Match report

Match report

Blackwood hosted Hahndorf at their home ground of Springbank Secondary College with kick off at 10am. 

The teams displayed an eagerness for the ball right from kick off. It was passed frequently between the teams, travelling up and down the pitch in the opening 9 minutes, before Blackwood's Ben A captured the ball in midfield and dribbled it through the Hahndorf defence for an early goal. A few minutes later Liam D received the ball from a Blackwood corner, passing to Elisha S who added a second to their tally. Hahndorf responded immediately, sending the ball into their attacking half, only to be shut down by Blackwood at the last moment. Blackwood soon had another opportunity from a corner, but Hahndorf defended and ran the ball up the pitch, their own shot at goal too high. Possession swapped back and forth again between the teams, with the ball shot wide on each opportunity until Scott C made it 3 for Blackwood. Hahndorf were deprived of a half-time score by some excellent keeping by Blackwood's Angus D at the half’s end. 

Blackwood started off strong again in the second, earning an early corner kick that led into a further 2 corners. Hahndorf made the most of the loose ball after the 3rd corner kick and sped down the pitch. A penalty was awarded to Hahndorf, which was saved by first-time keeper Zac V.  Blackwood raced straight into the attack, and the Hahndorf keeper doing well to prevent another Blackwood goal. Within a minute Hahndorf were awarded a corner, their set play delivering their first goal for the match. Blackwood wasted no time in attempting to bolster their winning margin, with another 2 attempts on goal. Winning possession back, Hahndorf’s further attempt was denied by the Blackwood keeper. Again, Blackwood went on the attack, and again they were denied by the Hahndorf keeper until Ben A snuck another into the net for Blackwood bringing the score to 4-1.
Moments later Hahndorf delivered 2 more fast goals to reduce the margin to 1. The Blackwood keeper was able to defer the equaliser by saving a further attempt soon after, but it did indeed come 13 minutes later. With approximately 10 minutes left in play, and score line even, Blackwood's Liam D landed hard and awkwardly from a fair tackle and was removed from the pitch with what has since been confirmed as a broken collar bone. With no subs available, Blackwood were reduced to 10 on field for the remaining minutes. In a nail-biting finish, Ben A once again found the net to bring the final score to Blackwood 5 – Hahndorf 4.

Blackwood were greatly saddened by the news of Liam’s fracture, as this is the second major injury in as many games. It has been confirmed that Lachlan S will require surgery to repair a nasty break to his nose as a result of taking a high kick to the face in the previous round.