27 July 2011

Gremlins .................................................. 4

Whitestix .................................................. 0

"SEVEN GUYS FOR SEVEN GALS"

Whitestix defend their "D" in numbers - bit crowded!

After 3 defeats in 3 matches against Gremlins, Whitestix started this contest at a sunny and sultry Dalziel Park with 7 men and four ladies on the field against Gremlins 7 ladies and 4 men. Gremlins have been notorious fast starters in their previous matches with Whitestix and maintained that proud record with a goal in just under a minute. Gale Black made good progress down the left wing and drove the ball into the Whitestix circle for Jamie Mathieson to steal in and touch the ball home after only 58 seconds.

Whitestix were determined not to let Gremlins dominate after their early strike and Andy McKellar had to move across quickly to stifle a spirited break by the visitors down the right after 2 minutes. Whitestix went all out for an equaliser and another well constructed move finished with a shot which Alison Dawson did well to block before McKellar cleared the danger. Gremlins were not on the back foot for long. A great interception by Kevin Kane gave him space to charge down the right wing and send in an inch-perfect cross for Mathieson who nudged the ball just wide of the post.

Play began to move rapidly back and forth as both teams sought the crucial second goal of the match. Whitestix outstanding player over the 4 game series surged through the Gremlins defence after 6 minutes and got in a powerful shot which came off a Gremlins defender’s stick and flew up and over the bar for a corner. Gremlins hit back and increased their lead after 10 minutes. Colin Clark took the ball down the left and played it on to Mathieson who tried to push it through to Gale in the Whitestix ‘D’. The ball came off a defender’s foot and from the free hit the ball was played back to Jamie Mathieson who shrugged off a number of tackles before rolling the ball into the corner of the goal.

This setback only angered Whitestix and a quick interception and another powerful run through the middle by one of their players resulted in a snatched shot which slewed wide of the goal after 12 minutes. Instead of getting back into the game Whitestix found themselves further behind after 14 minutes. Rose Fitzpatrick-Lane began the move down the right with a pass forward to Kevin Kane who moved upfield and laid the ball off to Mathieson who charged into the visitors’ circle and slid the ball wide to Kevin Kane who had continued his run and his flick was diverted into the net via the stick of a Whitestix defender.

A minute later another excellent shot from Whitestix was comfortably dealt with by Alison and Andy Leaker stepped in to move the ball away from any incoming forwards. A major controversy arose moments later when Leaker raced down the right wing and sent a dangerous cross into the Whitestix circle where it was blocked by a defender’s stick. The loose ball was driven low and hard into the bottom corner by Loretta Kane but, after protests by Whitestix, the “goal” was disallowed by umpire Armstrong and a free hit awarded to Whitestix. Apparently Gremlins players were not allowed to shoot in this match against the Whitestix kicking back but only score from flicks and pushes.

Thereafter Gremlins seemed to go up a gear. Mathieson intercepted a slack Whitestix pass after 22 minutes and sprinted in from the left towards the visitors’ goal but the ball went behind for a corner as he was tackled. Mathieson then sent a dangerous pass through to Gale who reached the goal-line and cut the ball back for Nia Philips who was crowded out by the Whitestix defence. A brief flurry of activity down the right from the visitors earned them a corner after Alison was called upon to push a well-struck shot behind after 27 minutes.

Mathieson was having a fine game and another great solo run from him ended when he was completely surrounded in the visitors’ ‘D’ after 29 minutes. Undaunted he won the ball back and but his final ball through to Nia and Fiona Speirits was picked off and cleared by a defender. Kevin Kane was next to try his luck for Gremlins but Whitestix packed defence were able to pinch the ball from him as he burst into the circle after 33 minutes. The last notable incident of the first half was a Whitestix interception and attack down the right wing in the dying seconds but they found McKellar an insurmountable barrier in the heart of the Gremlins defence.

Half-time Score: Gremlins 3 Whitestix 0

The pace of the game visibly slackened in the second half as the heat began to take its toll. After 40 minutes Gale sent Mathieson clear but his final ball through to the unmarked Nia went astray. Clever play by Fiona and Nia caused panic in the Whitestix ranks after 41 minutes as they worked their way into the circle but a defender managed to fire it clear. The same pair were in action 2 minutes later when Nia picked up a loose ball and played a quick one-two with Fiona before sending in a flick which the Whitestix kicking back juggled with her feet on the goal-line before scrambling it clear.

Leaker was next to put pressure on the Whitestix defence with a surging run down the right. He found Fiona who slipped the ball through to Nia but her dangerous cross was thrashed away by the Whitestix defence. Mathieson then galloped down the left wing, turned along the goal-line and wriggled past a couple of defenders before being overwhelmed by sheer weight of numbers. Another determined run by Mathieson after 47 minutes was halted by the Whitestix defence but the ball bounced clear to Kevin Kane who sent it on for Loretta Kane to turn the ball wide to the advancing Mathieson who won a corner off a defender.

Gremlins pressure finally bore fruit after 48 minutes. Leaker anticipated a Whitestix pass and nipped in to steal the ball and sent it through to Gale who immediately laid it off wide to Kevin Kane who burst into the circle to guide the ball home and give the home side a 4-0 lead. Gremlins were not letting up and a good ball from Nia found Leaker who tried to cut the ball back for a colleague but it was cleared by the Whitestix defence but only as far as Andy Paterson but his run was checked and the danger averted.

The fresh legs of Paterson were proving troublesome for the Whitestix defence. He picked up a McKellar through ball and slid it through for Mathieson but he was so tightly marked that he couldn’t penetrate the ring of defenders and Whitestix emerged with the ball. Paterson and Mathieson’s staccato passing move after 51 minutes cut through the Whitesix rearguard and Mathieson’s final flick was just stopped at the base of the post by the kicking back.

Whitestix were far from finished as an attacking force and a swift raid down the left ended with a good cross into middle which was flicked wide of the home side’s post. Heartened by this effort Whitestix next attack earned a free hit on the edge of the Gremlins ‘D’. The ball was played wide right and then driven into the circle but their forward’s flick at the near post ended up well wide of the target. Gremlins rode out this storm and mounted another lightning attack through McKellar who sent Rose away down the right and she moved the ball on for Fiona to cut the ball back for Paterson but his pass to the unmarked Gale was read by a defender and intercepted.

Gremlins were looking dangerous down the right and McKellar, Rose, Leaker and Paterson worked the ball quickly forward and won a free hit on the edge of D. The ball was played wide to Alison McLaren but Whitesix intercepted and broke down the right but McKellar managed to head them off and sent the ball forward again. The next Whitestix attack on 60 minutes earned them a short corner which they were unable to convert as the Gremlins defence were quickly off their line to steal the ball. Whitestix won it back and stormed forward again, winning another short corner off McKellar’s foot after 61 minutes. From the set piece Whitestix forced another short corner when the ball went behind off Ali McLaren’s foot. On this occasion McKellar was out like a cheetah and raced clear with the ball downfield.

Both sides mounted good attacks as the final minutes ticked away. McKellar’s perfectly timed tackled robbed Whitestix outstanding player as he made to shoot after 65 minutes. Then the visitors forced a corner as they pushed to grab a consolation goal but Gremlins defence stood firm again. Mathieson had a chance to complete his hat-trick after 68 minutes when he got on the end of a long through ball from Paterson but his flick was just the wrong side of the upright. Gremlins stepped up the pressure in the remaining minutes in search of a fifth goal. Ali McLaren picked off a careless pass in midfield and delivered the ball through to Nia who flicked it on to Kevin Kane whose flick, also for a hat-trick, was well stopped on the line by the Whitestix kicking back who ended up on her back as her colleagues smuggled the ball clear. The final few seconds were played out around the Whitestix circle as Kevin Kane twice set up Fiona for shots which were blocked before the visitors got the ball away.

Full-time Score: Gremlins 4 Whitestix 0

This was a difficult game for Gremlins on a particularly warm summer’s evening and was closer than the final score suggests. Whitestix with a bit of luck might have had a couple of scores but found Alison in the Gremlins goal in good form. The Gremlins-of-the-Game tonight were easily Jamie Mathieson and Kevin Kane who ran themselves into the ground in the heat and also contributed two goals each to give their team a slightly flattering victory.

Jamie Mathieson rolls the ball home

Loretta about to “score”

Kevin Kane