Week 3 (2 May)
RESULT: Win 5-3
SCORERS: Murray 2, Howie, Scott, Pete
On a day that consisted of both windy and sunny condition. We started off with 1 sub and an unusual starting line up with Michael and Mike filling in and Howard in Goals.
A few lapses in defence saw us going down 2-0 within the first 15 minutes, but Murray clawed a goal back before half time to make it 2-1. Ethan, Jumbi and Scottie came a little later to give us 3-4 subs on the bench.
In the 2nd half Saints grabbed an early break-away another goal to make it 3-1. But we bounced back with a lot of good passing which paid off when Howard picked up a through ball and squared it across the goal for Murray to toe poke in his second of the game. Howard’s short bursts around players meant that one of the players had to take him out. Fortunately for us, this meant he picked up his 2nd yellow and subsequently a red card, he even tried to convince the ref that Howard should get a yellow card for diving, funny that.
That was the spark of our comeback, the opponents had one less player, 3 less substitutes, and definitely lacked pace. We exposed their defence easily when a subtle pass from Jesse found Howard unmarked in the 18 yard box for him to fire past the keeper.
Saints found themselves constantly pressured, and they could only revert to clearing the ball to find some time to catch their breath. We capitalized once again when Scottie dribbled around a few players to shoot a rocket that hit the bottom of the crossbar and bounced in for our 4th.
Howard also wins the award for 1st yellow of the season with unnecessary decking of a player on the half way line. The opposition tried to convince the ref again that I should be sent off for that challenge. But he bounced back, getting a touch of the ball in the box before he was taken out from the side. An easy penalty decision for the ref which Pete slotted for his 1st of the season.
A good win for us.