MATCH REPORT – 19th July 2015
The Singleton Strikers travelled to former home of the Newcastle Breakers, The Gardens, trying to wrestle wins off Wallsend……one of the oldest clubs in Australia with a long and proud history. But the glory days….for both Wallsend and the Gardens….are long gone and the wet conditions and the poor state of the playing surface made it a tough day at the office.
The Betts Bower Haulage U17’s knew they were in for a tough game against fourth placed Wallsend and so it proved. The cold, rainy conditions were not conducive to a high quality game, but Singleton were on top for long periods of play and should have secured all three points. But despite both Nathan Smart and Dan Bray hitting the woodwork and Trae Proudlock twice forcing the Wallsend goal keeper to make what turned out to be match winning saves, Wallsend hung on and scored a late winner to dash the hopes of the Betts Bower Haulage U17’s.
The Viatek U19’s looked like they had stayed in the sheds for the start of their game, and were 2 goals down before they knew what was happening. Only the heroic efforts of custodian Lachlan Hetherington kept them within reach during the rest of the first half with a string of top quality saves.
The U19’s needed to be first to score in the second period, but Wallsend added a third goal to seal the game. Captain Tyler Felsch scored from the spot, before Wallsend added more goals, and Mitchell Bradley added a late consolation goal as the young Strikers went down 5-2.
The ATC Williams U23’s were looking to bounce back from last week’s insipid performance, but the opening exchanges were not promising and captain coach Ryan Guihot was kept busy in goals as Wallsend attacked. But the ATC Williams reggies settled into their task and the rest of the first half was very even.
Ditto for the second half. Both teams had chances to break the deadlock without really looking likely to score, until stalwart Aaron Caelli, with almost the last kick of the game, shrugged past his defender and slid the ball under the advancing Wallsend goal keeper to record a well-deserved victory for the U23’s.
The Concept Controls First Grade team had high hopes of continuing their semi-final charge, and looked the goods in the opening exchanges with both Lloyd Wakewood and Jackson Cox both spurning gilt-edged chances to open the scoring.
The game settled into a rhythm until Wallsend, with their first real attack of the game, scored a cracker of a goal.
The score stayed 1 nil in favour of the home team over the break, but early in the second half Singleton’s Dan Palozzi “bent it like Beckham” as he swept his free kick into the net to equalise.
But the comeback was soon nipped in the bud, when Singleton failed to clear a Wallsend free kick and was punished by conceding an open header to Wallsend.
Singleton attacked, looking for another equaliser, but another defensive lapse saw Wallsend through one-on-one with Singleton ‘keeper Stuart Plant, and Wallsend skipped to a 3-1 lead.
Lloyd Wakewood stabbed in a late goal after a goal mouth scramble to make it 3-2, but it was too little too late for the Concept Controls Strikers.