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 | MPL-Res Team Page |  |
| Team | Date Played | Opposition | Game Type | For | Against | Result |
| MPL-Res | Apr 11 | Wyoming | Competition | 3 | 4 | Loss |
| MPL-Res | Apr 18 | Terrigal | Competition | 1 | 0 | Win |
| MPL-Res | Apr 26 | Umina | Competition | 2 | 0 | Win |
| MPL-Res | May 02 | East Gosford | Competition | 3 | 3 | Draw |
| MPL-Res | May 09 | Budgewoi | Competition | 4 | 0 | Win |
| MPL-Res | May 13 | Kanwal | Competition | 0 | 0 | Draw |
| MPL-Res | May 14 | The Entrance | Competition | 5 | 1 | Win |
| MPL-Res | May 16 | Berkley Vale | Competition | 1 | 1 | Draw |
| MPL-Res | Jun 20 | Terrigal | Competition | 3 | 0 | Win |
| MPL-Res | Jun 27 | Avoca | Competition | 2 | 0 | Win |
| MPL-Res | Jul 04 | Umina | Competition | 1 | 2 | Loss |
| MPL-Res | Jul 11 | Avoca | Competition | 3 | 0 | Win |
| MPL-Res | Jul 18 | East Gosford | Competition | 2 | 2 | Draw |
| MPL-Res | Jul 25 | Budgewoi | Competition | 4 | 3 | Win |
| MPL-Res | Aug 01 | Berkley Vale | Competition | 3 | 1 | Win |
| MPL-Res | Aug 08 | The Entrance | Competition | 1 | 1 | Draw |
| MPL-Res | Aug 11 | Wyoming | Competition | 0 | 3 | Loss |
| MPL-Res | Aug 15 | Kanwal | Competition | 0 | 1 | Loss |
Competition, Semis and Finals Statistics
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MPL-Res Match Reports |
| Aug 15 MPL-Res vs Kanwal , Result: 0 - 1 Loss Like 1sts, our season came down to this game. Like the previous few games, our playing stocks were ravaged and we fielded a team that for some players, were forced with to back up from earlier games. To be fair, we lacked our usual cohesiveness and normal patient possession game. The fact that we needed a result played on our minds and given the disrupted line up and injury toll, we lacked the spark to come back from a sucker punch goal early in the second half. The mood in the change room was understandably dour after the game, as in the end we only needed an extra point to make the four (following securing only one point from the last 3 games). In the end, injuries over both 1st and 2nds and lack of training time on the paddock over the past 8 weeks of the season, hurt us in a massive way. The most disappointing aspect was that if we had have made the finals, we would have had a full compliment of players to choose from in Week 1. As the coach and on behalf of our brilliant manager Dave Roach, all I can say lads, is that it was a pleasure watching you work this season. We are particularly proud of the development in the younger squad members (with half the squad under the age of 21, and the other half under 25) and at no stage during the season did we have a hint of disharmony in the playing group - unheard of in a senior playing squad! There was a real sense in this team that the boys worked hard for one another every week and were commited to playing our brand of football. I am of the belief that the retention of this group of players, along with some coming through the 16's, 18s & 21's, together with current established 1st graders will ensure top grade success for this club over many years to come. Lastly but not in the least, it is with sincere gratitude that on behalf of the lads, I thank our manager Dave Roach who over the course of the season, including pre season road trips up to Newcastle, was professionalism personified. We've got some serious business to attend to for next season. Bring on 2011, can't wait. Stay safe and reasonably fit over the off season. Cheers Walshy |
| Aug 11 MPL-Res vs Wyoming , Result: 0 - 3 Loss If we though we were down troops on the Sunday game vs The Entrance, this mid week catch up set a new standard! We were down Ed, Mick Gos, Sharpie, Wardy, Col & Stomper. Not to mention Dan James & Popey struggling to make the 6pm kick-off. Like Sunday, the guys that came in to support the cause did us and the club extremely proud. Dan Harrison, Ryza and Jake from AA1's along with Futsal & Cam from the 18's. Luke McQ (Killer) from 1sts also came in to help, making a cameo appearance for the 1st 30 mins. Although the score-line would have you believe otherwise, it was an even game however some defensive lapses and lack of go forward hurt us. Completely understandable given the circumstances! Again, I would like to pay tribute to the guys who came in to help, all at late notice. All had good games. |
| Aug 08 MPL-Res vs The Entrance , Result: 1 - 1 Draw Down to the business end of the season. A tough road trip to The Entrance couldron was sure to test us. We started the game minus Wardy, Dan Gosden & Col who moved up to 1sts along with Eddy, Mick Gos & Sharpie all on the season ending injury list. Showing the commitment in our club, we called upon 4 under 18's who backed up from the match directly before ours along with Lukey Marchant who jumped stratight in his car from an U/21's fixture at Berkley to help the cause. Nashy and Futsal started the game and did us proud. Our first half was a little nervy and we went down 1 nil in the 30th min following a lapse in our normal defensive tightness. The game was littered with late tackles, handbags at 10 paces, not to mention a referee that blew his whistle every 2 mins. A game where the referee and the opposition did not allow our normal cohesive play to kick in. We started the 2nd half much better and dominated for long periods however were consistently frustrated by their keeper. Our efforts were rewarded in the 70th min and from that point we pushed for the winner but to no avail. |
| Aug 01 MPL-Res vs Berkley Vale , Result: 3 - 1 Win after a patchy win against Budgewoi last week, it was vital for us to be on our game against a quality Berkley team at Mingara. We started off the game uncohesive on a slippery Mingara surface. We struggled to make the correct final ball and were unusually forcing balls that weren't on. Our poor start to the game was punished in the 12 min when they switched a diagonal ball from the left to their right, were we were caught out of position, leading to a one on one. They made no mistake to go one up. We continued to struggle and Lamby was called into action in the 25th min with a sharp reflex save on this legs in the 25th min. That seemed to wake us up, with the complexion of the game changing in our favour. We were unlucky not to score in the 30th min when Brett Jelfs turned his defender driving a low angled shot across their goals just wide. We had another attempt a few minutes later. In the 37th min, the game then shifted more in our favour after a goal area scrap following a studs up challenge on Lamby. Their player was red carded and they then hung on for the rest of the half. We were unhappy with our performance in the 1st half, which seemed to follow the pattern from a poor 2nd half showing the week before against Budgewoi. We asked for a more commited showing in the 2nd half and that's exactly what we got. Our first sub came in the 55 min with Nashy coming on from Grayson. We pushed for the equaliser and were finally rewarded in the 67th min following a well flighted cross by Nashy which was fumbled by their keeper, with Col having the presence off mind to direct his header into their top right hand corner. Our second sub cam in the 70th min, with Futsal coming on for Dan James, who put in a good shift after battling the flus this week. Futsal slotted on to the left side with Wardy moving up front to partner Brett Jelfs, Langers reverting to DJ's stopper position and Nashy playing along side Col in the middle of the park. Our equalising goal spurred us on to get the 3 points and we went in front on the 79th min mark, following a cross from the right by Stomper and a shot on the turn by Wardy from about 10 yards out. We then attacked at will, resulting in a 3rd from the penalty spot, well put away by Wardy in the 88th min. A very satisfying result against a good quality team. Our 2nd half showed a lot of character, following a disappointing 1st half showing. We can achieve good things with that attitude. Special mention to Dan Skinner this week, who had his usual solid game at sweeper, Brett Jelfs who was a constant menace, Wardy and Col on their second half performances together with Nashy and Futsal who like the Avoca game, made telling contributions off the bench. Two negative points from the game - a soft yellow to Langers who will unfortunately sit out next week and an elbow to Mick Gosden's face resulting in a fractured cheek bone. We wish Mick a speedy recovery. Lets roll on boys!! Team Line Up (Lamby (C), Mick Gosden, Dan Skinner, Dan James (Futsal 70th), Dan Gosden, Stomper, Col, Langers, Wardy, Grayson (Nashy 55th), Brett Jelfs) |
| Jul 25 MPL-Res vs Budgewoi , Result: 4 - 3 Win Following a hard fought draw against title contenders East Gosford last week, we needed a victory against Budgewoi at home. As expected the pitch was not conducive to our normal short game and we expected a physical encounter against a Bugewoi team with only pride to play for. We started the game well and scored at the 14th min mark, after a smartly taken quick free kick from Stomper on the half way line found Col in the middle of the park, who then shifted the ball through on an angle to an oncoming Wardy who made no mistake betting their keeper on a one on one. A particularly satisfying goal as it started with a quick free kick on our right and was finished on our left, played through by our pivot in the middle of the park. Budgewoi, not content to lie down, scored the equaliser 2 minutes later, catching us napping. 2 minutes after that, they went ahead 2-1 after a long ball again caught us asleep. In the 20th min, we got the equaliser following a cross by Stomper from the right in to Joel, who although not hitting his shot cleanly, managed to find the top right hand corner. 2-2. A minute after that we got the lead back through Stomper who turned and finished well on an angle from the edge of the 6 yard box. 3-2 Roos. In the 29th min, we extended our lead again through Stomper who followed up a well taken free kick by Joel. 4-2 Roos. What a half - well worth the price of admission! The talk in the sheds at half time was about killing the game off and putting a few more in with goal difference sure to feature in the run in. We made our first sub in the 50th min with Dan James coming into the middle of the park for Sharpie. Our second sub was Mick Gosden coming on to the left side for Tommy Pope in the 55th min, ensuring a very rare event - all three Gosden brothers on the pitch at the same time in the same grade. One to talk about at the next family BBQ. Our next sub came in the 70th min with Grayson coming on for Dan Gosden, moving up front with Stomper moving to right back and Joel G into right midfield. There were not much by way of highlights for us in the 2nd stanza, with Budgewoi pulling a goal back in the 80th min, leading to a nervous last 10 mins. In the end we held on for a win, however all agreed that the 2nd half was particularly disappointing and we would need a major lift if we are to get over Berkley next week. A stand out game by Stomper this week who banged in two goals and had a hand in two others. Also, great to send Joel G away to Africa with a goal. Safe travels mate and well done on a terrific season. One other thing, congrats to Lamby on taking over the captains arm band from skipper Eddy who is resting medial ligament damage. Team Line Up (Lamby (C), Tommy Pope (Mick Gosden 55th), Dan Skinner, Langers, Dan Gosden (Gray 70th), Stomper, Col, Sharpie (Dan James 50th), Wardy, Joel Gosden, Brett Jelfs) |
| Jul 18 MPL-Res vs East Gosford , Result: 2 - 2 Draw We are well and truly down to the business end of the season, with a game against Grand Final contenders East Gosford sure to test our resolve. In the first round, this game was a ding dong battle at Hylton Moore, where we had to come from behind twice to get a 3 all draw. This game was no exception…. The game set of at a cracking pace with East Gosford pumping accurate long balls into a defensive pockets and attacking with numbers. The first half was evenly contested, with Easts drawing first blood with a fortunate goal when the ball bobbled over an outstretched Lamby in the 27th min, resulting in a 1 nil scoreline. Quite unbelievable that this could happen on the pristine Frost Reserve pitch – go figure. Not to be outdone, we pushed hard for an equaliser and were rewarded for our own bit of good fortune, when a rasping shot by Rusty took a deflection of their defender in the 34th min. Score at half time 1 all. We went into the sheds knowing that we were in a battle and well aware of their threat with the long ball. We discussed maintaining possession as we did for long periods and to continue the momentum that we had coming into half time. Our first sub game at half time with Dan James coming in for Popey, taking up a sweeper position with Dan Skinner moving into left back. The second half continued in the same vain as the 1st period with chances to both sides and physical battles all over the park. Our second sub came in the 73rd min with Luke Marchant (backing up from the U/21s) coming in on the left for Rusty who would back up for 1st Grade later. East’s then applied pressure on our goal in the 80th min, hitting the post of a header and following up the rebound to take a 2-1 lead. In the spirit of these clashes, we would not accept defeat and were again rewarded with a goal following an inswinging Dan James free kick from the edge of their 18, which skimmed a defenders head and hit the old onion bag in the 82nd min. We made our last sub a minute later with Aaron Gallen (U21s) coming on for Grayson who had run himself into the ground. From that point we pushed for a winner, but had to be content for a 2 all draw. On reflection a fair result to a epic encounter. The particularly pleasing aspect of this performance was (not unlike Round 1), we kept coming back and in the end pushed for a win against a top quality opponent. Special mention to Davey Russell for another stand out performance. This type of performance will put us in good stead for the rest of the season. On to Budgie next week!! Team Line-Up (Lamby, Popey (DG 45th), Eddy Toomey (C), Dan Skinner, Stomper, Wardy, Col, Davey Russell, Rusty (Luke Marchant 73rd), Sharpie, Grayson (Aaron Gallen 82nd)) |
| Jul 11 MPL-Res vs Avoca , Result: 3 - 0 Win After last weeks loss it was important to steady the ship with maximum points against local rivals Avoca. We played on a slippery surface at Erina which made conditions tough for both sides. Given the absence of Mick Gosden and Tommy Pope, we called upon Futsal and Nashy from the U18's, with both playing pivotal roles when brought into the game in the 2nd half. The first half was a cagey affair with both team struggling to keep their footing. Not much by the way of highlights, with Joel and Sharpie coming close to opening the scoring. We were also reminded of Avoca's threat when they should have opened the scoring but scuffed their shot from 10 yards out. Lamby was also called upon with a few sharp saves. The discussion at half time was about how disappointed we were with the 1st half performance and how we would need to lift the tempo in the 2nd half. We substituted Langers who was backing up for 1st Grade with natural lefty Futsal, who slotted in at left midfield with Rusty moving into left back. Futsal's introduction had an early impact with Sharpie breaking down the left in the 51st min, doing well to hold the ball up and laying off to Futsal, who then threaded a ball through their backline for an oncoming run by Wardy who drifted in from the ring wing to make no mistake. 2 minutes later Wardy got his second with diving header from a flat cross by Joel. We were then on a roll with Col hitting their cross bar resulting in a follow up shot which their keeper was good enough to save in the 60th min. Out second sub came in the 65th min with Grayson coming on for Davey Russell, who had a usual top class performance in the centre of the park. Sharpie slotted into to Dave's position with Gray moving up front. Our last sub came in the 70th min, with Nashy coming on for Wardy who was given a well earned break after an impressive 2 goal performance. By this stage, Avoca were deflated and we were attacking at will. Rusty got our third in the 81st min hitting a typical screamer from 25 yards out into their far left corner, after drifting in from the left on his favoured right foot. In summary, our second half performance was exceptional under difficult conditions. Skipper Ed Tommey had a stand out game at stopper and speacial mention to our subs Futsal, Grayson and Nashy, all of whom made great contributions in turning the game in the 2nd half. Full steam ahead to a solid week at training for an important clash with East Gosford. Team Line-up (Lamby, Stomper, Dan Skinner, Ed Tommey (C), Langers (Futsal 45th), Rusty, Dave Russell (Grayson 65th), Col, Wardy (Nashy 75th), Sharpie, Joel) |
| Jul 04 MPL-Res vs Umina , Result: 1 - 2 Loss On the back of a few wins, we were keen to keep the run going with a tricky away trip to Umina. We started the game very flat and were on the back foot for the first 20mins. The end result was a dubious hand ball penalty decision which was tucked away despite Lamby's best psychological warfare efforts. It took that goal to click us into gear and from that point we pushed for the equaliser. Our efforts were rewarded in the 40th min when our British import Col, who was played through on goal from Joel Gosden, made no mistake after calmly slotting the ball around the oncoming keeper. A shame for England that Col wasn't called into their World Cup squad. We then dominated for the rest of the half coming close on a few occassions through Grayson and Stomper. The first half was a jeckle and hide affair for us, as we were either very bad or excellent. At half time we spoke about patience in possession and putting pressure on their back four. For the first 5 mins of the second half we again started a little flat however from that point we resumed our dominance with long periods of possession and good interchanges of passes from the back to the forward line. We made our first sub with Sharpie coming on for Grayson in 50th min. Sharpie slotted in behind Joel who reverted to a deeper attacking role. In the 60th min, Wardy came on for Stomper to terrorise their defenders down the right side. Joel was unlucky in the 65th min after gollaping around three of their defenders. Unfortunately his shot did not match the lead up work, rocketing over the bar. In the 70th min he almost grabbed another after a well flighted Ed Toomey corner, with his bullet like header rocking their cross bar. A few minutes later, we were dealt a sucker punch, with their diminutive striker Poppy sliding a ball around a sea of legs to put Umina 2-1 up. We then made our last substitution with Dan James coming on for Col. DJ reverted to Stopper with skipped Ed Tommey slotting into Col's position in the centre of the park. We pushed for a equaliser, with Dan hitting a rasping shot from 30 yards out, but were left frustrated by a few other near misses. Whilst the result was a bitter pill, discounting the first 20 minutes of the match, we played some of our best football than over recent weeks. We can take some heart with this display for our match against Avoca next week. Team Line Up (Lamby, Tommy Pope, Dan Skinner, Ed Toomey (C), Mick Gosden, Stomper (Wardy 60th), Col (DJ 70th), Davey Russell, Rusty, Joel, Grayson (Sharpie 50th)) |
| Jun 27 MPL-Res vs Avoca , Result: 2 - 0 Win This local derby game was played on conditions resembling an ice skating/mud wrestling rink at Frost. Regardless of their position on the ladder, we knew that Avoca would be up for the contest, particulalry given the presence of some ex Roo's on their playing roster. We did our best to play our normal short passing game in difficult conditions and went on the attack from the start. We were able to call on the services of Josh James who rewarded us with goal in the 12th min, following a well placed corner from skipper Ed Toomey. Josh was a constant menace up front for the opposition but succumed to a knee injury and was subbed by Grayson in the 30th min. We continued to attack for the rest of the half but were frustrated by some poor finishing in front of goal. Whilst they were content to catch us on the counter attack, Avoca did have their opportunities with Lamby called into action with two point blank saves at the back end of the half. At half time, the concensus was that this had not been our best performance, with some players looking to turn their opponent and taking far to many touches in slippery conditions. We spoke about getting back to basics with playing quick ball the way you are facing and to be more aware of the diagonal runs of the forwards and wide men. We entered the second half determined to put the game out of reach for Avoca and were unlucky not go 2 nil up following a good one on one save from their keeper on Wardy in the 50th min. We made our second sub in the 52nd min, with Sharpie coming on for Mick Gosden, with Sharpie slotting into right midfield and Joel to right back. The longer the game went on, the more we seemed to open the door for Avoca to snag a point. They were not intent to die wondering and played with 3 dedictaed strikers in the last quarter of the game. We almost got a second in the 70 min after Joel went on a weaving run down the right side, beating 3 defenders however lacked power in his shot on goal. There were not a lot of highlights from that point, however the wait for action was well worth it, when in the 89th min Rusty took the ball past a defender on his chest and hit a screamer from 25 yards into their top corner. Definitely a contender for goal of the season. In summary, another solid performance, however not spectacular. We'll need to raise a gear with big games coming up against Umina, Wyoming, Berkley and East Gosford. Best on park were the young guns Dan Skinner and Popey, with Eddy and Davey Russell playing well up the middle. Lamby had another solid performance between the sticks. Team Line-Up (Lamby, Tommy Pope, Dan Skinner, Mick Gosden (Sharpie), Eddy Tommey, Joel Gosden, Davey Russell, Col, Rusty, Josh James(Grayson), Wardy) |
| Jun 20 MPL-Res vs Terrigal , Result: 3 - 0 Win Firstly, two apologies from the author. Apology 1: In previous match reports, I placed Kanwal and The Entrance games in the wrong month. The correct dates should have been 13 & 14 June (not May). Unfortunately I was unable to edit. Apology 2: match notes for this game so aptly taken by Dave Roach, went missing. My only excuse is that the dog ate them. Enough of the soppy stuff and over to the match report.... We played Terrigal out in the back cow paddock at Pluim, which suprisingly provided quite a playable surface. We were firmly in control over the 90 minutes, with our first goal to Joel Gosden mid way through the first half and another one to Brett Jelfs at the back end of the half. In truth we could have been a few more in front and the talk at half time was about how perilous a 2 nil scoreline could be. We began the 2nd half attacking at pace and were rewarded with a third in the 65th min through Wardy. Whilst not spectacular, this was a solid performance by a team desperate not to drop points. Davey Russell had a stand out game in the centre of the park, with good games by Joel Gosden, Brett Jelfs and Dan Skinner. Team Line-Up (Lamby, Dan Skinner, JR (Tommy Pope), Eddy Toomey (C), Mick Gosden, Stomper, Davey Russell, Col, Rusty, Joel Gosden (Wardy), Brett Jelfs (Sharpy)) |
| May 16 MPL-Res vs Berkley Vale , Result: 1 - 1 Draw After a good run of results we came against table leaders Berkley Vale at Frost. In an evenly contested match from start to finish, we showed character in coming back from 1 nil down after a break away goal late in the first half. Sharpie drew us level in the 65 min and from then on we pressed for a winner until the final whistle. Whilst this was not our best performance, given that the opposition did not allow us to play our usual brand of fluent football, it was a solid display right across the park, with a special mention to Dan James who played the last 20 with a cracked rib. It was also encouraging to see a win at all costs mentality against what was good quality opposition. If we can maintain that mindset for the rest of the season we will have had a year to remember. |
| May 14 MPL-Res vs The Entrance , Result: 5 - 1 Win In the second game of our Queens Birthday double header long weekend, we were tasked with backing up 24 hours after the Kanwal match, vs The Entrance at Frost. Understandably, we were a little lethargic to begin with however fashioned our first opportunity from a Shapie cross following a good interchange of passes with Brett Jelfs in the 5th min. We were then rewarded with our first goal in 16th min resulting from a weaving Brett Jelfs run past a few of their defenders on the edge the 18 and a cross served to Rusty who was well postioned for an easy tap in. Our second came in the 30 min, following a Stomper cross which was flapped at by their keeper, landing to Eddy who smashed the ball in the net from 15 yards. We then dominated until half time. Our first sub, was Grayson on for 1st Grade skipper JR who had a great weekend following an extended injury lay-off. It was great to see back on the pitch and his return is a huge boost for the club. Ed moved back to stopper with Sharpie into centre midfield and Grayson partnering Brett Jelfs up front. We then continued to apply pressure on their goal mouth however were hit with a goal to them in the 50th min. We then made our second substitute with Dan Harrison coming on for Tommy Pope. It was great to see Dan back in action with us after starting the season in AA1's. He made a great contribution at left back for the rest of the match. Not to dwell on the oppositions goal, excatly 1 min later, Brett Jelfs latched on to a through ball to camly round the keeper and restore our 2 goal cushion. This seemed to deflate The Entrance and we then attacked at will. Stomper had a good opprtunity in the 55th min, which sailed just over the bar and Grayson was making a telling contribution up front. In the 65th min we made our final substitute with Joel Gosden coming on for Rusty. Both players would then back up in 1st Grade later in the day. In the 67th min, Joel made an immediate impact when he was taken down in the box, earning a penalty which Brett Jelfs calmly slotted for his second goal of the game. In the 69th min, Joel continued to make an impression with our fifth goal following a great interchange of passes with Grayson and Brett Jelfs. A minute later we nearly scored a 6th following another good cross from Joel, which fell to Stomper, who unfortunately couldn't get enough power in his header. Our great win was soured by a poor refereeing decision to award Grayson his second yellow of the game for minimal contact on their keeper. It was a shame, as Grayson was putting in a good shift for the team following his entry into the game. In the end an outstanding result particularly given the short 24 hour turnaround from the Kanwal game. Great performances right around the park, with stand out games from Brett Jelfs and Dan Skinner. Team line-up (Lamby, Tommy Pope(Dan Harrison 50th), Dan Skinner, JR(Grayson 45th), Mick Gosden, Rusty(Joel Gosden 65th min), Dave Russell, Eddy Tommey (C), Stomper, Brett Jelfs, Sharpie) |
| May 13 MPL-Res vs Kanwal , Result: 0 - 0 Draw After 3 consequetive wash outs, a match away to Kanwal was sure to test our resolve. In truth it took us a good 20 mins to find any cohesiveness, with the team shaking off the rust after the extended break between games. We went away from our short game and found it difficult to properly weight our passes on rock hard pitch with a downward slope. With that said, we had two good chances in the first 10 mins, where we rounded their keeper, but the ball got away from the final touch into goal. In the 20th min, Stomper nearly opened his goal tally with a rasping shot that flew across the face of their goal. In the 25th min, Col had a crack from 30 yards and was unfortunate to see his shot sail just over the crossbar. In the 44th min, Kanwal had their best opportunity on goal, which resulted in an excellent one on one save from Lamby. At half time, we spoke about getting some fluency back into our game and using the pivots in the middle of the park more effectively. Sharpie came on in the middle of the park for Col, who would then make an important contribution in 1st Grade later in the day. We went immediately on the attach with two corners in the first 5 mins of the 2nd half. In the 51st min, Brett Jelfs came on for Stomper and moved up front to partner Grayson with Joel Gosden moving to right midfield. We then peppered their goal with a free kick from Rusty in 62 min, forcing their keeper into a good save. 3 mins later, Joel broke off down their right side, but was thwarted in a great one on one save by their keeper. We continued to search for the winner after that, but were left frustrated by the nil all scoreline. In summary, this was not our best performance of the season, but understandable given the long lay off. We had by far the best chances but spurned too many opportunities in front of goal. Lamby and Tommy Pope were the best on park. Team Line Up (Lamby, Tommy Pope, JR, Eddy Toomey (C), Mick Gosden, Stomper (Brett Jelfs 51st), Dave Russell, Colin Howe (Sharpie 45th), Rusty, Joel Gosden, Grayson) |
| May 09 MPL-Res vs Budgewoi , Result: 4 - 0 Win Following a tough away game at East Gosford last week, we faced another challenging trip up to Budgewoi. Our line up was changed slightly from the previous week, with Grayson away, Tommy Pope nursing a hamstring injury and Sharpie moving up to first grade. We brought in Aaron Gallen from the U21's, who was well deserving of his spot given his performance at training, together with Futsal and Nashy from our U18's who trained impressively throughout the week. Budgewoi started strongly and were given an extremely dubious penalty in the 6th min. Justice however prevailed with their shot hitting our crossbar and drifting away to safety. It took us 10 mins to find our rythym and we were rewarded with a penalty in the 13th min after Rusty was cruedly taken out in their box. Not to be deterred, he put his hand up to take the penalty and calmly put it away, allowing us to skip to a 1 nil lead. We were well in control of proceedings from that point, with Colin in particular dominating play. In the 31st min he was nearly rewarded with a goal with his shot going across their goalmouth following a neat interchange of passes from our backline into our midfield. In the 36th min Rusty got his 2nd, again following at least half a dozen short passes from our backline to midfield. We went into the halftime break 2 nil up, however all agreed that the margin could have been much higher following 2 incorrectly disallowed goals through offside calls and numerous correct offside calls where we didn't time our though balls and runs properly. The talk at halftime was that 2 nil is never a good lead, so we had to keep the pressure on for a 3rd goal, which would help us kill the game off. We attacked from the onset of the 2nd half with Wardy putting us up 3 nil, following a pinpoint cross by Stomper in the 48th min. We then made our first sub with Aaron coming on for Mick Gosden in the 50th min. We made our 2nd and 3rd subs in the 60th min with Nashy replacing Brett Jelfs up front and Futsal replacing Rusty wide on the left. By now, we were fully in control of the game and were creating chance after chance on goal. In the 68th and 78th mins Stomper went close with volley and one-on-one opportunities. His persistence then paid off with a goal in the 83rd min, with a great goal following an interchange of passes between Wardy and Nashy. We almost got another a minute later when Wardy was unfortunate not to get his 2nd after a one-on-one save by their keeper. In the end we went away from Budgewoi with a 4 nil win. It was hard to pick fault with our performance in this game. It is even harder to nominate stand-out performances on a day when all 14 players contributed. The most pleasing things about the performance were: 1. All players contributed, with special mention to Aaron, Futsal and Nashy who came up from the 21's and 18's and were very positive when they came on. 2. We refused to concede a goal even when the points were safe. 3. We continued to search for goals even when 4 nil up. 4. We kept our shape and played our game. Some lessons to take away from the game were to keep patient even when enjoying long periods of possession and to be more cohesive with through balls and delayed forward runs when we're playing against a flat back four. Team line-up: (Lamby, Mick Gosden (Aaron 50th), Dan James, Ed Toomey (c), Dan Skinner, Rusty (Futsal 60th), Dave Russell, Col, Stomper, Brett Jelfs (Nashy 60th), Wardy) |
| May 02 MPL-Res vs East Gosford , Result: 3 - 3 Draw Following a few wins on the trot, it was vital to keep some momentum going, which sounds great in theory, but a tough challenge given an away trip against a quality East Gosford side. This game was particulalry important for a few squad members, with coach Walshy and stopper Dan James former Rams players. With that in mind it was fitting that Dan took the captains armband for the match and like any good leader, turned in a great performance. Knowing that East Gosford are perhaps the best in the league for quick counter attacking football (particularly with balls pumped into our defensive corners) and can be deadly in front of goals, we were mindful of keeping our defensive shape all over the park, maintaing possession and playing through their midfield with our natural short game. The game started at a frantic pace, with Lamby called into action with an exceptional one on one save in the 11th min. From that point, we found our rythym with some nice interchanges of passes and long periods of possession in their defensive half of the field. Our efforts were rewarded in the 26th min, with a headed goal by Rusty following an interchange of passes starting in our own half, leading to a cross from Wardy. In the 33rd min Dan James hit a screamer at goal which was well saved by their keeper. All that good work however was undone, following a misdirected pass around the half way line, allowing a swift counterattack by them. Unfortunately we did not adjust defensively and they took advantage with a goal in the 35th min. From that point until half time, we lost our rythym completely, however were unlucky not to go 2-1 up following a one on one opportunity through Sharpie which was very well saved by their keeper in the 40th min. Easts then pumped the ball down the other end of the field resulting in a goal in 42nd min. We wend to the break 2-1 down, in a half that we felt we had the edge in for hallf an hour. At half time, we made our first sub with Jelfs coming on for Sharpie (who put in a good shift after battling a throat infection all week). In the 54th min, we made our second sub with Grayson coming on for Stomper. Gray moved up front with Jelfs and Wardy slotted into Stompers position out wide on the right. We them made our final sub 5 minutes later with Eddy coming in for Dave Russell in the middle of the park. It was a good hit out for Dave, who came in this week for match fitness following a re-occuring injury. As the half ticked on, we had long periods of sustained pressure on their goals and in the 68th min, we equalised through Grayson following a good cross by Rusty. Just when we thought that we were building momentum, Easts hit us with a sucker punch 2 mins later hitting a 3rd goal. Grayson then responded hitting a great shot at goal a minute later, that was well saved. We then peppered their goal and were eventually rewarded in the 85th min, with a headed goal by skipper Dan James, coming on to across with a late incoming run on the edge of their 18 yeard box. This goal was particularly satisfying as these type of runs are what we work on at training, with decoys staggering runs into their near post. From that point, Easts appeared shell shocked and the game was there for our taking. We again peppered their goal, with the best effort coming in the 87th min, courtesy of Rusty hitting a screamer from 30 yards out, which was tipped over the bar for a corner. The final whistle blew a few minutes later. In summary, this was a high quality game played at quite a pace. Our performance was a little topsy turvey, where we were really good for long periods and quite poor for at least 10 mins in both halfs. The lesson from this is that when we feel deflated and have lost our rythym, we need to talk our way back into the game with positive encouragement all over the park. With that said, we showed a lot of mettle to fight back twice for a well earned point. There were good performances across the park, with notable mentions to the two Dan's at the back, Col, Rusty and in particlar keeper Lamby. Line up: (Lamby, Tommy Pope, Dan Skinner, Dan James (c), Mick Gosden, Colin, Dave Russell (Eddy 60th), Rusty, Stomper (Grayson 54th), Sharpie (Jelfs 45th), Wardy) |
| Apr 26 MPL-Res vs Umina , Result: 2 - 0 Win Following a victory last week vs Terrigal, it was important that we set some momentum with a good performance against a strong Umina outfit. Of most concern with our victory last week was in the final 10 minutes when we lost our steam and in the end hung on for what should have been a straight forward win. Accordingly, we stepped up our conditioning work at training to assist with a 90 minute performance. We started this game well with some good work down the left by Rusty resulting in a far post opportunity to Stomper as early as the 4th min. Brett Jelfs then peppered their goal with a long range attempt in 13th min and then with a one-on-one breakaway which he slid to the right of their goals in the 17th min. We were then reminded of the threat that Umina posed, when Lamby was called into a good one-on-one save down the other end in 22nd min. We continued to press in attack, with Wardy denied a goal after a looping header over their keeper for a perceived nudge in the back to one of their defenders in the 27th min. In the 30th min Wardy then created an opportunity putting the ball across goals with no one lurking in the box for a tap in. In the 36th min Eddy had a long range effort on goal following a great run by Brett Jelfs. Our efforts were then rewarded with a headed goal from Wardy, scoring from a well flighted Stomper corner on the stroke of half time. We went to the change rooms at 1 nil up after a well contested first half. Our half time talk was about keeping defensive shape as we were well aware of Umina’s never say die attitude. We made two half time subs with Grayson coming on for Stomper and Dan Skinner on for Tommy Pope. Both Stomper and Tommy had good games. Umina’s fighting qualities were then evident as quick as the 47th & 49th mins when Lamby was called into action with two good saves. Those attempts stirred us into action with Grayson, Jelfs and Rusty missing one on one opportunities in the 52nd, 60th and 62nd mins. Our third sub came in the 60th min with Colin coming on for Jelfs. Jelfs had a great game up front and was a constant threat every time he had the ball. We changed our formation with Col coming into the middle of the park for Sharpie who moved up front with Grayson. We continued to press forward to land the killer blow and we scored our second in the 67th min courtesy of Grayson. We dominated after that and were unlucky not to put a few more goals in. In summary, we performed better over 90 mins this week against a quality side. Our movement off the ball was good and we caused them constant threat up front and out wide. The only negative was that we were not ruthless enough in front of goal. The performance across the park was good, with special mention to Sharpie and Ed in the middle of the park, Rusty out wide on the left and Wardy up front and out wide on the right. Also, a warm welcome back to Brett Allan after an extended layoff with injury. His injury did not restrict him in any way and as usual, he was rock solid playing an anchoring role at the back. Team line-up: (Lamby, Tommy Pope (Daniel Skinner 45), Brett Allan, Dan James, Stomper (Grayson 45), Sharpie, Eddy, Rusty, Wardy, Brett Jelfs (Colin 60)) |
| Apr 18 MPL-Res vs Terrigal , Result: 1 - 0 Win Following a narrow loss away at Wyoming in Round 1, we were keen to get some points on the board for Round 2 vs local rivals Terrigal United. The match started off at a good pace, with Terrigal dangerous from long balls out of the back served to speedy strikers up front. It took us a little while to find our cohesiveness with our first attempt on goal in the 5th min when Stomper outpaced his marker only to hit his effort over the crossbar. From that point we were firmly in control with long periods of position and good interchanges of passes resulting in numerous attempts on goal. In the 8th min Grayson tested their keeper with a good header played on by an accurate Mick Gosden cross. A minute later we hit their crossbar following another headed effort. In the 11th min hit their top post following a 20m shot. Our efforts to that point went unrewarded and we were given a fright in the 13th min when keeper Lamby was called into action following a long range Terrigal effort on goal. Following that, in 23rd & 25th mins Sharpie & Grayson peppered their goal with long range attempts. Our affection for their goal frame continued after that, with Colin hitting the centre of their crossbar in the 35th min. We went into the sheds at half time with no reward for our dominance and the talk was to stay patient and keep our defensive shape after the half time whistle. We started the 2nd half with Brett Jelfs coming on for Sharpie, making an immediate impact in the 50th min by tormenting his defenders and calmly laying a ball on the edge of their 18 yard box to an ongoming Mick Gosden who hit an unstoppable strike to put us 1 nil up. Our next substitution came in 55th min when goal scorer Mick Gosden was replaced by speed machine Nathan Ward who came into an attacking right wing position. Along with the Brett Jelfs introduction to the game, we were blessed with some extremely quick substitutions to further torment Terrigals defence. Our next sub was Gus who came on in the 60 min for Grayson (who had a great game up front and was unlucky not to bag a few goals). Wardy was then moved up front with Gus playing a right wing role. From the 75th minute the unseasonable heat was taking an obvious toll on our boys after long stretches of dominance in the match. Terrigal caught us on the break a few times, drawing good saves from Lamby. In the end we finished 1 nil up. In summary, we maintained possession for long periods of the game following great interchanges of short passes and a strong work effort by supporting players off the ball. We did however clock off for the last 10-15 minutes of the match, with Terrigal threatening to pinch a point. Whilst the heat was a factor, both teams played under the same conditions and we will work further on our conditioning through the upcoming weeks, so that we can be in a position to run over the opposition at the back end of our games. Our next game is a big one on ANZAC Weekend Monday at home to Umina. Let's put in at training and come ready to play for 90 mins. Notable performances were by Dan James who set up a lot of our attacks from stopper and Colin who played a pivotal role in the centre of the park. Team Line-Up (Lamby, Mick Gosden (Nathan Ward 50 min), Daniel Skinner, Tommy Pope, Dan James, Colin, Eddy (C), Stomper, Rusty, Sharpie (Brett Jelfs 45 min), Grayson (Gus 60 min). |
| Apr 11 MPL-Res vs Wyoming , Result: 3 - 4 Loss For the opening round of the season, we could not have been given a tougher test - away at Wyoming. The game started off at a frantic pace with chances at both ends. With that said, it took as a good 15 minutes to find our rhythm, with our keeper Lamby called into action with a good save in the 8th min. We were hit with a set back in the 12 minute when Wyoming hit a free kick from no less than 40 yards out which whistled in to our top right hand corner. A contender for goal of the season in any league. That goal however stirred us into action and in the 18 minute we were rewarded after a swift counter attack involving a 20 yard defence splitting through ball from Mick Gosden, which allowed Nathan Ward to outpace his markers and calmly slot around the keeper for our first goal. From that point our two touch short game came into effect with Wyoming committing fouls to break our rhythm. We were on the front foot for the rest of the half, resulting in a break and shot from Stomper in the 36 min. Our efforts when then rewarded with a second goal in the 43 min when Rusty hit a screamer from 25 yards following a good interplay of passes starting from Dan Skinner and worked through the midfield via Sharpie. We went in to the half time break 2-1 up and our talk in the sheds was all about concentration at the start of the second half. Unfortunately that discussion didn't eventuate after the half time whistle with Wyoming hitting 3 goals in 10 minutes to go 4-2 up. Some slack marking and heavy legs after half time hurt us. Those goals however, spurred us in to action, with Rusty going close with another long range effort. Our first sub came in the 55 minute, with Grayson coming on for Rusty, moving up front with Wardy moving out to an attacking left wing position. This substitution was by no means a reflection on Rusty's performance, who scored a great goal and turned in a very solid performance in his senior grade debut with the club. We were on the front foot, with Eddy testing their keeper from 20 yards out in the 60 minute. Shortly after that Brett Jelfs came on for Sharpie and played up front with Grayson for the remainder of the game. Our formation then took a more attacking shape as we pressed for a result. 5 minutes later Gus replaced Daniel Skinner who showed a lot of character to stay in the game after taking a knock in the first half. In the 70 minute, Brett Jelfs scored to make it 4-3, following a sharp passing move from Mick Gosden and Grayson. From that point on we were attacking at pace, with Jelfs unlucky not to be on goal for a possible second following a contentious off side decision. We had further attempts on goal following efforts by Daniel James and Grayson, however were unlucky not to at least salvage a point from the game. Final score 4-3 to Wyoming. In summary, we played controlled football for 70% of the game, where we held the ball for long periods and shifted the ball into different sections of the field well. Unfortunately we were punished for a 10 minute lapse in concentration at the resumption of the 2nd half. The pleasing thing however was the way we responded against top quality opposition, who will be title contenders this season. We showed in this game that we were more than capable of matching them and the feeling after the game was that this was one that got away. Another point to note is that we played the game with 6 team members under the age of 21 (Ben Lamb, Daniel Skinner, Tommy Pope, Eddy Toomey, Mat Rust and Grayson). This is an extremely encouraging sign for the club, with each one of those players showing great composure and technical ability against good opponents. Also a welcome to new squad members - our British import Colin and Nathan Ward along with a warm welcome back to Brett Jelfs after his 2 years of world travel. All of whom made telling contributions. A good performance all around the park with a special mention to Mick Gosden who had an exceptional 1st half along with Eddy Toomey who took on the captains armband and lead by example. Team List (Lamby, Tommy Pope, Daniel Skinner (Gus 65 min), Mick Gosden, Dan James, Stomper, Ed Toomey, Col, Sharpie (Brett Jelfs 60 min), Rusty (Grayson 55 minute), Wardy). |
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