Sydney Uni 1 - 2 Maroubra United

Super Leo drags Green Machine across the finish line

This was a must win game for the boys in green and we had a solid turnout in spite of Franks wayward directions!
Due to some washouts a ref was reassigned and arrived just in time for the start.
We were close to full strength and started well taking the game to Uni and creating chance after chance. However due to the short and narrow pitch, our forward were finding it difficult to get much space and most chances were snatched at.
We could have been 2 or 3 up if it wasn't for their excellent keeper who was having the game of his life!
Then, on the break, their attacking midfielder play a through ball down inside left chanel which the striker ran onto and smashed first time inside Karls near post. 0-1 down at the break
We brought on some fresh legs at the break and message to everyone was to keep playing football, they will tire and chances will come.
Patrick started the second half like a man on fire, first to every lose ball and closing down everything that came his way. Unfortunately this singled him out and when the opportunity came, the opposition hit him hard.
Patrick saw the challenge coming and raised his right hard to protect himself but the force of the body charge left him with multiple fractures to the wrist....
With Patrick making his way gingerly to RPA Emergency, Frank rejoined the fray but it wasn't long until he was smashed while challenging for a high ball, landing on the back of his head and needing to leave the pitch a bit dazed.
We continued to dominate with Pao marshaling the troops at the back and the team spreading the ball around looking for a way through.  Leo had obviously down a few espressos on his way to the game and was tormenting the Uni full back, turning him inside and out. With the sideline wondering if a cross would ever eventuate, Leo took the ball close to the sideline and drilled a cross low and hard inside the keeper to the back post, which it hit and went in ala Ned Zelic, 1-1, 20 minutes left, game on!
With time getting away from us, we quickly moved to our famed 3-5-2 formation, having to sacrifice a defender, Jason being the unlucky one.
With Yoshi and Rod now in control central mid, spreading the ball wide at every opportunity as Neil dragged defenders all over the field, controlling the ball near the left and feeding inside to Graham who smashed a 25 yarder towards the far corner of the net but once again, the keeper dives full length and turned around the post.
From the corner, Pao made contact but knowing he couldn't get enough power in the header to trouble the keeper, he intelligently headed back across goal where fox in the box, Leo poked home, 2-1 with 5 minutes left. We moved back to 4-5-1 and shut up shop as the minutes slowly passed but the ref continued to let play proceed even-though the clock had long passed the 45 minute mark.
Eventually, he blew and the result was secured, never in doubt!
With  Easts only managing a draw against Dunbar, we moved back up to 4th on goal difference with 2 games remaining.

Patrick was operated on Tuesday morning and we wish him a speedy recovery

Maroubra United 0 - 1 Redfern Raiders

Unlucky

This was an opportunity missed against a below par Redfern who were fortunate to take the 3 points thanks to an accidental hand ball in the area.

A fair and comprehensive report from Jonas (Redfern) so need for me to rehash, does he wear a stopwatch when playing to get the exact time of each incident?
http://redfernraidersfc.wordpress.com/

We should have made our superiority count in the first half, but one they got ahead it was always difficult. We created some half chances but it just wasn't our day...

Pagewood Botany 1 - 2 Maroubra United

Should have been more

Missing Graham, Darren and Selim who has now emigrated we had to reshuffle a little with Luke and Justin moving into central mid, Neil up front and Russell to right back.
Pagewood were struggling for numbers and had to rely on their 45s to make up the numbers.
We dominated from the off and as would continue for the whole game, we continually failed to make our superiority count.
Eventually Neil put us ahead with a quality headed finish from  a corner.
Soon after Pagewood advanced and the cross was met by Pao who for once had tracked back. Unfortunately the ball bounced up against his arm and the ref pointed to the spot.
The whole team lined up ready to pounce on the rebound but Wayne, the Pagewood winger had placed it perfectly in the right corner, 1-1.
For one our heads didn't drop but Pagewood came more into the game and almost had a second penalty when another awkward bounce came close to Francis' arm but thankfully ref was unmoved.
Once again we had some marginal offsides go against us - who remembers the olden days when the attackers got he benefit of the doubt especially when there are no linesmen?
Luke played a perfect through ball to Rod with the ball bouncing perfectly in front of him, he smashed but it sailed marginally over. However the keeper had made a massive dive to try and save it, injuring himself in the process and needing to be replaced.
Luckily Neil came to our rescue again finishing off a some good team work. 2-1 at the break
We started the second half with Jason upfront but unfortunately he hadn't brought his shooting boots and no matter how hard he tried he just couldn't hit the back of the net.
The score stayed as is leaving Pagewood with a chance to get back on level terms winning the odd throw and corner. Luckily for Maroubra they didn't have the height available to finish things off
In the last minute of the game, Philippe sliced a clearance and we all watched as it spun towards the corner of the goal in slow motion out of Karls reach, but luckily ending up outside the post.
So we survive to fight another day and other results went our way leaving us 2 points off 4th with 4 games to go

Maroubra United 0 - 2 Dunbar Rovers

Chances not taken

We went into this fired up and ready for battle but things didn't go as planned...
An early freekick conceded on the right was pumped into the box where their tall timber nodded back across goal for their winger to poke home 1-0.
We got into the swing of thing and were starting to dominate midfield when Dunbar punted forward and the ball drifted harmlessly towards Karl with Philippe sheltering through to him.
Then the ref blows and from his eagle eye position 50+ metres away somehow through the mass of bodies, decided Karl had handled outside the area when the ball was clearly inside the line..
The ref then awarded an indirect free-kick which anyone with a knowledge of the game would know was another incorrect decision as it should have been direct. Anyway, the Dunbar player touched the free-kick to his striker to smashed into the unguarded right corner of the net, 2-0.
Some of our players were by now very upset with the ref and it was affecting their game and some bookings followed
We continued to pin Dunbar back and a quality cross from Terry was chested down by Rod at the back post with nothing but the motionless keeper to beat but he struck it too close to said keeper who somehow turned it around the post.
We tried to regroup at halftime and refocus.
In the second half we continued to dominate but the Dunbar defense held strong with multiple blocks and last gasp clearances.
Both Neil and Terry had opportunities but again they went begging.
With about 15 minutes left, Darren accidentally handled and let out a few expletives but nothing particularly vulgar. Rather than warn him, the ref took the opportunity to issue a second yellow and reduce us to 10 men
Even a man down we still dominated but the game petered out.
A very disappointing result considering the opposition didn't create a single chance from open play

Coogee United 0 - 5 Maroubra United

Job Done.

To say it was a windy afternoon would be an understatement indeed with some passes missing by 50 yards due to the gale force winds
We were without striker Luke so Neil moved upfront with Graham back in the middle with Russell and Jimmy.
It was tough going with Coogee just hacking everything away and we were finding it difficult to judge the final ball in the conditions and their keeper was having an excellent game
Finally after 25 minutes  Neil prodded one home soon followed by Terry and Graham just before the break to make look respectable at the break
Karl was having difficulty keep warm and was regularly standing on the halfway line with the game being played in the Coogee box
Midway through the half Neil latched onto a perfectly weighted trhough ball from Leo and smashed home a low drive from 20 yards. Quality goal, 4-0.
In fareness to Coogee, they never gave up with the midfield continuing to work hard and break forward whenever possible. Midway through the half they won a free kick on the edge of the area and their taker placed it perfectly around the wall and it was heading for the corner until Karl dives across and pushed around the post to preserve his clean sheet.
Neil finally completed his hat-trick late in the game with another solid effort the retreating defender could do nothing to prevent it ending up in the net