New Town Eagles v Metro-Claremont Match Report
Premier League,
New Town Eagles 2 (Leszczynski 35, Reeks 94)
Metro-Claremont 2 (Hope 50, S kent 67)
HT: 1-0 Att: 100 Ref: D Gadd
New Town Eagles (3-5-2): N Pitchford - D Bones (D Grabek 81), A Telega, C Wass - A Leszczynski, G Reeks, M Rybak, B Zielinski (A Clark 81), C Collins - A Shackcloth, C Stingle (M Page 87) [Substitute not used: M Duvall] [Coach: I Parker]
Metro-Claremont (1-3-4-2): N Biggar - M Gasparin - A Lawler, J Saunders, D Chaffey - S Hope, A McKeown, T Kent, P Curran - J Brown, S Kent [Substitutes not used: J Dawes, W Jackson, A Marney,
This draw ended New Town Eagles’ run of seven consecutive league defeats and 10 losses overall stretching back to last season. The point leaves them two points adrift of second-last Metro-Claremont and four behind third-last Taroona.
Midfielder Graham Reeks was impressive in his first full game for Eagles. He hit the post in the first half and headed the equaliser in the fourth minute of extra-time. Originally from the
Cormac Collins, Chris Stingle, Alexander Leszczynski and Adam Shackcloth were lively early on for an Eagles side that knew how important this game was after a nightmare run of losses.
Shane Kent always looked dangerous for Metro, especially on the break, where his pace worried the Eagles rearguard.
Terry Kent’s accurate passing from midfield also caused anxiety at the back for Eagles.
It was Terry Kent who initiated the attack that led to Metro’s first good chance in the 10th minute. He received the ball from Adam McKeown and released Jim Brown on the right, but the tall striker’s shot was high and wide.
Eagles had their first real chance of the match in the 12th minute when Stingle crossed from the right and Reeks struck Neil Biggar’s right-hand post with a low shot.
The ball rebounded to Matthew Rybak, but he shot into the side-netting.
In the 20th minute, Nathan Pitchford was at full stretch to turn McKeown’s chip from the right beyond his far post and out for a corner.
The corner was only partially cleared and Terry Kent’s shot was met by a falling Shane Kent, who steered his header just wide of the far post.
Eagles took the lead in the 35th minute when Stingle played the ball wide to the left for Leszczynski, who appeared to have no hope of getting to it before Metro’s young defender, Adrian Lawler, inadvertently played it into his path as he slid to try and intercept the pass.
Delighted to gain possession, Leszczynski cut inside and rifled home a low shot past Neil Biggar and just inside the far post.
Five minutes after the resumption, Stuart Hope drew Metro level with a thunderous shot from 25 metres that gave Pitchford no chance, the ball carrying into the net off the underside of the crossbar.
In the 67th minute, Terry Kent’s pass put his son, Shane, through the Eagles defence and he was untroubled in shooting past Pitchford to give the visitors the lead. Eagles claimed off-side, but the linesman was unmoved.
Biggar saved well from Shackcloth in the 75th minute as Eagles threw everything into attack.
Shackcloth mis-kicked in the 82nd minute with the goal at his mercy from Leszczynski’s right-wing lob as coach Ian Parker made the changes. On came Daniel Grabek, Andrew Clark and Mark Page in place of Damien Bones, Brian Zielinski and Stingle.
In injury time, Eagles pushed everyone, including goalkeeper Pitchford into attack. Pitchford actually got his head to one cross but was off target.
The home side was playing a dangerous game, with sometimes only two defenders left on the half-way line covering two opposing players.
The adventurousness paid off in the 94th minute when a deep cross from the right was headed home by Reeks to make it 2-2.
|
NEW TOWN EAGLES |
|
METRO-CLAREMONT |
|
16 |
Goal Attempts |
8 |
|
8 |
Shots on Target |
4 |
|
11 |
Corners |
2 |
|
6 |
Fouls Committed |
13 |
|
2 |
Off-Sides |
0 |
|
1 |
Yellow Cards |
5 |
|
0 |
Red Cards |
0 |
New Town Eagles:
|
PLAYER |
GOAL ATTEMPTS |
SHOTS ON TARGET |
|
Reeks |
6 |
3 |
|
Rybak |
2 |
1 |
|
Leszczynski |
3 |
2 |
|
Shackcloth |
1 |
1 |
|
Stingle |
2 |
1 |
|
Telega |
1 |
0 |
|
Collins |
1 |
0 |
Metro-Claremont:
|
PLAYER |
GOAL ATTEMPTS |
SHOTS ON TARGET |
|
|
3 |
2 |
|
Brown |
1 |
0 |
|
McKeown |
1 |
1 |
|
Curran |
1 |
0 |
|
Hope |
1 |
1 |
|
T |
1 |
0 |