Maccabi 4 -4 Maroubra United

8 Goal Thriller

Once again this was our yearly trek to Mission Fields and as always a number had difficulty following the clear concise directions provided by the manager.
We had a solid squad to choose from but the main issue was that there was no ref allocated due to the late
change in kickoff time.
Maccabi suggested they ref one half and we coud do the other, then their captain gave a lecture about playing fair etc.

Things started ok but after only a few minutes, a Maccabi throw in wasn't cleared and with the ball looking like going behind for a goal kick, it was flicked back in and the onrushing midfielder stabbed it home
In fairness to the ref, he came and asked Karl if the ball had gone out but no one could say for sure and the goal stood. 1-0.
After this we played a bit better and the game opened up. After half an hour, Tom received the ball on the edge of the box and took his man on who checked Toms run - foul, penalty, goal -thank you very much! 1-1.
Steve and Yoshi were now dominating the midfield and on the stroke of halftime, Steve put Tom in the clear,
leaving the defense motionless, one touch, keeper beaten and with ball rolling towards the empty net, the ref blows halftime...
Well it was now time for Maccabi to show their spirit of fair play as discussions became heated indeed.
The ref apologised, claiming he was looking at his watch and goal stood 1-2 to Maroubra, civil war averted.

The guys were now fired up and started the second half flat out. Within 10 minutes we had added another when Yoshi teased the defender one way, then the other and finished with a shot to the corner, 1-3 to Maroubra.
The next goal was going to be decisive but with our midfield now tiring, Maccabi came more into the game.
From a corner, which was half cleared, the ball fell to their player towards the back post who just stabbed it
towards the corner. However our defender on the post had vanished and the ball evaded Karls outstretched hand 2-3.
Maccabi sensed blood and started to go for it with all out attack but not always making the right options.
With 15 minutes left, a ball over the top put their pacey winger away who finished with a shot across goal in off the post 3-3.
Maroubra were now on the ropes, tanks empty wishing for the final whistle. Again Maccabi attached, this time down the left, floating in a cross that was tapped home 4-3 to the home side. Some after another attached yielded a shot on goal but this time it cannoned back off the post in to Karls arms.

Could the Green Machine rescue something for a game that seemed theirs 30 minutes earlier?
We somehow summoned enough energy for one last sortie down field. Frank received the ball and moved
forward, playing it to Tom on the left side who crossed it in, Terry gets a flick on but ball falls towards the Maccabi defender who smashes clear...... fortunately for Maroubra, his GPS had malfunctioned and he actually volley the ball to the top corner of his own net - quality finish 4-4.

And there it ended, another high scoring thriller against Maccabi with Maroubra again somehow rescuing a point.