Stallions Show No Respect

20 July 2012 (Endeavour Park) Western Suburbs division six side was left feeling empty on Saturday, after a fine football display from the visiting University Stallions kept the goal difference in the game to a mere +3 goals.    After the match GP , striker for Wests, was fuming.  "They've got no respect.  I'm the best player in the country and I just happen to play in Capital Division 6.''

Signs were pretty good for Wests from the kick off, passing the ball around comfortably at the back with the Stallions holding back.  Things weren't looking to bad for the Stallions although posession was rare, and was given up too cheaply at times.  Soon enough the Stallions found themselves 1-0 down after turning the ball over in a bad position - he was  big guy and it was a good header.

Things almost got a lot worse for the Stallions after Joe, superbly tracking his man into the box, brushed (if you ask Joe) or axed (if you ask the referee) the biggest man on the park on the goal line  Penalty.  Come the hour and upstepped the man who has a mortgage on  Stallion moments this season.  Not only did the get a hand to the penalty and push it away, but he also stood up and deflected the follow up shot off the crossbar and out.  Kilford was also heard after the match praising his lucky cap - "God if it wasn't for my cap getting in the way of that second shot, the ball would have skidded off my greasy dome into the back of the net..."

Bouyed by a Stallion moment the Stallions did look for an equaliser and came up with a couple of chances, but were denied by the woodwork and lack of finishing talent (by yours truly).

Wests struck back though with two great strikes - one cross that sailed over everyone to land exactly in the corner of the net and another half volley which was powered in.  Nothing much the Stallions could have done about either of those, but to admit that Wests had some classy players.

The Stallions hard graft was soon rewarded though, Gus tangled his feet with a Wests defender and in the spirit of consistency the ref awarded a penalty.

Good pen Rauru.  Not only did was it put away nicely but the shrugging off the Wests banter before the pen was also admirable.

Things were looking up.  For about a minute.  In true Stallions style the ball was turned over on the break, Wests got it out wide and cross was fired in missing everone expect the man strutting about at the far post who tapped it in.

But the Stallions were not yet done for the first half.  After earning a corner Glen put in a superb ball which needed to be deal with by the Wests defence who scrambled it out for another corner.  Glen again put in a magnificent ball and after a goal mouth mellee of some proportion, the mighty Cory managed to squeak the ball into the net, and announced to all and sundry "about f*cking time too".

4-2 half time and not a bad effort all things considered.

The second half was not nearly as exciting.  Only one goal in it (or two if you ask Wests - not sure where they got the last one from), a lot of banter with GP who must have been bullied at school, and a few tired Stallions.

The only other incident really to mention is the reason why this report is being written, and less said about that the better except that it was a complete and utter muff of chip, and an absolute pony moment.  Should have taken the keeper on and "720'd" him as Gus suggested but for some reason the "impossible chip from 25 yards into the top right hand corner" seemed a better option.  It would have been better if I actually got it off the ground.  Live and learn.  The only consolation is that I'm way next week so it will be  few weeks before I put in the pink head band. 

Finally -  I thought the defence toiled hard all day - Joe was tenacious as always and Butch stuck to his man like glue. I thought Glen and Tom both had good games out wide.  Paul had a lot to do and had a great game with lots of telling touches.  Well deserved Stallion.

Overall, even though the Stallions lost, it was still a good effort - if we have that sort on intensity against other opposition in our last few games, we should be home free...