I’m Cam, I Saw, I Conquered - Hawkins hits only goal in Farm victory
Reigning champions
Ingle Farm made it two wins out of two on a glorious Adelaide Sunday afternoon
this weekend to outline their ambition for three titles in a row. A second
Cameron Hawkins strike in as many games was enough to see off Florina and
ensure Farm took maximum points from the first home game of the season.
Farm were looking
for an early goal, but the visitors clearly hadn’t read the script as they
almost got off to a dream start with a long ball splitting the Farm defence and
a striker running through on goal, but his fierce drive cannoned off crossbar
and was cleared to safety.
Florina were clearly prepared to take the game to
the home side and fashioned a second opportunity with a slide-rule pass to the
far post, but their striker was only able to crash a shot against the side
netting from a tight angle. Farm were struggling to build as Hawkins found himself
isolated whenever he brought the ball down as Florina dominated the early
exchanges.
The frantic pace showed no signs of slowing and the referee was
quick to diffuse several flashpoints, culminating in a mini Royal Rumble in the
corner involving White, Filipou and an opposition winger, but no cards were
shown despite the linesman flagging for a Samoan Drop and attempted Sharp Shooter.
Farm finally carved their first opportunity when a long cross fell to Filipou
unmarked at the back post, but as he controlled and shot the ‘keeper did well to
divert the ball over the bar and the resulting corner was nodded wide by White
as the home side began to settle.
Farm edged closer to taking the lead when
Simpson, returning from injury, wriggled away from the Florina defence and
raced clear, but his shot was blocked by the onrushing keeper, by far the
busier of the two in a lively first half.
HALF TIME: 0-0
Farm were better
prepared in the second half and took the game to the visitors. Hawkins was
again looking dangerous and raced clear of the defence and tried an audacious
chip, which landed in a garden across the street.
The livewire forward was not
to be contained though as he gave the home side the lead moments later. A
superb interception by Porter saw him slot the ball down the line to Rich,
whose driving run and low cross was drilled in low at the near post by HAWKINS
for his second goal of the season to give Farm the lead.
The visitors could
only muster a few free kicks at goal in response, one of which was tipped over
by Savage, breaking his finger in the process. He was replaced in goal by
Taylor, who did well to hold another free kick before his long kick released
Hawkins again, but his fierce shot cleared the crossbar and was well saved by
the same man in the garden across the street. Farm still had time to create
more chances, with Bromley picking up the ball from a wayward Florina pass in
his own half and running 50 yards, beating two players, but his well struck
shot was tipped wide for a corner.
Chances were thick and fast for Farm as
Hawkins rattled a post and Jarrad Rich almost marked an impressive return from
injury with a goal, only to see his ferocious drive rebound off the crossbar
and leave the game still finely poised at 1-0.
Farm withstood some late
pressure to hold on for victory, the only notable moment in the latter stages
being Peter Rossi’s wild challenge scything down an onrushing midfielder. In
truth, it was so late it was early for the next tackle and he was fortunate to
escape with just a caution. Florina managed only a few late free kicks ably
dealt with by Taylor and the final whistle went to give Farm maximum points.
Farm have now won
two games out of two, albeit 1-0, and kept two clean sheets. Manager Leon
Hennessen, dubbed ‘the Jose Mourinho of the North Western Suburbs’, was
unavailable for comment.
SAASL SUNDAY PREMIER LEAGUE
Round 3 - Elizabeth Downs vs Ingle Farm
Sunday, April 25, 2010
Argana Park, Elizabeth Downs
by Cameron Hawkins
Ingle Farm entered this game with high hopes of three points
and the strongest side they have put out all year. With nothing but blue skies
and 90 minutes ahead of them the reserves set out in hope to find another clean
sheet and a goal to get them over the line, however what unfolded was not to be
expected. Minus leading goal scorer Cameron Hawkins who was left to warm the
bench Farm took the pitch.
The first five minutes started brightly for the farm as they
managed to press downs into their own half and give Aaron Davey in the Downs
goal plenty to do. Ricky and Jarrad up front were creating spaces and working
well together however just could not find that killer blow early on. With a defence
that had not conceded a goal all year marshalled by Jamie “Yosemite Sam” Porter
and his two Guns Huey and Robbo set about shutting down the downs potent attack
early and moving the ball on quickly which worked well to Ingle Farms
advantage.
Downs started to press further up the field and using heavy
tackles and body on body tactics tried to rattle Ingle farm to allow them back
into the game, and it worked. They shut down the ball carrier early and allowed
no easy passing from the creative Marty Lara and Andy Lynn as well as Hard man
Peter “Danny Ocean” Rossi in the middle of the park. Downs first opportunity
came from a quick break down the right hand flank via a Mark Bromley turnover
and had ex farmer Michael McGivern put a low hard cross in only for farms stand
in keeper Dave Barnes to parry to Rob who eventually cleared.
This seemed to inspire Farm into some hard tackling of their
own and went on to create their first real chance of the match on 15 minutes.
Some slick passing between Peter, Andy and Marty sent Jarrad through only for
the striker to see his effort tipped around the post by Davey in goal. From the
resulting corner kick Paul Ricky Simpson rose only to header the ball straight
into the awaiting Davey.
Farm continued to push but as a result left themselves
vulnerable at the back and conceded their first league goal for the year via a
Downs counter attack which had Jamie porter chasing the Downs front man who
slotted passed Barnsey. From there it was all one way traffic with the Downs
pushing the ball wide and exploiting a lack of pace on the Farm flanks.
1-0 HALFTIME
A much more inspired Ingle Farm came out onto the pitch and
with hard hitting Paul Francken and Nick Filipou (Brought on for Bromley)
dispatched out wide it allowed Farm to throw their weight about and push to get
back into the game and that they did forcing two early saves out of Davey one
via a Jarrad Rich thunderbolt and one from a bit of Ricky Simpson finesse. The
best chance of the game was when a corner kick was played out via a Downs
clearance it fell to Rossi’s feet only to see his shot miss the post by a coat
of paint.
For the remaining half an hour the Downs shut up shop and
forced ingle farm to either play over the top or sideways which frustrated them
into playing long balls. The 60th minute saw the introduction of
young Mike Vaselli for Ricky simpson and he didn’t disappoint. His first touch
on the ball was a towering header over the Down’s central midefielder through
for Jarrad however Jarrads cut back in search of Marty Lara found no one.
As the final whistle blew it was obvious that Farm were not
happy with the result and makes next weeks clash all the more important for
this years title favourites. With Coach Leon Hannessen left wondering what went
wrong it will be back to the drawing board in search of those three points.
Captain Andrew Lynn said after the game “perhaps this was
the wake up we needed to prove we are only human, next week is a new game and
we will be out to get the three points”
