Match Reports - Social Premier Division
Please sumbit all match reports to: mail@northbeachsc.org.au.
North Beach vs DVG Morley City - 5 August 2007
North Beach vs Stirling Panthers - 8 July 2007
North Beach vs Perth Hills United - 17 June 2007
Burrendah Bombers vs North Beach - 13 May 2007
Perth Saints vs North Beach - 15 April 2007
DVG Morley City vs North Beach
Game of two halves leaves North Beach crying as opportunites are missed!
Score - 1-1 (1-0ht)
Goal Scorers - Glen Fraser 1
Hosting DVG Morley City at Charles RileyReserve, the North Beach sidewas hoping to pu the nightmare of last weeks loss to bottom side Shamrock Rovers out of their minds. With the temporary loan of Masters player Steve Clocherty and with Kevin Frost back from a long lay off with a broken foot (unfortunately for him though it was his turn on the goalkeeping roster and will have a few more to catch up on before the season is out), North Beach added another quality player to their already bulging talented squad. Overall the game was really a series of highlights and low lights.
In the 1st half North Beach had a strong wind behind them and should have had more than the one goal from Glen Fraser to their name at half time. Glen, coming from midfield, scored a well executed goal, chipping the keeper from wide on the right. From a long diagonal ball from the left Richie won the header, flicking it on to Scott Morhall who flicked/backhealed the ball into the path of Dave Brady who made a great run coming from an unoccustomed position of central midfield. Unfortunately Dave had more time than he realised (did hear the call of time) and rushed the shot a little, hitting it just wide, rather than controling it and lobing the keeper who was well off his line. The teams finishing has been profligate in recent times with players at times seemingly playing for themselves rather than for the team and unless we improve dramatically soon we are going to find goals hard to come by for the rest of the season. Kevin made a couple of good saves, showing he hasn't lost much of his sharpness and reflexes.
In the second half we had to work into the wind and as could be expected we had to work much harder. In saying this Scotty Morhall hi the post from a penalty and Glen,r realising he should have been following up but failing to do so wasn't quick enough to get to the rebound. Stephen Clocherty nearly scored his second Social team goal in as many appearances, unfortunately the keeper somehow managed to get up high enough to push the shot onto the crossbar and from the rebound Johnny Pope skied the ball over the bar from 4 yards missing a glorious opportunity, (last reports had the ball sailing over Hammersley Golf course, looks like you aren't a forward in defenders clothing after all eh?). DVG's goal was a good one hit from the top left had corner of the box after the ball had gone over all heads from a corner. Kevin got his fingertips to it , but only succeeded in pushing it into the right hand corner of thr net. Ali on the post reckons that had Kev not got his finger tips to it he could probably have headed it off the line, but we'll never know now! After losing the last couple of weeks it was a game that put a stop to losing and hopefully one that leads to them turning the corner and winning a game next week.
Around the grounds, UWA FC lost at home 1-0 to Perth Hills United, Bank West Saints beat UWA Guus 3-0, Burrendah Bombers lost 3-0 at home to table leaders Stirling Panthers, Westnam United demolished Dianella White Eagles 6-2 at home and Balcatta beath Shamrock Rovers 2-1 at home.
Next week - North Beach host Willetton based club Burrendah Bombers at Charles Riley.
North Beach SC vs Stirling Panthers
Divine intervention from the Pope gives North Beach a point.
Score: 1-1
Goal Scorer: Johnny Pope 1
In a tough and physical game, that was not helped by the dodgy referee decisions from yet another guest home referee, this time it was Scott Morhall who took on the responsibility (actually to be honest he did a great job), North Beach took on the Stirling Panthers at home. Several opportunities slipping through their fingers, the best chance of the first half fell to Richie. Unfortunately he spectacularly blasted his “shot” high and wide, when a simple lob over the ‘keeper’ who was in no mans land near the penalty spot, would have been the easier option. It was actually probably justice served though as it looked as he was several yards offside to all but their own linesman who flagged play on.
It was left up to Johnny “the man” Pope to get North Beach on the scoreboard. After a corner, which went over all heads (as usual), Dave Brady, under instructions to stay deep outside the back post retrieved the ball and played a nice one-two with Simon Collins before sending in a nice cross, from this Jonny rose highest and powered in a towering header into the back of the net. It was a quality finish that allowed North Beach to go into half time 1-0 up.
The second half was just as furious with the Stirling Panthers central midfielder, No7, involved in most of the incidents, causing the North Beach midfield some grief and putting them off their game for a while. As every time they had the ball they were in danger of getting crunched from behind or having their heads knocked off by his flying elbow. After their centre forward was upended in the box, the same Stirling Panthers No7 thought he had the last laugh again, as he slotted away the penalty, sending this weeks fill in keeper Glen Fraser, the wrong way, to make to score 1-1. A few minutes after Glen had made a great save from the Panthers No 7 found himself alone on the top right hand corner of the 6 yard box, pushing the ball on to the bar before it was smuggled to safety, the smile would be wiped off his face.
After being warned at least a dozen times, for late challenges and elbows aimed at peoples heads, (most official referees would have sent him of in the 1st half), he took one liberty too many. This time he tried to take out Jonny, jumping at him, again with and raised elbow, and Scott had had enough, booking him, he stupidly told Scott to f@#k off and said Scott had small man’s syndrome. For this Scott showed the clown a red card and politely suggested that this little referee thinks he should go and have an early shower, he continued to mutter obscenities as he trudged slowly off the field, to considerable banter from the North Beach supporters. North Beach could have won the game themselves late on when Simon C managed to get free on the right and from just outside the 18 yard box crossed over to Simon Tomlinson lurking outside the back post. His clever header back across goal again found Richie with acres of time and space , unfortunately his control let him down a little and it bounced up off his chest. Still with ample time, (too much really, probably enough time to read war and peace), he was through with the shot before it came down enough and took an embarrassing fresh air shot, which he is bound to have nightmares of for quite a while.
Although both teams could point to opportunities when they could have won the game, a draw was a fair result in the end. Next week we have the long bus trip up to Mundaring to take on a struggling Perth Hills side, where 3 points is a must. We cannot be complacent however, as on the trip last year we should have won, but came home on the wrong end of a 1-0 scoreline as we just couldn’t take our chances.
North Beach Soccer Club vs Perth Hills United
Beach bounce back and send Perth back to the hills!
Score: 5-2 win to North Beach
Goal Scorers: Dave Brady 2, Richie 1, Steve "Hank" Howard 1, Steve Clocherty 1
After being defeated and conceding four goals by Dianella White Eagles players and home referees last week the North Beach Premiers returned home to face mid-table Perth Hills United. In what was a physical match North Beach took to the field and welcomed back club cult hero Johnny Pope. With plenty of goals on offer the goal of the game would have to go to Steve Clocherty who showed his wizardry and weaved that old magic again when he struck the ball into the top left corner of goal with a fantastically placed shot. After a couple of up and down results such as the 10-1 thumping of Shamrock Rovers and the 4-3 loss to Dianella White Eagles this will hopefully get North Beach back on the winning run.
Burrendah Bombers vs North Beach Soccer Club
Concussed coach stops North Beach from going 2 up - but they still win anyway!
Score: 1-0 win to North Beach
Goal Scorer: Richie
After what was a bruising encounter North Beach bounced back and beat old rivals Burrendah Bombers. After coach Simon Collins was knocked out and then in his haze decided to take the penalty (and he missed) they were lucky that Richie ended up putting another goal away and adding to his ever growing goal tally. Despite chipping his teeth Simon still put in the hard yards. Everyone at the Perth Dental Clinic in twon send you their regards.
Perth Saints vs North Beach Soccer Club
Score: 2-2
Scorers: Richie, Cookie
The Social team had a hard fought, backs to the wall 2-2 draw against a very good Perth Saints side who must have had 75% of possession (Jonny reckons we had the ball for about 5 minutes but that might be a bit harsh), and will be very hard to beat for the Social Premier League title this year. Losing 10 players from last year’s team was always going to make this season a tough one, but if we can continue to show the character, guts and determination we showed here for the rest of the season, we should be ok, as long as we pick up a few more players of quality to fortify the ranks.
Starting the game with only 10 men in this league is hard at the best of times, but against one of the best sides in the division and after the dismal performance in the cup last week several players, me included secretly thought that if we got away with anything less than a 4-0 loss we would have done well. Jarad from the under 19’s kindly turned out for us in goal on a miserable day, and we hoped he wouldn’t be cursed unlike last week when, while filling in for us, Louis and Craig picked up injuries and Adam has gone missing in action since then, it wouldn’t turn him off playing for us again.
Playing a 4-4-1, the rest were made up of Richie who did a superb job up front doing the work of two constantly harassing the Saints defence, as well as getting back to defend when needed, a midfield of new signing Martin Headly on the right, Kevin ‘shin splints’ Frost playing out of position on the left, and a central pairing of an equally out of position Simon Collins and Tony ‘angry ant’ Fee who did their best hassling and denying space to the Saints midfield, trying to shield the superb defence of Tommo, Jonny, Eddie and Cookie who threw themselves at everything, blocking and tackling anything in a blue shirt that got past.
It felt like the Alamo or Custers last stand with Injuns coming from all directions and when the Saints went ahead after 10 min when a weakly hit cross/shot from the top right hand corner of the box went through legs in a crowded penalty area leaving Jarad unsighted till late and the ball crept in at the far post it looked as if we were in for a long afternoon. The lead only lasted 5 minutes however, when after a rare counter attack Richie got on the end of a superb in swinging corner from Frostie and powered a header (or so we thought, as apparently there was more than a hint of ball to arm in there which no one apart from Richie knew about), into the net with the keeper out of position after missing the cross.
10 minutes later we were somehow 2-1 in front when after Simon was fouled a couple of yards in from the side line on halfway, Cookie floated the resulting free kick into the box only for it to go over all heads bounce in no mans land then ballooned over the keeper who was slightly off his line and into the net. After that shock we dug in and fought hard trying to keep compact and deny them any space near our box, until with 5 mins left in the half, when Jarad saved a long range shot but was unable to hold on and as the ball squirmed out of his grasp, “Smorgs” one of the Saints forwards, who would give our defence a lot of work to do all day, followed up to put the rebound in and make it 2-2. It stayed like that up till the break.
At half time we were relieved to be level, but we knew that the hard part was still to come as we were now going into the strong wind and rain. Minutes into the second half the rain turned torrential, this helped us to hold on for the remainder of the game, as the slick passing of the Saints outfit seemed to break down on most occasions on the edge of our 18 yard box. As the game went on the Saints became increasingly frustrated and resorted to more and more long balls, despite constantly telling each other to keep the ball on the deck, trying to get in behind the North Beach back four, only for the ball to skid off the slick surface and go harmlessly out of play.
A ferocious 25 yard pile driver from Frankie, playing on the left hand side of the Saints midfield was seemingly destined for the top corner of the net, yet somehow Jarad threw himself through the air and managed to get his right hand to the ball clawing it out for a corner after the ball had appeared to have gone past him. Frankie had what was probably the Saints best chance of the second half when after his initial header was saved by Jarad, he followed up and smashed the rebound over the bar from all of 8 yards. Jarad, North Beach’s player of the match, kept out everything thrown at him, the ones he couldn’t hold on to at the first attempt he managed to grab at the second attempt.
North Beach had the chance to snatch the match at the death as after intercepting a dodgy cross field pass across the Saints defence on the halfway line Simon had a clear run on goal. Apparently he had time than he thought as the scrambling defenders who were trying to get back weren’t backing too much headway, unfortunately being a natural defender and not blessed with natural pace, panic (and a altitude sickness from being this high up the pitch), set in and instead of carrying the ball further and taking the keeper 1 on 1, he tried to hit the ball, over the keeper, who in my defence, was off his line, from at least 35 yards. Much to the amusement of the Saints supporters and bench huddled under their “Sunshade”, the ball went nowhere near the goal and the Saints keeper collected the ball just inside the sideline near the corner flag.
As the final whistle blew North Beach were elated with the point and the Saints were left to rue their misses and wonder how they didn’t win the game. We know how they feel as in previous seasons we have dominated games to a similar extent and walked away with nothing.