APRIL
17th
Spirit 0 v Caversham 4
APRIL
15th
Roslyn 7 v Spirit 1
Spirit
FC completed a black Easter weekend when it was beaten by Caversham 4-nil in
their Soccersouth Premier league clash at Rugby Park yesterday.
A
result only marginally better than Saturday’s 7-1 loss to Roslyn Wakari.
Injuries,
defections and a draw that meant Spirit played the two favoured title contenders
in a three-day span certainly worked against the local team.
That
aside, yesterday’s performance was a meritorious one, considering the odds, as
Spirit was holding the slick Caversham unit to just a one goal advantage with
five minutes remaining in the game.
In
that five-minute spell the visitors scored three goals against the valiant but
tiring Spirit defence.
The
opening exchanges in the game were even enough with Spirit’s young front-line
of Wade Griffin, Stu Kent and Rhys Corbin matching their more experienced rivals
in most aspects.
At
the back Spirit welcomed the return of John McCarroll to the pivotal centre back
position and his contribution on the day was outstanding.
Alongside
him veteran Ken Cresswell lacked a yard of pace but often showed the talented
young Caversham duo of Patrick Fleming and Croyden Wheeler there is no
substitute for experience as he (Cresswell) broke up several promising attacks.
However
it was Fleming who coolly slotted in Caversham’s opening goal at the
twenty-eight minute mark after some fine inter passing between the Caversham
players.
Spirit
was then forced into defensive mode and with only two or three exceptions was
seldom in the Caversham defensive quarter.
As
time went by it appeared Spirit had the will to hold out to the final whistle
but then came the late onslaught.
Cam
Howitt and Robbie Deeley 2, were on song to complete the 4-nil score-line.
At Surrey Park Waihopai always trailed the Caversham reserves in their Otago Fletcher cup encounter.
Caversham
led at the half-time break 2 goals to nil and while Waihopai once again lifted
its effort in the second spell its lone Dion Cameron goal was not enough to
prevent the visitors winning by 2 goals to 1.
An under-strength Spirit FC team was no match for its high flying rival Roslyn Wakari on Saturday going down 7 goals to 1 in their Soccersouth Premier league clash in Dunedin.
The
measure of a team is in the depth of its squad and although the Spirit players
displayed plenty of Spirit, without stalwarts John McCarroll and Karl Hawkes and
with Marty Black and John Schol still on the injured list the task for its
younger brigade of players proved too tough.
Queens Park’s Gary McMahon who showed good ball control and retention in his debut game last week was also unable to travel to Dunedin for the fixture.
Saturday’s
game was just three minutes old when Roslyn set up the platform for its win with
a “soft” goal by Tom Connor after a bad defensive lapse on the Spirit right.
Three
minutes later Roslyn’s lead was enhanced at 2-nil when talented striker Tim
Dalman grabbed the first of what was to be four goals for him for the day.
For a period of thirty minutes in the first spell the Spirit team re-grouped and was able to contain the Roslyn strike force while on the odd occasion even setting itself up for shots on goal.
In
particular Tom Kent displaying football maturity beyond his years by constantly
thwarting Roslyn’s play in the mid-field.
Roslyn eventual broke through again when its Otago United national league player Terry Boylan was on hand to put it ahead 3-nil before the half-time break.
The
opening stages of the second half belonged to Dalman as he scored three more
goals while Ben Keat chimed in with Roslyn’s seventh.
Unfortunately
Dalman’s day turned sour midway through the half when he fell awkwardly and
dislocated his shoulder.
Dunedin Doctor Jim Letts was among the Roslyn spectators and he quickly popped
the bone back into place.
The
injury is expected to keep Dalman out of the game for four to six weeks.
In
terms of goals the best was yet to come though and it was a great solo effort
from Kent that provided it and put Spirit on the score sheet.
Kent cleverly beat off several Roslyn defenders before striking a sweet shot into the bottom corner of the Roslyn net. Spirit FC must now put the result behind it as today it plays competition favourite Caversham at Rugby Park at 2:45pm.
===========================================
Waihopai
succumbed to a late Green Island goal to lose its game 2 goals to 1 in its Otago
Fletcher Cup challenge.
Green Island snatched an early lead before Waihopai player-coach Chris Jones levelled it almost on the half time whistle.
Despite
Waihopai’s good second half effort Green Island secured its win with the
winning goal coming with just two minutes remaining in the game.