Match report

Match report

This sunny Saturday morning saw Hahndorf U7s take on Stirling Districts at the very muddy and boggy Mylor Oval. The pre-game warmups conducted in misty conditions, eventually made way for the sun, with Hahndorf offence Avery Buchanan and Alfie McConville facing the sun for the first half, backed up by Asa Bartsch, Finn Bond, and Chloe Pippos in the mid-field, and Ryan Glynn, Patrick Griggs, and William Moran (goalkeeper) in Hahndorf’s defense. Unfortunately, the sun wasn’t too much of an issue for Hahndorf, as Stirling Districts really came to play! The Hahndorf defense were caught off-guard, with a barrage of goal attempts by Stirling Districts. Stirling Districts’ strong offensive attack meant Moran (goalkeeper) saw plenty of action throughout the first half, and achieve many impressive saves! Crowding tactics by Stirling Districts at midfield made it difficult for Hahndorf to breach, however the addition of the fresh legs of Victor Bartsch in offense, and a positional swap of Buchanan and McConville to defense, and Bond and Glynn to the midfield/offense at the at midway through the first half caused a stir and Stirling Districts had to switch up their tactics. The determination of V Bartsch taking the ball for a run gave opportunity for Pippos to have a solid shot at goal. The Bartsch brothers’ repeated relentlessness to the ball meant Hahndorf saw more of their offensive side in the second half, but were sadly unable to convert to a goal.

The second half started with Pippos substituted off, Moran joining the offensive line and Buchanan in the highly sought-after goalkeeper role. These changes saw a big shift in the game, with Moran shining in the striker role and Buchanan skillfully directing his defensive line of Griggs and Glynn further afield for a number of saves. This turnover saw Hahndorf dominating the attack with Moran and the Bartsch brothers forming a strong offensive line, backed up by Bond and McConville in the midfield. The midfield and offense worked together well, inching the ball towards goal for an onslaught of goal attempts by Moran, Bond, and the Bartsch brothers. Unfortunately, the Stirling Districts defense was just too strong and kept Hahndorf scoreless. Similarly, Stirling Districts were struggling to pass through the Hahndorf defensive line, as Glynn, Griggs, and Buchanan (goalkeeper) formed a formidable team! After a fastbreak by Stirling Districts, Glynn confidently stopped Stirling Districts in their tracks and returned the ball to the Hahndorf midfield. A further turnover by Stirling Districts saw the pressure on Hahndorf’s defense and – surely with some Matilda’s motivation – V Bartsch stunned the onlookers with an impressive header out of defense! An impressive game today by Hahndorf U7s, which unfortunately wasn’t represented in the scoreline. Hahndorf team and officials would like to thank the Stirling Districts team and officials for an exciting game!