APRIL 1st Spirit 5 v Grants Braes 1
Spirit FC heralded its return to the Soccersouth Premier league with a convincing 5-1 win against Grants Braes at Rugby Park on Saturday night.
Spirit will face stronger teams than Saturday night’s opponents during the season but showed with an accomplished performance, particularly in defence, that it will relish the challenge.
The game began at a fast pace with both teams displaying an eagerness to dominate the early exchanges. It was Spirit that grabbed the initiative when after six minutes it forced Grants Braes to concede a brace of corner kicks.
From the second one the Grants Braes defenders failed to clear the ball into play and Spirit’s John McCarroll was on hand to force it over the goal line and give the locals a 1-nil lead.
At the twenty one minute mark, following an uncharacteristic mix-up in the Spirit defence, the ball rolled to an unmarked Luke Macris who needed only to tap it across the Spirit goal-line for Grants Braes to equalise at 1-all.
It was unfortunate for Spirit keeper Shane Elliott who just minutes beforehand had made a spectacular reflex save to keep his goal intact.
Then
followed a ten-minute spell in which the Spirit players took control of the game
with some of the best football seen at local level for many years. It culminated
in them going to the half time break with a 4 goals to 1 advantage.
Tom Kent began the scoring when he showed a clever touch of the ball and angled it into the Grants Braes goal to put Spirit ahead 2-1.
Five minutes later a strong run and a delightful chip from youngster Wade Griffin was met by John Schol in front of goal and he picked his spot to put Spirit into the lead 3-1.
Then it was the turn of Karl Hawkes who out-smarted the Grants Braes defence, moved into position and fired an unstoppable left foot volley past the now beleaguered Grants Braes goalkeeper Steve Downey into the net.
The excitement of the goals disappeared in the second half but the quality of Spirit’s performance remained high, as its plan was to defend the healthy lead rather than to build on it.
It did so with ease, and on the stroke of full-time increased its margin to 5-1 when Hamish Low broke free of the Grants Braes defence to complete the scoring.
In local games, despite a stunning 30-metre goal from a free kick by David McDowell Old Boys was defeated 4-2 by Southend United.In the other Charity Cup clash, Queens Park’s goalkeeper saved his team from some embarrassment with two late penalty goals to give them a 2-nil win against Waihopai.
While at Surrey Park a classic goal from Brendon Lloyd just three minutes from full-time gave his Waihopai team a share of the points against Grants Braes reserves in their Otago Fletcher Cup clash.