14.8.2010

ARMADALE TRIUMPH IN EIGHT GOAL THRILLER (by Michael Bate, Football West)

Armadale reignited their finals dream with a roller-coaster 5-3 win against Mandurah City at Alfred Skeet Oval. James Robinson netted twice with John Watson, Tom Robinson and Matt Barlow also on the scoresheet in a dramatic game in which Mandurah took a two-goal lead, then had two players sent off. “We didn’t panic today when we were 2-0 down, and we didn’t panic when they had their players sent off,” said Armadale boss Brad Hassell, delighted his teams composure and fighting spirit. “We just kept playing our way because we know we have players who can score goals no matter what situation we are in.”

The first goal of an open and entertaining game arrived in the 13th minute when Ivan Zuvela won the ball just inside his own half and, spotting goalkeeper Gareth Deeg off his line, launching an audacious chip from the halfway line which floated into the back of the net. James Robinson thought he’d equalised three minutes later only for the referee to disallow his effort for a push on Ryan Townsend as the two tussled for the ball. The game took another twist in the 26th minute with Craig Young shown a straight red card for a high-footed challenge on Barlow, referee Joe Fusari having no hesitation in reaching for his pocket.

Despite their numerical disadvantage, Mandurah took a two goal lead when Zuvela put away his second of the afternoon, this one from the penalty spot after Christian Paschkewitz had taken a tumble in the area. Five minutes later the home side were back in it, James Robinson letting fly with a scorching half volley from the edge of the area that left Straker with no chance. Armadale were level in the 37th minute when John Watson scored with a brilliant diving header. And the comeback was completed just before half-time when James Robinson’s powerful long-range shot hit the crossbar and dropped onto Straker’s.

To their credit, Mandurah equalised in the 52nd minute through Jeff Bright who fired in after Andy Brown wriggled away from two defenders and rolled an inviting ball in from the right. It looked as though Brown would drag his side back into the game until he became the second Mandurah player sent off, referee Fusari ruling he’d dived to win a penalty in the 73rd minute. The game was now effectively game over for the visitors, and eight minutes later Tom Robinson was first to react after Straker parried a James Robinson shot. Barlow finished off a great day for the home side when he rounded the ‘keeper and fired in goal number five from a tight angle.


7.8.2010

SAFETY ONE STEP CLOSER FOR INGLEWOOD

Inglewood United inched away from the relegation zone by grinding out a 4-3 win against a ten-man Armadale outfit at 6PR Stadium. The game was ultimately decided by a bizarre Ryan Clarke goal early in the second half, however, Armadale were unlucky not to earn at least a point after Matt Barlow’s brace set up a tense finish. “We probably set ourselves up there a bit - I think the boys have got a mindset that if we get a few goals up we’re going to concede because it’s happened in a few games now,” said Inglewood boss Shane Pryce. “If you’re going to get through these games you’ve got to have work-rate and commitment and we didn’t tick those boxes with twenty minutes to go today.”

All the early play was with Armadale whose swift movement of the ball had their hosts on the back foot. This attacking approach paid dividends on 7 minutes when a terrific exchange on top of the 18-yard box led Barlow to touch the ball in for James Robinson to angle a low shot past and exposed goalkeeper. With this Inglewood seemed to wake up, Rory Grant pushed wide from a Danny Stoitis free-kick before Adrian Caceres’ shot was deflected wide by Gareth Deeg. The teams were brought level via the resulting corner that Caceres sent in and Jakes Geddes headed in unchallenged at the back post after 14 minutes.

An eventful 8 minutes period midway though the half turned the game on its head. It started with James Robinson squandering a golden opportunity when the ball got stuck under his boot, allowing Matt Worton to clear from all of 1-metre. The miss was punished in the 24th minute by Clarke, who happened to be in the right place at the right time to half-volley in a deflected Stoitis shot. Armadale had salt rubbed into the wound three minutes later when captain Steve McDonald collected his second yellow card after his elbow collected Rory Grant in an aerial dual.

Geddes flashed a centre across the top of the 6-yard box and just ahead of the on-rushing Grant as Inglewood sought to make the most of the extra man. However, Armadale kept their composure and through the central pairing of Steve Porter and Lewis Flatt probbed for openings. Flatt should have put them in front after 41 minutes but having met a Tom Robinson ball in from the right side-footed too close to Taseski. Inglewood struck a third goal in the minutes before half-time with Stoitis presented with a simple header from Caceres’ far post cross.

Clarke was credited with Inglewood’s fourth goal in the 52 minute, the midfielder’s shot from an acute angle slipping through Deeg’s gloves with Bennion’s attempt to clear off the line sending the ball over the line. The sides the commenced trading attacks as Barlow headed wide a Porter corner before Caceres’ explosive drive rose not too far high of the crossbar. Armadale put themselves back in the game with a scrappy goal from Barlow on 65 minutes, the striker making the most of poor defending by flicking the ball over his head and into the net.

The gap was brought back to a single goal in the 67th minute when Flatt squirted a pass out of midfield to Barlow, who rode Darko Ilmanoski’s challenge before shooting into the bottom corner. The momentum was now with the visiting team who managed to retain possession for lengthy periods but struggled to find holes in the home defence. Michael Baczynski entered the game with ten minutes to go and with his first touch unleashed a rasping drive that Deeg tipped away. The closing exchanges were notable only for a nasty collision between Bennion and Ilmanoski that held up while each received treatment.

Disappointed by the result, Armadale coach Brad Hassell was nonetheless pleased with his teams second half performance. “The positive was we kept fighting for 90 minutes,” he said. “It would have been nice to have pinched a fourth goal - and I think it would have definitely been deserved. Today showed more than ever that we had eleven players that worked really hard. No-one let the team down - the attitude at half time was great and that’s why I was reluctant to make any substitutions even when they were starting to tire.”