September
9th
ILT Spirit FC 1, Roslyn 2;
Spirit
FC completed its 2006 Soccersouth premier league campaign, going down by 2 goals
to 1 against Roslyn Wakari at Surrey Park on Saturday.
It was second from top versus second from bottom and both teams were weakened considerably for the game.
Spirit
clearly missing central defender John McCarroll and industrious mid-fielder Karl
Hawkes while Roslyn fielded four premier league debutantes in its starting
eleven.
For
forty-five minutes the game meandered along as it lived up to its pre-match
billing of being a catch-up encounter with nothing at stake for either team.
"Man on" Hammy.....Watch your back son
The
significant difference in the first half performances was that Roslyn was able
to grab the initiative in front of goal and take a 2-nil lead into the half time
break.
Peter Verwey was first to strike when he flicked a header past Spirit stand-in keeper Phil Grubb.
The
Spirit defence cleared a corner kick away but the ball was just as quickly
despatched back into the penalty area for Verwey to do the damage.
Three
minutes later it was 2-nil when, with the help of what appeared to be a bit of
off the ball obstruction on Spirit defender Marty Black, Roslyn’s Tom Connor
slipped through the opening and drove the ball into the net.
Roslyn
skipper Jamie Taylor goes it alone
Three
minutes of action and half time seemed a long way away for the Spirit players
and spectators.
Spirit
coach Ken Cresswell subbed on Stu Kent and Ryan O’Connor to his second half
line up and it made a difference.
The
two were played in attacking roles and immediately began to put pressure on the
Roslyn defence for which the experienced Otago player Jim Letts was outstanding.
Roslyn's Jim Letts gains the upper hand on Campbell
Edwards
The tempo of the game lifted appreciably and at the twenty minute mark in the half so did the impetus when Spirit reduced the deficit to 2-1.
Tobi
Reid rounded a defender on the left flank and angled a cross to the unmarked
Ryan O’Connor who, after an initial heart-stopping stumble, hit his second
attempt wide of goalkeeper Scott Jarvis into the Roslyn net.
Ryan heads well over on this occasion
Spirit
fought hard to claim an equalising goal and in a five-minute spell almost did.
Tobi
Reid had two contrasting opportunities to score but both went begging.
The
first when he miss-hit the ball wide of the unguarded Roslyn goalmouth. The
second when he thundered a stinging volley against the crossbar.
To
its credit Spirit finished the game in attacking mode and gained some
credibility from its second half performance.