Stallions 2 Olympic 2 – early ride on top

Looking back at Saturday 's match, it's hard to picture anything beyond Bakkie's gangnam style come Mr Ed goal celebration.  I'm scarred.

As for the match, we were greeted to sun and a surprisingly good looking Anderson Park track.  Olympic definitely took the early spoils in the pre-match warm-up stakes.  Their seemingly endless pre-match drills were slightly unnerving if not a little tiring to watch.  However, with the Stallions having safely secured the nets with the team bags, it was business time.

The early play saw an interesting exchange or two or seven between the Olympic goalie and Carrick as the goalie passed it to Carrick and he gave a work out to the areas to the left, right and above the goal.   Thankfully, they soon tired of that dance and the other 20 on the park were called into action.

From there the play was hard and fast as both sides tested each other out.  It's not Olympic without a bit of aggro, but once Heath and Demetri had resolved their argument over who had the brightest coloured boots, both teams largely let the football do the talking.  The Stallions had the best of the early running and were unlucky not to pull ahead early (who missed that header?) and saw another goal to [Rauru's] tally belatedly called back for a controversial goal-kick.

In the end it was Olympic who drew first blood with a cracking opening goal.  In from a short corner, the Stallions were guilty of not pushing out early and met with a powerful shot from around 18 yards.  Dan got a touch, but not enough to deflect it away.   From there the match remained tight until Tim found some space in the box and came up with the goods to even the score and round off some great work around the park.  I can't remember the specifics of the goal itself, but I'm told by an anonymous Stallion source that it was "nothing spectacular" so I'll move on.

As the players headed to the tunnel, the match was evenly poised at 1-1.  The first half had certainly been a step up in pace on previous weeks and the injuries were mounting with the original four subs down to one.

However, after a rousing half-time talk, the Stallions seemed to take control of the park in the second half.  Lloyd, Paddy, Heath and Tim dominated the central areas and distributed well to the ever-running flanks.  Against the run of play, the Stallions were then caught out by a quick break, a cross from the left and a powerful header splitting what had been a resolute Stallions defence.   After that the defensive core closed ranks and it's hard to remember Dan being called on to make another save in the game.  Never beaten the Stallions pressed forward in numbers and the final 20 minutes was marked by Rauru, Tom, Bakkie, Carrick and Paul joining the chorus of Stallion shots, headers and teasing crosses flying in from left, right and in front.  On another day we could have had 4, so when Bakkie turned in the box late into the match scoring low to the left to bring the match back level at 2-2, it felt just deserves.  The donkey/horse/Psy impression that followed not so much.

So at the final whistle, Stallions walked away with a well-earned point and the first two goals past Olympic this round.  Four rounds in its tight at the top with only 3 points separating first and fifth.  Polish off those defensive and shooting boots, looks like goal-difference may play a big part if things stay like this.  Next up North Wellington Rebels.


G-Pony.