July
14th
Spirit 2, University 0;
Spirit FC has never
played a more determined forty-five minutes of football than it did in the
second half of Saturday’s 2-nil win over University in their Soccersouth
premier league clash at Invercargill’s Surrey Park.
Spirit's cheerleaders showing off their new winter
gear....
roll on summer football :-))
The teams went to the half time break locked at nil-all and it was obvious from the strong and sometimes over-vigorous play of both teams that it was not going to be a high scoring affair.
Spirit though kept
its composure after the break with an early goal credited to John Schol after
varsity keeper Josh Bell failed to deal with a high ball and when Karl Hawkes
volleyed in the team’s second almost on full-time the game was as good as over
for the Varsity unit.
Varsity keeper Josh Bell can only grope the air as this
effort from King Karlos
seals it for the home team.
By contrast, University let itself down when the talented Ben Jackson was yellow carded midway through the second half for a foul tackle and he vigorously protested against the decision to referee Wayne Rayner.
Jackson was
immediately subbed off but on the way his dissent was directed at the Ref’s
assistant and he was red-carded for the abuse.
Ref Wayne Rayner had a tough one but got through it
with flying colours and a grin to boot....
Because Jackson was still on the field of play and the substitution was not deemed to be completed his intended replacement was unable to participate in the game leaving University to play out the remaining 25 minutes with only ten players.
As he did when the
chips were down for Spirit earlier in the season Thistle’s Karl Hawkes responded
to the call for this game and his presence on the field seemed to lift the
Spirit players to an effort thoroughly deserving of the three win points on
offer.
Too quick even for the lens, Scholsy seems just a blur as
he hones in
on the Varsity goal...
However it wasn’t a one-man show by any means as strong games from Spirit’s more experienced quartet of Stephen Black, John Schol, Matty Burgess and Hamish Low and a lift in impetus by its youngsters Simon Croft, Wade Griffin and Campbell Edwards contributed to the whole team effort.
Chris Pearson was a
solid as ever between the sticks and highlighted his game with a match-saving
effort in the second half when the visitors were in their most threatening mood.
Spirit's Brendon Lloyd bursts past two would be tacklers.
However it was in the mid-field where the play of Brendon Lloyd and a player-of–the-day performance from Tobi Reid constantly thwarted the lively attacking moves of their University opponents that Spirit really controlled the game.
Locally Southend United stole a march on its opponents in the race for the Southland Finance premier league title with a comfortable 3-nil win over Quinns Pharmacy Gore Wanderers in Gore.
A Carl Lambert penalty and 2 goals from its leading scorer Nic Barclay secured the 3 win points for Southend.
In an entertaining if not spectacular game at O’Rorke Park Smiths City Old Boys and McLellan Motors Queens Park fought out a 1-all draw which ensured Southend United, with its win, moved 2 points clear at the top of the points table.
Andrew Elder continued his impressive goalscoring form by netting for Old Boys while former goalkeeper Craig Campbell grabbed his third goal for the season when he slotted home Park’s equaliser.