Saturday, March 24, 2007
Lightning Rods 6 def Spitfires 1
DISCLAIMER: This game report may be a little biased, and seen through azur coloured glasses, as it is written by a founding member of the Happy Christmas Professor Ovington 1976 Bitch Butter cup plate shield league, who is a loyal and passionate Lightning Rods supporter, and proxy mascot for the blues during my 'confinement'. No apologies forthcoming, just a warning.
SATURDAY 24 MARCH
It was a reasonably fine day in the 'berra, and despite some key players being absent, including both beloved team captains, we had a good turn out, with 9 people donning the blues and reds. The uneven numbers were in favour of the blues this week, since the Rods had the benefit of uneven numbers in the previous two weeks.
On the SpitFires (red) side there were the Byron stalwarts - Jen, Ash, Craig and Dean.
On the Lightning Rods (blue) side there was Patrick, Chris, Rob, Katy and Frith.
Play commenced late as there was a very friendly mowing man doing large loops around the outside of the field, slowly spiralling in. (And about bloody time Telopea! The grass is bloody long!)
He graciously agreed to mow our pitch first, so that we could get playing. It was handy in the beginning as we the sidelines were easily delineated by the longer grass, but it did mean the field kept expanding as the longer we played, the more he mowed!
Craig started out with two hungry early attempts at goal, 1 went high, and the other Pat gallantly defended. Ash made a strike off the left foot, but to no avail.
The first goal of the match went to the Rods, resulting from brilliant passing between Chris and Rob. Rods 1 - 0 Reds.
Soon after, the second goal also went to the Rods, in much the same way, but with Jen giving an heroic attempt at goal defence. Rods 2 - 0 Reds.
In the first half Pat managed to kick the ball solidly into Dean, at close range - twice. That's the way Pat, beat 'em up early and make 'em soft.
Opening up the second half, Rob made a great cross pass to Pat to strike, but Craig dive block defended with great agility.
Soon after, Chris made another Rods strike at goal, which Craig sped back from a sojourn in the field to defend with another dive block.
Jen lined up a great goal, which Katy stole nicely, and Pat made an overzealous strike, which hit the tree behind goal.
Pat's second try at goal was successful when he sneakily left footed Craig. Rods 3, Reds 0.
Here we are deep into the second half and the Spitfires are still to score. These are indeed strange times. Soon to be rectified by a physics defying high arching kick from Jen, which went over Katie's head, then arched back into goal. 3-1.
Chris followed up with a masterful run down to the blue goal, and with heaps of time on his hands, managed to send his strike straight into the diving hands of another stinging Craig goal defence.
He reenacted it a few minutes later, and Craig knee wedge blocked that one too.
In an attempt to even the score before the end of the second half,
Ash took a shot at the red goal, but got the post.
Jen took a strike, which Katy blocked.
Craig took a strike, which Katy blocked.
Jen took another strike, which Katy blocked.
and soon after, Ash called 'time' on the second half.
To open up the third half, Craig aimed to rectify the imbalance by weaving passed Frith, Pat and Katy's defence to make a damaging strike at red goal, however Pat managed to make a glance block off his left leg, resulting in a corner. The corner resulted in several messy red strikes, none of which found their home in the goal.
Chris took a long run towards blue goal, taking the ball all the way himself, for a successful strike past Deano. 4-1
Katy and Pat tried to work some deja vu with a beautiful partnership long run down the field, but this time Deano put a stop to their intentions.
Soon after, Pat blocked a goal kick from the Spitfires end, and ran it straight back into goal. 5-1
By this stage Ash was pretty hungry for a goal, but Frith continued her solid mid field game, and stuck on Ash like glue, until his high strike landed in Chris' goalie hand block, resulting in another red corner.
The Byron's were impressive as always, with Ash directing his corner kick straight to Jen, who almost succeeded in sliding it passed the goalie, but it was not to be.
At the other end of the field Pat got a shot at open goal, and missed. Then had another go, and got the pole. (There was some frustration ensuing.)
To wrap up the match Rob rounded off the Lightning Rods score to a neat half dozen with a nice run all the way down the field, 3 swings passed defenders, and a stupendous final strike at goal. 6-1
Ah, victory is sweet!
See you all next week :-)
Cheers
Liv
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