Match report

Match report

Saturday’s clash between 4th ranked Woodside and 6th ranked Rangers was bound to be interesting. Woodside U14 Red was down four players who, for obvious reasons, had all been selected for the FFSA State Identification Program via their involvement in the AHJSA Representative Squads. Whilst other districts have rules in place to encourage player involvement in FFSA programs, represented by allowing effected games to be postponed, the AHJSA have yet to acknowledge the fact that football in the Adelaide Hills is attracting quality players.

Rangers did what Woodside would have done should the roles have been reversed, and that is making sure your team is ready to go. Meanwhile Woodside’s coach spent hours ringing and emailing, moving players up from Woodside’s U14 Div 2 team, moving players up from Woodside’s U12 team and moving players up from Woodside’s U10 teams, all part of the flow-on effect of providing a handful of players the opportunity to enhance their game.

The match kicked off at 10:30am and within five minutes the Rangers players and supporters were ecstatic to be the first on the board with a lightly defended shot on target. The rest of the first and most of the second half showed two teams slogging it out, both looking for the win. One team surprised that they were one up. The other team surprised that they were one down.

With five minutes remaining JAMES WALL opened Woodside’s account with a long range shot over the keeper and under the cross-bar, a fitting end to a well fought game between two equals. The result deservingly lifts Rangers off the bottom of the ladder.

The Woodside U14 Red team would like to thank ALEC KNIPE, DYLAN JONES and MICHELANGELO SILVESTRI in stepping up to fill the void. They'd also like to thank JACQUI KNIPE who took some wonderful photos.

The next round will see Hahndorf play Woodside at Woodside, whilst Rangers will see Strathalbyn at Strathalbyn.