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Spirit 3, Mosgiel 2; April 24th
Spirit FC showed vastly improved
form and lifted itself off the bottom of the Footballsouth premier league table
when it defeated Mosgiel 3-2 at Turnbull Thomson Park in Invercargill on
Saturday.
It was a game Spirit needed to win to help erase the disappointment of its two
previous home game losses and that it did so against a team tipped to be one of
the front runners in this season’s competition spoke volumes for the players
character and commitment.
The absence of regular Spirit defenders Stephen Black and Wade Griffin meant
that experienced central defender Dion Cameron was flanked by three relative
youngsters in the back-four line up.
While Cameron himself had an outstanding game in his role the support he
received from Kris Leatherby, Quinton Wicks and Kieran van Loon in theirs
exceeded expectations against the highly regarded Mosgiel attacking unit.
Mosgiel's Phil Kelly (blue foreground) in full flight was
kept off the score sheet by a
determined Spirit defence. Three of whom can be seen here.
Quinton Wicks (closest), Dion Cameron and Kris Leatherby
Just four minutes into the game the Spirit defence was shredded as the first serious Mosgiel attack culminated in Dominic Vittese finishing the sweeping move with the first goal of the day to put the visitors ahead 1-nil.
On another day this may have spelt disaster for Spirit, but it was not to be on Saturday as they regrouped from the setback and settled into some good constructive play.
Mosgiel was forever a threat
though and but for the Spirit defensive effort might have inflicted more misery
on the locals.
Almost "pictures-of-matchstick-men"
(just a memory for us oldies)
as players from both teams
react to Spirit's Oswaldo Rodriquez fisting the ball clear from a threatening
Mosgiel attack.
At the twenty minute mark Spirit
player-coach Barry Gardiner was rewarded for a persistent run down the right
flank when he received the ball and outpaced the Mosgiel defence to slot the
equalising goal.
They say that either side of the half time break is a great time to score goals
in football and it proved so for both teams on Saturday.
Spirit’s Scottish import Marty Caldow put his team 2-1 ahead one minute
before the break with some deft footwork before placing the ball wide of the
Mosgiel keeper only to have the lead cancelled out four minutes after the break
as Shayne Danielson was on hand to net a goal for Mosgiel when Spirit failed to
clear the ball away from a corner kick.
Carl Henderson (with ball) lays it off to Spirit's Marty
Caldow just seconds before Caldow
(behind ball) ghosted past the Mosgiel defenders across the face of goal to slot
home his goal.
At 2 goals apiece and with both teams battling to regain the advantage the pace
of the game increased markedly and so did the temper of some players which was
testing the control of referee Dean Seager.
Mid way through the half
Spirit’s Leatherby robbed a Mosgiel attacking player of the ball, delivered a
pass to Gardiner in mid field who in turn fed it through to Carl Henderson for
the striker to drive it into the Mosgiel net and put Spirit ahead 3-2.
A fitting finish to a decisive well executed move.
Mosgiel became desperate to get something from the game and as a result, this, combined with Spirit’s determination to protect the lead, led to the game deteriorating as a spectacle.
Before the final whistle was sounded to herald the completion of the game Mosgiel was reduced to 9 players when first Mike McGarry and later Mike Abbott were shown red cards by referee Seager.
Spirit weathered the storm though and was well worth its first win of the season and ridding themselves of the cellar dweller tag.
A Ken Cresswell goal late in the Southend United clash with McLellan Motors Queens Park ensured the teams shared the points for the day in the feature Southland men’s premier game.
A young-aging Ken Cresswell looking pretty pleased with himself.
When asked to comment on his goal Cresswell modestly replied.
"I don't like to gloat...."
Why not I ask
Queens Park had moved out to a 2-nil lead with goals from Ashley Hughes and Tobi Reid before Brandon Brookland reduced the deficit to 2-1 and Cresswell saved the day for Southend.
Southend's No9 Matty Wahren bows his head in shame as Queens Park's Ash Hughes
embarrasses him by simply waltzing away with the ball.
Pay back indeed as Matty himself has done the same thing to many opponents in his time.
Another one for the "keep your eyes on the ball manual' as Gerard (Jed) Anderson shows
how its done when heading the ball to safety.
Look and learn kids....
At Waverley
Park AMP South Old Boys and Gore Wanderers also played out a draw with goals
from Brandon de Garnham (Old Boys) and Scott Taylor (Gore) contributing to the
1-all score line.
Southend United travelled to Queenstown for its premier women's game against the
resort team Queenstown Rovers and
with goals from Tove Crosswell 2, and Jackie Robertson ( dare I call them
veterans....)
held out the hosts fine effort 3 goals to 1 to preserve their (Southend's) 100%
win sequence.
Susan Hogue netted Queenstown's lone goal.
Queens Park surprisingly held
Winton to a 3-all draw to gain only their second point since joining
the comp last season. Natalie Johnston with 2 and Holly McClean netted Park's
goals.
Riverton proved too strong for
Waihopai with Jessica Mallon netting 5 of her teams 9 goals in their
9-1 win.