Walter Pless on Football

By Walter Pless

Premier League, KGV Park, Friday, 22 June 2007

Glenorchy Knights 3 (Ladic 19, Fielding 49, 77)

University 3 (Proud 3 pen, 75, Stockdale 87)

HT: 1-1 Att: 80 Ref: K Barker

Glenorchy Knights (4-4-2): B Peter - J Begovic, A Grundy, T Dzelalija, J Clay - J Fielding, J Ladic, M Brown, S Hickey - G Vasile, T Huigsloot [Substitutes not used: A Dermody, C Pringle, M Cairns, N Harrison] [Joint-Coaches: T Huigsloot, R Huigsloot]

University (1-2-5-2): A Winter - T Andersen - J Merry, J Andrews - A Bull, M Rapley, H Richardson (T Duniam 86), C Stockdale, B Teale (M Shaw 86) - L Temby, J Proud [Substitute not used: J Wilson] [Player-Coach: M Shaw]

Neither side can take much comfort from this match. Both defences were poor and both teams gave the ball away much too easily.

There were some good patches of play, particularly from the Knights, who managed to create some penetrating attacking moves involving half a dozen or so passes.

The maxim that you can’t play if you can’t pass was demonstrated time and time again, however.

Poor technical skills played a part in this deficiency, as did the failure to follow basic concepts such as ‘pass and run’ and ‘support the player with the ball’.

The Knights missed injured midfielder Rob Gosney and defender Jayden Wiggins, while University were the poorer for the absence of Colin Shepherd and Gerard O’Brien.

Colin Shepherd - missing from the University line-up

Alexis Bull was unusually quiet for University in a defensive role wide on the right flank, while Mark Rapley never really got going. He was fouled for the early penalty, but he squandered a glorious chance in the second half when he had only the goalkeeper to beat, but Ben Peter blocked at his feet.

Peter’s goalkeeping was also questionable at times. He failed to inspire confidence in his defenders and his handling was erratic.

Janko Begovic had a quiet second half, but his crosses from deep on the right towards the far post were always dangerous and it was from one of these that Jonathon Ladic equalised to make it 1-1.

Janko Begovic - a great cross set up Knight’s forst goal

John Merry’s distribution left a lot to be desired, but he did have his hands full shadowing Tom Huigsloot, who failed to score for the third match in a row.

Ashley Winter’s distribution with long throws was impressive, and he made a couple of decent saves during the match.

The Knights’ shooting was generally poor, while University’s was on target but lacked punch.

Midfielder Shay Hickey had a fine game for the Knights. He was prepared to take on opponents in one-on-one situations and his crosses were always dangerous.

Shay Hickey had a fine game for Knights

Jade Clay played as a full-back and got through a tremendous amount of work as he both defended and attacked down the flank.

The visitors took an early lead when Matthew Brown fouled Rapley and Mr Barker awarded a penalty. Proud despatched it with ease to give University a 1-0 lead after 3 minutes.

In the 11^th minute, Josh Fielding chipped against the University crossbar, but the ball was cleared after bouncing back in to play.

The Knights equalised in the 19^th minute when number 19, Janko Begovic, collected Fielding’s pass and crossed from deep on the right towards the far side of the box. Ladic controlled the ball, made an angle for himself and chipped a delightful ball into the far corner of the net.

Josh Fielding two goals for the Knights

Proud tried a cheeky back-heeler in the 25^th minute, but Peter was alert at the near post and blocked the attempt at goal.

The Knights took the lead in the 49^th minute when Hickey crossed from the left and Fielding was left unmarked to head home.

In the 52^nd minute, Craig Stockdale tried an impudent back-heeler, but the ball flew straight into the arms of Peter.

Two minutes later, University goalkeeper Ashley Winter saved at Huigsloot’s feet.

The only caution of the match came in the 56^th minute when Hugh Richardson brought down an opponent from behind, right under the eye of Mr Barker.

The game tended to be physical at times, never more so than in the 65^th minute when Stockdale went clattering into Anthony Grundy. Both players were floored, but Mr Barker, after sizing up the situation, allowed play to restart with a goalkick.

Tom Huigsloot had few chances

Both sides’ shooting left a lot to be desired as first Rapley, and then Fielding, shot straight at the opposition goalkeeper.

In the 70^th minute, a dangerous cross by Hickey found Huigsloot, but he headed straight at Winter.

Sloppy defending by the Knights allowed Proud to equalise at the second attempt from close range in the 75^th minute.

A minute later, Fielding restored the Knights’ lead with an easy header from Huisgloot’s cross.

Three minutes from the end, University substitute Matthew Shaw crossed from the left and the unmarked Stockale nodded home to make it 3-3.

The Knights had two more chances before the end, first, when Fielding was put away on the right, but Winter saved his shot, and second, when Tony Dzelalija got on to the end of a free-kick at the far post, only to have his header saved by Winter.

Matthew Brown gave away early penalty

“I was disappointed in the result, but not in the way we played,” said Glenorchy Knights’ joint-coach, Robbie Huigsloot.

“I thought that, compared to the last few weeks, we played a lot better and were more constructive.

“A disappointing result, but I was happy with the way we played.”

Huigsloot agreed that his side had defended poorly.

“The second goal went through someone’s legs, but that’s football and you’ve got to take that.

“But, the third one was deplorable. To give away a goal ten minutes from the end so easily was very disappointing and it’s probably something we have to work on at training.

Jonathon Ladic scored first goal for Glenorchy Knights

“We had our chances. The pleasing thing about the game was that we created chances.

“We need to look more at not conceding cheap goals. That’s a definite problem with us.”

University’s player-coach, Matthew Shaw, who came on as a substitute three minutes from the end and made the third and equalising goal, said: “You’re always lucky when you equalise that close to the end, but at the same time, maybe that balanced the 90 minutes.

“You’ve got to take the chances you create and if you take them you get the result you deserve.

“If you don’t take them, you lose and get the result you deserve. That’s one of the kind of important skills of the game.

“We got off to an excellent start with the penalty, and then we stopped playing after that.

“We played well for five minutes, where we were finding each others’ feet and looking sharp, and then we started playing 40-yard balls to no-one and paid the price and kept conceding possession.

“If you keep doing that against good sides, you get punished, and their first goal was quite some goal.”

University’s sweeper, Thomas Andersen, was playing his last game for the club before returning to Denmark.

“I felt a bit sad playing the last game,” Andersen said. “It’s been a really good time that I spent with the guys.

“I’ve really enjoyed playing with Uni and I’m going to be a bit sad to leave, but it was good to get a draw.

“Maybe we could have won, but it could have gone both ways and I guess a draw is all right.”

GLENORCHY KNIGHTS		UNIVERSITY
22	Goal Attempts	12
11	Shots on Target	11
6	Corners	1
12	Fouls Committed	13
2	Off-Sides	0
0	Yellow Cards	1 (Richardson 56)
0	Red Cards	0

Glenorchy Knights:

PLAYER	GOAL ATTEMPTS	SHOTS ON TARGET
Hickey	4	2
Fielding	6	4
Ladic	6	2
Clay	1	0
Huigsloot	2	2
Vasile	1	0
Brown	1	0
Dzelalija	1	1

University:

PLAYER	GOAL ATTEMPTS	SHOTS ON TARGET
Proud	3	3
Stockdale	5	5
Teale	1	1
Rapley	3	2