold the lead into half time. Eric Liemareff came into the midfield and played very well, providing extra energy to the Barker side in the closing stages of the half.
Minutes before the main break, Denley capitalised on a ball that had bounced around in the box for a while, taking it to ground and slotting it home, the equation 3-1 at half time.
Felix Koral, who was captain for the day, handed out a bag of lollies to everyone, including the coach, at half time. Maybe he should be captain more often..?
After the break, the home side had intent on growing their lead. Murray Bridge, although undermanned, was creating some strong offensive pressure, causing Rory Martin to slot into a CDM role in order to support central defenders Burt and Koral. The Barker defence had a great game, shutting down any attacks and passing back to Tyler Raven in goals when other options were unavailable.
Curran moved from defence into attack, with Main taking his place at Right Back. This move paid off in the 9th minute of the half,  when Curran went on to score his 2nd goal for the match.
6 minutes later, Murray Bridge unfortunately handballed in the box, giving the home team a penalty. Max Barrljung Hummel, who had not scored a goal this season, stepped up to the spot. You could forgive him for being nervous, but he looked anything but that - sending the ball into the net with the power and composure of a young Swedish Ronaldo. The home team and crowd were ecstatic, and he could not stop smiling!

In the 52nd minute, a Bridge player went down in a contest for the ball. Play continued, and Kumnick got in behind the Bridge defensive line and appeared to kick her second goal for the season. However, the goal was then disallowed as the ref called play back to the incident involving the Bridge player. Those from the Barker camp thought the striker was very unlucky to have the goal taken away, however they respected the referees verdict, and play went on.  There was still a game to be finished!

In the closing minutes of the game, Denley scored again, and Murray Bridge kicked their second for the match - a brilliant shot into the top right corner that keeper Raven had no chance of stopping.

Mt Barker came out of this contest with a strong and deserved win however there is concern for Liemareff,  who came off during the second half with a knee injury.   Credit must go to Murray Bridge Gold for putting up a great fight with no spare players on the bench.
The home team unanimously decided that T Kumnick deserved player of the match, with M Barrljung Hummel and F Koral receiving honourable mentions (disclaimer: not because of the half-time lollies...)
With only 2 rounds to go, the 6-2 result sees Mt Barker secure 3rd on the ladder, and Murray Bridge hold 4th. Murray Bridge will finish the season taking on Bridge Blue, then Woodside; whilst Mt Barker will play ladder leaders Stirling Districts twice in a row.

On the 21st of August Murray Bridge U12 Blue hosted Woodside Warriors in positively spring like conditions – warm, sunny and dry – and the stage was set for a fast and open game of Junior football.

 

Bridge kicked off and immediately set to work moving the ball forward into an attacking position. But Woodside were up for the challenge, with each Bridge raid contained with consummate efficiency. And once the Red and Blue gained possession, they seemed intent to keep it. Their passing was neat and tidy coming out from the back, giving the midfield and forwards clean ball to work with and confidence to attack with flair. With a brick wall at your back, and an abundance of clean ball flowing your way, life can seem pretty easy as a forward. The three young Warriors up front have come to take this service for granted, and it has allowed them to build confidence in their passing game and poise in front of goal. Long balls wide to space, angled balls through tight gaps and silky one-twos have become a consistent part of the Woodside arsenal, and they routinely create havoc among opposition lines. For the first 10 minutes, the younger Murray Bridge side hung tough despite the barrage, and whenever they had the ball they looked likely to score. But eventually Woodside broke through, kicking a cluster of 3 goals in five minutes to assert their dominance in the game. Bridge stemmed the bleeding for the remainder of the first half through tireless hard work in defense and their parents were tightly proud of the courage that they showed against an older, more experienced opponent.

 

After the break Woodside resumed the assault, amassing another five goals in the second half. But Bridge never threw down the towel, and nor should they have. They were playing a great game against a slightly better opponent, and although the scorecard was against them they were brave enough to stand strong and fight to the death. Eventually reward was paid for the efforts. On the 61 minute mark they crossed the ball to within range and sent a stupendous ball just millimeters below the crossbar to close the game out in style!

vith the second to last game the boys were determined to keep their winning streak. Hahndorf were straight into the attack with Levi Beesley and Cooper Liddle passing the ball up towards goals.  Torrens Valley's defence were hard to get pass and soon the ball was going towards Hahndorf''s goal. Some great tackling by Lawson Shotton saw the ball quickly back towards the strikers end.  William Whiting took advantage of a spread out field and kicked Hahndorf's first goal in the first 8 minutes. Again, some great defending from Torrens Valley saw Hahndorf's attempts beaten many times, but Harrison Gould weaved past their defence to score a great goal.  Captain Patrick Hinze, Levi Beesley and Daniel Peters defence kept the ball from getting in to goal square, until they managed to push it back to the attackers.  Cooper Liddle got the ball and ran straight at goal scoring his first goal for the day.  Then 3 minutes later from a corner kick, Liddle scored a brilliant bicycle kick into goals.  On a roll, Liddle who received a great ball from Will, kicked his 3rd goal for the day.  Boosted by Liddle's hat trick, Hahndorf took on the attack again, giving Emlyn Gilroy the chance to score his first goal for the day.  Torrens Valley finally managed to get passed the defence line to give them their first goal of the day.
In the second half Hahndorf found it very challenging to get past Torren's Valley defence. Oliver Aylen, Dante Man and Christopher Haynes kept passing the ball up towards goal but the defence was too good, finally Gilroy was rewarded with their consistency, his second goal for the day.  Torrens Valley managed to get the goal into the goal area, but Daniel Peters manged to kick the ball away, determined, they had another shot at goal, unfortunately hitting the top bar though. Bringing the ball back to the centre, Ben Romaldi, Jacob Gardner and Hayden Lien managed to pass the ball up to the goal area.  Although Torrens Valley did some great defending Gould managed to slip a ball into the net. Again Torrens Valley came out on attack, giving the goalie Peters a work out, with some great back up from Beesley and Man. Unfortunately the whistle went before Torrens Valley could get the ball back.With the second to last game the boys were determined to keep their winning streak. Hahndorf were straight into the attack with Levi Beesley and Cooper Liddle passing the ball up towards goals.  Torrens Valley's defence were hard to get pass and soon the ball was going towards Hahndorf''s goal. Some great tackling by Lawson Shotton saw the ball quickly back towards the strikers end.  William Whiting took advantage of a spread out field and kicked Hahndorf's first goal in the first 8 minutes. Again, some great defending from Torrens Valley saw Hahndorf's attempts beaten many times, but Harrison Gould weaved past their defence to score a great goal.  Captain Patrick Hinze, Levi Beesley and Daniel Peters defence kept the ball from getting in to goal square, until they managed to push it back to the attackers.  Cooper Liddle got the ball and ran straight at goal scoring his first goal for the day.  Then 3 minutes later from a corner kick, Liddle scored a brilliant bicycle kick into goals.  On a roll, Liddle who received a great ball from Will, kicked his 3rd goal for the day.  Boosted by Liddle's hat trick, Hahndorf took on the attack again, giving Emlyn Gilroy the chance to score his first goal for the day.  Torrens Valley finally managed to get passed the defence line to give them their first goal of the day.
In the second half Hahndorf found it very challenging to get past Torren's Valley defence. Oliver Aylen, Dante Man and Christopher Haynes kept passing the ball up towards goal but the defence was too good, finally Gilroy was rewarded with their consistency, his second goal for the day.  Torrens Valley managed to get the goal into the goal area, but Daniel Peters manged to kick the ball away, determined, they had another shot at goal, unfortunately hitting the top bar though. Bringing the ball back to the centre, Ben Romaldi, Jacob Gardner and Hayden Lien managed to pass the ball up to the goal area.  Although Torrens Valley did some great defending Gould managed to slip a ball into the net. Again Torrens Valley came out on attack, giving the goalie Peters a work out, with some great back up from Beesley and Man. Unfortunately the whistle went before Torrens Valley could get the ball back.

Blackwood Forest hosted Torrens Valley at Springbank Secondary School for the Round 18 match with kick off at 10am.

Torrens Valley wasted no time, with Harry P scoring their first goal within minutes of the first whistle. Blackwood’s Austin N received a pass right in front of goal 11 minutes later and equalised the score. End-to-end play ensued for the rest of the half, with Torrens Valley scoring and Blackwood answering. Harry P found the back of the net a further two times for Torrens Valley and Elisha S of Blackwood scoring twice. Some great saves, active defensive play and some off-target shots kept the scores to 3 goals apiece at half time.

Torrens Valley exercised greater control and precise passing in the second half, and this translated into greater scoring opportunities. They scored their 4th for the match approximately 10 minutes into play after quashed attempts by both teams. Blackwood’s Liam D scored their equaliser and their final goal for the match from a brilliant header. Torrens Valley went on to score a further 3 times bringing the score line to 4 – 7 at matches end. Second Half corers for Torrens Valley : Harry P, Cooper M, Jett W, and Liam W.   

Blue sky and light cloud with a slight breeze blowing across the pitch at Bradwood Park made for perfect conditions for the 11.45 kick off between under 15’s Stirling Districts White and the Woodside Warriors Red.
 Stirling districts looked the dominating team from kick off and were determined to show why they are currently second place on the league ladder. The Stirling team were able to continuously push the ball hard into their forward lines during the first half. This ongoing push from Stirling was met with skilled rock-solid defending across the Woodside centre and full back lines. The pressure applied by the Woodside defence was relentless and resulted in Stirling taking many rushed shots for goals which missed or were easily taken by the Woodside keeper who played an outstanding role in goals.
The exciting game saw a Woodside striker capitalise on a mix up between the Stirling goalie and defenders allowing him to push the ball into the back of the net. The Woodside forward line were also able to break away and push past the Stirling defence to score a second for Woodside. Stirling appeared rattled but remained determined to claim the match.
Relentless pressure from the Sterling forward line towards the end of the first half and during the second half finally yielded some results against the persistent Woodside team. This pressure combined with some cracking corner kicks and finishing secured the match for Stirling with a final score card of 4-2. Overall a brilliant game to watch with both sides showing exceptional skills and team work. Well done to both coaches who had their work cut out for them during this tense game.

 

Woodside again hosted Strathalbyn for the second time in three weeks at Home.

Strath started the game with 10 players and Woodside were able to exploit the extra space with some great through balls that resulted in 3 goals in the opening 10 minutes, including a great header from the Woodside center forward. Woodside continued to cause Strath some problems and were rewarded with a penalty not soon after. Woodside’s regular fill in from the U13 was asked to take the kick as the only player not to have scored for this team this season. Being a little nervous he struck the ball cleanly but too straight to trouble the score board. After this Strath gained a full compliment of players making Woodside work harder to create opportunities. It was another 10 minutes before Woodside scored its fourth for the game. Strathalbyn were working hard and placed Woodside under some pressure for the remainder of the half but Woodside’s defense held strong and stopped any chance of a shot being taken. Some great corners were met by Woodside’s players who got foot to ball but missed the target and including the talented U13 who hit the side netting on two occasions. The first half finished with Woodside holding a four goal lead.

Woodside again started strong and added another two goals in the first 10 minutes giving them a comfortable lead. However, simple passes were missing feet and Strath were always present to pounce on any missed opportunities but the speed and size of the Woodside team was physically too much for their younger opponents. Woodside switched on again and started to create opportunities out wide through simple sharing of the ball and creating opportunities for a range of players that were all putting themselves into great positions to score. By the 60 minute Woodside had its seventh from its sixth individual scorer. Shortly after they had their eighth. For the remainder of the game Strathalbyn fought hard to get a goal and intensified their passing and movement but the older team had their measure and again repealed any attack.

Woodside finished the game as winners but with two testing games over the remaining three games to go the league is up for grabs from a fast finishing Stirling Districts White their next opponents.

Games towards the end of the season can be interesting. With a couple of games remaining ladder rankings are generally established so there is an expectation of how most games will play out. Every now and then there might be an upset, but for the most part players, coaches and supporters expect a particular result.

Saturday 21st of August saw AHJFA Round 18 play out across the Adelaide Hills. This is officially the last round of the season, however the two COVID rounds are being tacked onto the end of the season. This is to the excitement of the players and bemusement of the parents, who were expecting the association to write-off those rounds like every other sporting league.

Woodside U17 played host to fourth-placed Strathalbyn at Woodside Recreation Ground. This will be the third of four encounters with Woodside expecting to host again after Round 13 was postponed due to wet weather. This is likely to be a Friday night game at Summit Sports & Recreation Park in a few weeks.

Woodside’s team has already secured the season. This can be either good or bad for the predominantly older team. They go into games a little more relaxed and play better. Or they go into it too relaxed and get surprised. A single loss earlier on in the season is the only blemish to their name, although a 2-1 win over fifth-placed Rangers was a concern.

Meanwhile Strathalbyn lead the bottom half of the ladder. For a younger team this isn’t as bad as it sounds. Most of the team qualify to represent their club in the U17 2022 season and will no doubt be one of the favourites to win. In regards to this particular encounter with Woodside they were bound to struggle through no fault of their own. A game against Hahndorf the night before brought out some weary legs.

The eighty minute game kicked off at 9am with three officials, an occasional luxury of the higher age group. The pitch itself was looking dry but tired. The forecast was wet and thankfully it was everything but.

Eight goals later it was clear that a stronger, older, fresher team can beat a younger, tired team. Go figure. Interestingly Woodside’s haul didn’t see any one player kick more than one goal.

Stand out goals saw IZEYAH RAYMOND score a header, the first goal for the game. Not long after ISAIAH HAMMAT scored the goal of his junior career, a boot off his left which was too strong for the keeper. In-house keeper SAMUEL HERMAN was encouraged to hand his gloves to someone else for the second half. Within a minute of being out on the pitch he scored.

Strathalbyn were unlucky not to score in the end. Woodside’s defensive line is a key strong point for them; menacing for any team looking to score.

The game ended 6-0 in favour of home team, Woodside.

“Strathalbyn will be a threat next season”, said Coach BRUCE TONKIN. “Hopefully they can hold onto that energy through the off-season and into the next. Another year on their age will make the world of difference too.”

ISAIAH HAMMAT had a particularly strong performance and deserving of Best & Fairest, whilst IZEYAH RAYMOND and JAMES RENSHAW also delivered solid games.

Woodside will host Stirling United in the next round whilst Strathalbyn will host Rangers.

Stirling travelled to Hahndorf for a late season clash with the grounds starting to dry out and the sun shining brightly. Whilst still playing with no substitutions despite the recent recruitment drive, Stirling were able to field a well balanced side for the clash.

Stirling started well, controlling the play and having the ball in their front half for most of the first 10 minutes. Hahndorf at the other end always present a threat with Kyle Fenlon in particular surging forward but Lachlan Stein in goal was commanding the box.

On 15 minutes, Araby Phelan received the ball from Henry Monaghan and made a great run to find an opening and give Stirling the lead with a powerful finish. Stirling continued to have the best of the chances, but Hahndorf’s goal keeper was doing a great job keeping the ball out of the net. Stirling didn’t have it all their own way though. At one point Kane Gibbs took a free kick from well outside the box that hit the crossbar and went over but could easily have dropped in.

Going it a half time with the slenderest of leads, and handing over the slight downhill advantage to Hahndorf for the second half, Stirling knew they needed to keep the pressure on, with Kye McDonald at centre back leading the team with his attack on the ball. Whilst Hahndorf had chances, Stirling continued to focus on keeping possession with quality passing which saw them continue to look like the team most likely to score. 

Ky Henry almost forced the ball through but again the keeper managed to keep it out. Phelan had a number of chances but couldn’t quite find the back of the net. As the teams tired, both teams resorted to long balls which were easily controlled by the keepers at either end.

Then, just when it seemed that Stirling would hold on for a well deserved victory, Hahndorf took the ball from the back all the way forward, and Kyle Fenlon managed to slide the ball past Stein in goal to level the scores with a minute to go. Hahndorf had one final chance to take the victory which went wide leaving the teams with a draw that would have felt like a win for Hahndorf given the overall play of the game.

As the sun shone down, illuminating the golden wattle surrounding the Hahndorf soccer field, the Magpies met Stirling in vibrant display of skill and athleticism.

The game began swiftly with both teams hungry for a positive result.  Early tries by Kyle Fenlon failed to convert, with the ball going wide and over the top of the net.  A foul by a Stirling player led to a free kick for Kane Gibbs, followed closely by a convincing run by Xavier Kell, who made another attempt on goal.  Stirling came back hard, and landed the ball in the back of the net, despite a valiant attempt to save it by volunteer 'keeper, Toby Boekel.  Another free kick was awarded to Gibbs, resulting in the ball once again gliding over the top of the cross bar.  Some long kicks up the field by David Nielsen were made good use of, however the Stirling defense was strong and agile and kept the ball returning back down the field.  On the left wing, Elwin Aylen worked hard and courageously, as did Tyler Weyland in the midfield.  Both teams made more attempts on the goals, but neither had success and when the whistle was blown at half time, Stirling was in the lead.

 

The second half began with free kicks for Stirling and Hahndorf.  Charlie Hodgeson set up a beautiful play that was followed up by Fenlon, however the Stirling 'keeper was alert and ready to defend his patch of turf.  This half saw plenty of action at either end of the field, although as fatigue settled in, both teams struggled to keep up their practiced moves, leading to some scrappy play.  The strength of the players was evident, with several kicks from both sides sending the ball over the top of the net.  Hahndorf 'keeper, Boekel, made a brilliant save when Stirling's number 6 took a run and shot, as both teams continued to pepper the goals in the hope of evening out or increasing the score.  As frustration mounted during the final minutes, Kell made a spectacular run around the Stirling 'keeper, putting the ball solidly into the left hand corner and leading to a final score of 1-1.

Both teams started tentatively and defensively and Strathalbyn Red graciously played 10 girls as Hahndorf only had 10 fit players to start with.Charlotte Fairley started in goals and was well assisted by Amber Klose,Alex Czulki and Zara Tinsley-Smith in defence.The midfield worked hard with Esther and Jorunn Van De Gaer along with Luciann Tinsley -Smith. Jade Czulki looking very determined.Strathalbyn Red were the first to score after around 15 minutes and it was game on with both sides lifting their efforts.Around 10 minutes later Amiel Kerber scored for the second game in a row after threatening to do all year.

At half time it was a goal a piece and the Hahndorf crowd held their breath as the teams second halves sometimes did not match their first half performances.

The second half commenced and the breeze was a factor.Hahndorf ‘s forwards  were sharp and full of running.Zara Tinsley -Smith joined Ruby Tully and Amiel Kerber and the attack was potent.Passing was a feature and Zara Tinsley-Smith scored three goals in relatively quick succession.Esther Van De Gaer had a long range shot that went like an Exocet missile  and found the bottom of the horizontal bar. It was  adjudged as not crossing the goal line on deflection.

It was a fantastic strike.Charlotte Fairley had a strong second half after moving from goals  to the midfield and Jade Czulki showed that she is very capable in goals.The final score was Hahndorf 4  Strathalbyn Red 1 in a game that had many memorable moments  and was played in great spirit by both teams.

Warm sunshine saw the game start at a slower pace as the players acclimatised to the conductions. The first half centred on the midfield with each team searching for a way through. Stirling opened up some good chances from just inside the edge of the 18-yard box but couldn’t beat the Strathalbyn keeper who held firm. Strathalbyn then pinned Stirling down in a series of corners but again couldn’t find a way through. Nil all at half time.

The second half started the way the first finished and saw Strathalbyn again pin Stirling down in its 18-yard box in general play and for a series of corners.  Finally in broken play Strathalbyn were able to slot a goal from the edge of the 6-yard box. The game then opened up with greater intensity and more end-to-end play.  Despite many good good chances for both sides neither was able to slot any goals – with some bold keeping and good saves the order of the day.

This week's U17G match at Bradwood Park saw a top and bottom of the table clash.  Stirling Districts girls haven't lost a game all season, meanwhile Woodside has won just one.  One might have thought the game would be a breeze for Stirling, but in true Warriors fashion the girls fought hard.

Woodside commenced the game a little slow, allowing Stirling an early lead through a couple of fast runs forward and through the defence and finally past the keeper. However, the Woodside girls regrouped and recommenced their game. They dug deep and defended hard repelling the attacking Stirling girls again and again.  With a few counter-attacks of their own and two close shots running just to the side of the goals.

Half time break gave time for a breather and words of encouragement from their coach. Returning to the pitch the girls were focussed and held their defence at every turn until mid-way through the second half and Stirling managed to add another to their score.  This gave Woodside the incentive to push a little extra in the attack scoring one of their own.

Overall, such a competitive game played in good spirits and fun.