Round 5

12th May 2007 - Round 5: Scotch vs Mercedes

A1: Scotch 0 - Mercedes 6
B1: Scotch 1 - Mercedes 7

A1 Summary
I guess we all knew that the game was going to be extremely tough and that we'd be up against it all day before the whistle had even blew. Mercedes were top of the table, had not conceded a goal yet in their 2007 campaign and are by far the banchmark in the Collegiate League A1's.

We changed formation for the game from a 4-4-2 to a 4-5-1 in the hope it would help us absorb pressure better then counter attack when able. Due to asevere lack of numbers of players in both squads for the game, Andy Dean and Dayne played the 2nd half of the B's then had to start in the A's, with Dayne carrying an unstable ankle anyway. Well done boys, you did really well and we all appreciate it!!!

Two new recruits to the club in the last couple of weeks had their 1st start in the A's today. One is very talented midfielder (although played up front for the game!!) Patty McConville (unfortunately he is an avid Celtic supported though), and new goal keeper Dietmar who has a very good football resume with time spent with Adelaide City in the old NSL, and highest level south australian federation. We appreciate him coming out to help boulster the squad in his so called 'year off'...he just couldnt resist playing with us!! :) And what a baptism of fire it was for him to begin with! Another new recruit that came off of the bench after playing a full game of B's and testing his fitness after three years of not playing, is Paul Cadman, formally of Birkella in the SASF, and who will no doubt be very important to the A's throughout the year if he decides to stay!!

The game had been changed midweek from Mercedes to Scotch due to their pitch being unsuitable. Everyone was OK with this and managed to handle the change of location.... apart from the Ref's though who didn't show for either game!!! Always knew you can't trust them!!

The game began OK for us, absorbing pressure and having our own share of confident possession. Throughout the 1st half however they struck home two lucky goals from defensive errors and we were our own worst enemies again as in previous weeks. Throughout the course of the game we spent a lot of time behind the ball, chasing and defending against a team that didn't seem to have a player ubder 6 foot, under 85kg, or that wouldn't be able to hold their spot in any federation team in the state!! We were basically outplayed throughout the entire 90 minutes, with the most dissapointing aspect of the day being our inability to stay disciplined and hold shape, and the lack of physical fight we showed. I understant being so undermanned didn't help the situation at all! As we tired throughout the course of the second half they put another four goals past us.

Of very positive note however were several performances. Chris Rogers played a wonderful game in the heart of defence where we need him for both his skill and physical presence, although being up against it all day. Dietmar pulled out a number of very tough saves and stopped us from being embarrased any further!! Thanks mate! Our midfield tired throughout the match, but we did have some positives with the play between Johnny and Eirik, and they did get some extra fitness!! Keep running boys!!! :) Patty played very well in a tough lone role up front against a very tough opposition defence adn had an immense work ethic all day. Well done mate!

We have now played the top three teams in our opening rounds, so the next month or so of football is going to be very important as we need to pick up all available points againts teams of similar standard to ours, starting this week in the 1st round of the Collegiate Cup. It is vital that we work even harder now on our game as a team, that we stick together and support each other both on the pitch and socially, otherwise we will not improve and grow in the competition. With everyone available we have a fantastic team and results will come!!!

3 votes: Chris Rogers
2 votes: Dietmar Keovec
1 vote: Patrick McConville

B1 Summary
Scotchies B's should again hold their heads up very high! Playing with a very makeshift, undermanned and inexperienced line-up, it was always going to be very tough to get anything out of the game. Into the team today came new recruit Paul Cadman who had his first taste of football in three years and ran his guts out, playing very well in the middle of the park. We also had Quentin Crouch, one of the origional Scotch boys returning to the club after two years away overseas. He brought with him from his travels one of our best mates Matty Luker (normally an AFL maestro!!) out to help with numbers and to get his first game of ''real football''!!! Both had very good games considering their lack of sport in the last couple of years, and Matty could have even scored a ripper in his 1st match if the football Gods had been smiling on us a little more, with the keeper pulling out a great save. He left the GLORY!!! of the 1st B's player to score this year to our number 10 mean machine Chien-wen Liew, who hammered the ball into the back of the onion bag half way through the second half for our 1st goal of the season! GGGGOOOOAAAAALLLLLL!!!!!! Plenty more to come now boys!

Again a dissaponting result of course, but with the elements against us there we need to take out the positives like we have!!

Did I mention we scored our 1st goal??!! Yeheeeeeeeeeeeew!!!!!!!!

3 votes: Paul Cadman
2 votes: Will Rogers
1 vote: Andy Mudie

Round 4

5th May 2007 - Round 4: Scotch vs Rostrevor

A1: Scotch 2 - Rostrevor 5
B1: Scotch 0 - Rostrevor 5

A1 Summary
The opening home game for the year on a perfect surface started at a good pace and Scotch had most of the play and all of the shots in the opening 20 minutes. We welcomed into the A's toady another Norwegian superstriker, Baard Kristiansen, and Dave Lonardo had his first start in goal. defence with a great ground pass to Eirik and Dayne were looking menacing from the outset and stretching the Rostrevor defence, with good lead up play through central midfield. It was excellent to see how effective our possession game plan can be when we all work hard towards it. Our possession paid off at the 15 minute mark when Dayne sent a rocket into the top left corner of the onion bag following a good ball from Geordie on the right who found Eirik, who's one touch pass into Dayne's path created the opportunity. 1-0! It was just deserves. Five minutes later Fergie Ferg sliced the RostrevorEirik who was then clumsily brought down 22yards from goal by Rostrevor's last man when it was a 1-on-1 with the keeper. A red card was shown and Rostrevor were now down to 10 men. Eirik then stepped up and classily converted the resulting free kick with a thunderous shot to the keepers right, with thanks also going to Geordie for his bullying work on the end of the Rostrevor wall!! 2-0!! Things were looking good and we had complete control of the game. But oh how quick things can change!

Another 5 minutes later, and quickly bringing them back into the game, Rostrevor scored following a poorly cleared corner that fell invitingly at the top of the box for a shot that somehow crept inside the far post. 2-1. The rest of the first half was quite even, with Rostrevor slowly taking assendency on the midfield. The game was marred by several sloppy challenges by the ROCSC boys and as many yellow cards. The score at half time was 2-1.

Overall the 2nd half was a very poor midfield and defensive display by Scotch, who let in another 4 goals all through open play!! We were unable to keep meaningful possession and control the game with the extra man and lacked defensive and deep midfield shape. It was a disappointing way to finish a promising match, but we will work hard on our formation and game play. But chins-up!! There's much better to come!!

3 votes: Brendan Connelly
2 votes: Eirik Sandvik
1 vote: John McQueen

B1 Summary
and What more do we need to do to score!!?? Today Scotchies B's came up against one of the strongest teams in the competition, and should hold their heads very high! Things may have been very different if one of a couple of early chances were taken by scotch, but again goals were very hard to score!! In an excellent overall effort, the very inexperienced and newly formed Scotch had much of the first half play, and had vast improvements from the previous game, especially defensively. New recruits to the days team included the dynamic Norwegian duo StigHavar, and Canadian Ruy. We really are multi-cultural now!!! The game was only killed off in the final 20 minutes when Scotch tired considerably due to some inexperience and weight of defensive duties throughout the day. Big improvers continue to be Josh and Jassa, and Andy Dean marshaled the troops at the back very well. Stig and Havar tired as expected but played very well, and we expect big things from them now!!

Again overall the result was disappointing, but if we continue to improve the way we are and get a stable line-up, the goals and results will slowly come!!

3 votes: Andy Dean
2 votes: Havar Hauger
1 vote: Stigan Dersk

ROUND 2

Results
‘A’ Grade
SCOTCH OC 1 versus Grad Red 1
Best Players: 3 votes: John McQueen, 2 votes: Warren Farrington 1 vote: Nick Ferguson

‘B’ Grade
SCOTCH OC 0 lost to Grad Red 2

‘A’ GRADE MATCH REPORT
Well, let me start by reminding you of the Arsenal vs PSV 2nd leg Champions League match a few weeks ago, where Arsenal had total domination of the entire game and over 30 shots for no goals. Today, we were Arsenal!!! Apart from the fact atleast we scored one goal, that we didn't get knocked out of the Champions League, and that we're probably got a little more depth than the Gunners anyway!

The game was a Scotch home game, but due to our immaculate pitch still being unavailable, was played at Grads Red's home ground, at the Adelaide Uni parklands in the city.

The game started at a great pace for a Collegiate League game and Scotch had all the running right from the first kick off. Due to a couple of late arrivals, SUPER-FIT Alastair Rodgers and Joel Quinn had to back up a full B's game by starting in the A's also, and did very well! Quinny had an early chance go just wide from a stinging shot, with another couple of chances falling to Dane who shot narrowly wide from distance, and Danny Adams wo was almost on the score sheet following a great solo fun from centre back. But, as would be the rest of the day, these chances somehow just missed or were parried away by a rather lucky keeper! However, around the 25 minute mark, Scotch got on the board for a deserved goal and the first for the club in A1 competition! Following some constant forward pressure and shooting from our attacking midfield meastro Fergie Ferg, the ball fell for our new Norwegian "Super-Signing" Eirik Sandvik to calmly slot the ball past the keeper from 6yards at his near post! GOAL!!

The remainder of the first half had the ball firmly planted in Scotches offensive half with attack after attack, where the posts and crossbar were both tested a couple of times each and several more shots that would have left the rather flat-footed keeper's hands stinging. It was turning into one of those days where each shot somehow either found some way of hitting the frame, narrowly missing or being put straight to the keeper. No exaggeration!! Anyway at half time it had been a one sided game and we would have been excused for thinking that we were going to put the ball into the back of the onion sack few more times.

The second half was much more of the same with posession predominantly held by scotch, and several more chances going begging and being wasted. With 70 minutes gone, and the game should have been sewn up much earlier, the inevitable happened ofcourse!! The score was levelled with one of the few decent attacking runs Grads Red put together coming on from the left flank, that was finished with a great strike from 20 yards to beat Ravo and make it 1-1.

The game was again finished with Scotch doing the bulk of the attacking, but unfortunately not being able to score that elusive 2nd goal.

Silky smooth Waz and Auzzie-born Englishman Geordie both had great attacking games at wide midfield, with Waz treating us to some wonderful Christiano Ronaldo like step-overs, and the super-strong central defensive duo of Chrissy Rogers and Dr Danny Adams were well organised and hardly tested all day. Our highly anticipated French summer signing Fabs had another good game ot left back in only his 2nd game of outdoor football ever. Eric and Dane were menacing and dangerous all day up front, and Fergs was his usual elusive and dangerous self at attacking mid.

However, in the eyes of both myself and the umpire (who had a severe lack of understanding of the 'advantage' rule and a scary pettiness for 'shirts-in' and politeless on the pitch) gave 3 votes to Mr El Capitano John McQueen for his leadership on pitch, constructive talk, overlapping runs from right back and long raking balls cross pitch.

Anyway, although a dissapointing result for what could have been, it was a much improved display from the previous week with regards to posession, build-up play and organisation. With a couple more summer signings still to grace the club and hopefully some improved attandences at training, watch out league!!!

ROUND 1

Results
‘A’ Grade
SCOTCH OC 0 lost to Pembroke OS 5
Best Players: Hadyn Dyer, Mark Paparella

‘B’ Grade
SCOTCH OC 0 lost to Pembroke OS 4

‘A’ GRADE MATCH REPORT
A tough 1st match played against last year's A1 3rd place-getters meant that we were down early in the match before really finding our feet. Defensive mistakes by Scotch were punished with aplomb by the Pembroke attack, with a couple of diagonal passes splitting our last line and leaving first-time keeper Lachlan Ravescroft with some tough 1-on-1s with a particularly skilled Pembroke striker. This was compounded by our general disarray, with players neither providing options off the ball nor looking for them on the ball. It wasn't until 2/3 of the way through the 2nd half that we started holding possession and stringing passes together.

Despite being down 0-4 at half time, it was a different side which fronted Pembroke for the second 45 minutes. Play was distributed more evenly and we used Mitris and Geordie much better down the wings. We still struggled to put boot to ball in the Pembroke area; Fergie being the only player to post a shot on-target for the length of the match. In the end, Pembroke did well to hold us to nil - Paps being denied from the penalty spot through an unbelievable full-stretch save by the Pembroke keeper after a late challenge inside 18 yards.

In the end, it was a hard-fought game, only made harder to bear with such a one-sided scoreline. Although it was comprehensive, we can take solice from a much improved performance during the course of the game, and the knowledge that 3 Pembroke goals were scored on the back of first-game jitters amongst the defence and midfield of our squad.