Round 2: 8A 2 draw with XC (Burke Hall) 2

Frustrated with draws now for both opening games an apparently superior SKC side was held by Xavier College.  That superiority only visible on the balance of the game as Xavier took the lead within minutes of the start and doubled its lead by half way through the first half. Xavier used its home ground advantage well, more familiar to playing on a very small pitch and often with nine men behind the ball.  Throughout the game Xavier looked dangerous on the break and its two strikers combined well whenever they received the ball to trouble an unusually reticent SKC defence.  Thankfully this wasn’t very often as most of the match was played in the Xavier half of the pitch SKC made life difficult for itself especially when facing its own goal, spurning the opportunity to play the simple ball backwards in favour of turning into a packed midfield and then being forced to negotiate heavy traffic in the final two thirds.  Sheer weight of Xavier numbers often broke down any SKC forward momentum.The first Xavier goal came very early in the match.  Ironically it was the usually solid and consistent Daniel who couldn’t control a cleared high ball into the left back position with his head, the glanced header angled across the front of the SKC penalty area which shouldn’t normally have been a problem, however inexplicably both central defenders were aligned backing Daniel up on the wing leaving the right back Chris exposed.  The capable Xavier central striker took long enough to press into the area for both central defenders to recover and there was at least two more opportunities to clear or stifle the attack before the Xavier forward found himself with the ball at his feet less than 5 metres out, solidly hit wide of Sean in goal.

SKC immediately went back at Xavier, however many attacks broke down.  Balls hit into the feet of SKC forwards were often crowded out by the number of bodies in a relatively small penalty box.  When SKC then opted to look for space behind the defence, balls which on a normal sized pitch would have allowed Michael and Nick to run through on goal as they had demonstrated against MGS at Darabin, appeared over hit.  Good individual skills were demonstrated by the 4J’s in the SKC midfield, Jonothan, Jordan, Jack and John and attackers, Nick and Michael; however they were often crowded off the ball as SKC lacked the width demonstrated throughout last season.  Xavier for its part had a solid back line and some good individual skills in midfield; however when they gained possession rarely had enough men forward to take real advantage. 

The second Xavier goal came from a lofted clearance finding the SKC defence further forward than it should have been on a small pitch and the Xavier central strikers interchanged the ball well before moving into the area and placing an angled shot wide of Sean and just inside the far post. A couple of astute changes by Mr. Finiggan brought Tim into central defence and SKC firmed up and took a better shape for the balance of the game.  The Xavier central striker no longer had space to move and SKC was winning everything in the air.  Moments later a SKC free kick from the left wing was placed nicely by Jordon into the Xavier six yard box creating panic and under pressure from Nick and Michael the Xavier defence could only put the ball past its own goalkeeper. 

Half time saw some animated team talks for both sides.  The second half took up where the first left off with SKC pressing forward and Xavier dangerous on the break, even to the extent that early in the second half Xavier almost scored first as they had in the first half.  The ball ricocheted round the SKC penalty area as if it was a pinball gradually getting closer to the goal, eventually Sean gathered the ball surrounded by bodies from both sides.  Daniel once more (Mr. Dependable) throughout the game as Xavier almost exclusively attacked down the right (SKC’s left) and made no impression. 

As the game progressed there was a growing desperation about SKC’s play, SKC’s normal fluid passing movements stifled on the crowded pitch gave way to first time clearances straight into the forward line.  Connor worked hard from box to box on the right and showed some good skills to go round the left back as well as tracking back to defend well in front of Chris who had a solid game at right back.  Michael was always threatening in the central attacking role and played some nice angled passes inside the full back for wide men to run onto as SKC came to terms with the size of the pitch.  Nick did well to move directly at goal on a number of occasions only for Xavier feet to intercept as he got his shots away. 

Jonathan was not in the outstanding form that we have come to expect, but still good enough to be more than the equal of the opposition and showed his individual skills to penetrate the penalty area on a number of occasions, skipping round defenders and on one occasion rounding the goalkeeper only to have his shot half blocked and then cleared off the line.  Shooting from long range showed SKC to have the power but not necessarily the direction until the Xavier defence for once didn’t close Jonothan down as he lined up a shot centrally from outside the penalty area.  The Xavier keeper moving to his right couldn’t get his body behind the ball and his arms weren’t strong enough to hold or deflect the strongly hit shot that brought SKC on to level terms.

The frustration of being one goal down for much of the game despite having much of the possession gave way to some relief and a belief that a last moment winner might be achieved, unfortunately there wasn’t enough time left on the clock.

Goal Scorers: J. De Biase and Own Goal

Best Players: D. Kalisperis, T. Wright and M. Moore

By Ewan Bennett