Sunday 23rd June 2013, McCutcheon Oval Fairfield
Fitzroy 8 - Central Park 3
Roy-boy's make men of Rangers
Tough getting a team this weekend but as ever the boys came through at the eleventh hour for what has been our toughest gig of late (previous meetings 8-0 and 10-1 and we played well in both)
Away from their normal ground for this one - believe they have finally faced reality and declared it a protected marshland. The alternate pitch which we eventually found was about 15 meters narrower than the norm but this did afford us the opportunity of trying a 3-6-1 formation.
Some welcome returns with Paul Karak donning the gloves, Rand returning to midfield and Kostas having a run in the middle.
Fair to say Fitzroy started well and Neil, Wayne and yours truly had plenty to do ably supported by fine glove work from Paul K.
Having repelled wave after wave Fitzroy were gifted an opening goal. Corner, melee, ball cleared off the line - Fitzroy linesman adamant it crossed. Interesting given I was between him and the ball. Simon (yes no ref in Masters tradition so Simon agreed to step in) had little choice but a sign of things to come - I noted the linesman was using a spare Fitzroy shirt as a flag but he might as well have been wearing it.
We regathered and started to link well through the middle. Mark snuffed out a lot of their creativity by doing a brilliant man marking job on their excellent number 10.
The game was very even but somehow, despite heroics in goal, we ended the half 3-0 down with a goal on the stroke of half time.
The second half saw Simon continue refereeing - think they figured if they reffed they wouldn't get any better calls :)
We really started to gel with Rand, John and Ian combining well through the middle and Ricky a constant danger on the right. With Mark having to go at half time with a calf twinge Kostas took up the man marking role and terrified their number 10.
Just rewards after 15 mins as, reminiscent of Wimbledon in their prime we went end to end in three passes the final one a beautiful through ball from Ian that put Lars through for a clinical finish.
With the game in the balance we threw everything at Fitzroy but ended up conceding a couple of sloppy goals before another through ball saw Lars awarded a penalty (more like it Simon) which Lars dispatched.
From then on it was end to end and late in the game Ant found some room down the right, played a perfect near post ball, cheeky back heel from Lars denied by the post but no panic Ian picked up the rebound, laid it back to Ant who then picked out John on the edge of the box who thundered home to cap a brilliant passage of play.
A late goal gave Fitzroy a flattering 8-3 scoreline especially after a stretched foot denied Chris what would have been 6-4.
Great team performance and once again Simon's cunning shows through as he retains his unbeaten coaching record - the score book attested he was the match official.
Onto Clifton Hill this weekend and having found our goalscoring touch and some midfield cohesion the signs are promising.
Fitzroy 8 - Central Park 3
Roy-boy's make men of Rangers
Tough getting a team this weekend but as ever the boys came through at the eleventh hour for what has been our toughest gig of late (previous meetings 8-0 and 10-1 and we played well in both)
Away from their normal ground for this one - believe they have finally faced reality and declared it a protected marshland. The alternate pitch which we eventually found was about 15 meters narrower than the norm but this did afford us the opportunity of trying a 3-6-1 formation.
 |
| (greener pastures: leaving muddy waters came at a cost, as the affectionately dubbed 'putting green' proved winger unfriendly) |
Some welcome returns with Paul Karak donning the gloves, Rand returning to midfield and Kostas having a run in the middle.
Fair to say Fitzroy started well and Neil, Wayne and yours truly had plenty to do ably supported by fine glove work from Paul K.
Having repelled wave after wave Fitzroy were gifted an opening goal. Corner, melee, ball cleared off the line - Fitzroy linesman adamant it crossed. Interesting given I was between him and the ball. Simon (yes no ref in Masters tradition so Simon agreed to step in) had little choice but a sign of things to come - I noted the linesman was using a spare Fitzroy shirt as a flag but he might as well have been wearing it.
We regathered and started to link well through the middle. Mark snuffed out a lot of their creativity by doing a brilliant man marking job on their excellent number 10.
The game was very even but somehow, despite heroics in goal, we ended the half 3-0 down with a goal on the stroke of half time.
The second half saw Simon continue refereeing - think they figured if they reffed they wouldn't get any better calls :)
We really started to gel with Rand, John and Ian combining well through the middle and Ricky a constant danger on the right. With Mark having to go at half time with a calf twinge Kostas took up the man marking role and terrified their number 10.
Just rewards after 15 mins as, reminiscent of Wimbledon in their prime we went end to end in three passes the final one a beautiful through ball from Ian that put Lars through for a clinical finish.
 |
| Wimbledon in their prime.... |
With the game in the balance we threw everything at Fitzroy but ended up conceding a couple of sloppy goals before another through ball saw Lars awarded a penalty (more like it Simon) which Lars dispatched.
From then on it was end to end and late in the game Ant found some room down the right, played a perfect near post ball, cheeky back heel from Lars denied by the post but no panic Ian picked up the rebound, laid it back to Ant who then picked out John on the edge of the box who thundered home to cap a brilliant passage of play.
A late goal gave Fitzroy a flattering 8-3 scoreline especially after a stretched foot denied Chris what would have been 6-4.
Great team performance and once again Simon's cunning shows through as he retains his unbeaten coaching record - the score book attested he was the match official.
Onto Clifton Hill this weekend and having found our goalscoring touch and some midfield cohesion the signs are promising.
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