Game 4 6/5/07
SCORERS: Scott 2, Klish 1 (pen)
A Sunday game saw the usual mass exodus of players, with the list of shame this week reading Chalkie, Lincoln, Driscoll, Al and Bazzo. Couple that with Stjany getting lost, and we started the game with 9. Playing 3-4-1, our defense had troubles keeping their forwards at bay, with many runs coming straight down the middle. The pressure finally was too much, with Gus slightly mis-judging one and letting it slip through to destroy the clean sheet. However, we started to put in some run, with the mids finally getting some balls through to Kyle. Scott went on a run down the left, to step inside two defenders and slot away the equalizer. We then set about tiring ourselves out against our more numerous opposition, before Kyle was fouled in the box. Klish stepped up and delivered a perfect penalty, top right corner, for our first Pigeon of the season. Some reinforcements came up through Dry and Smitty, after coming to our game in Epping over from their game in West Penno… via Pymble. Stjany also finally turned up, and we had a full team with 1 reserve for the second half.
Dru and Smitty were inspirational, showing the older guys what true work ethic is about. Smitty was fast up front, and Dru a giant at the back. But we wasted several opportunities, and when one of their forwards came off a distant second to Jumbi in a tackle, it seemed to inspire them. A run down the right, straight through Barker and a cross into the centre saw Epping finish past Gus in style. But again, right off the kickoff, Scott ripped their midfield, duked a defender, and slotted away for another Penguin, bottom left. Good to see he’s back in form. We dominated for the last 20 mintues, with the backs standing strong but the mids and forwards unable to finish, including a shot from myself between the giant keepers legs which he somehow saved… You know your not going to score for the rest of the season when that happens. We finished 3-2, a hard fought win, but we made it hard for ourselves. In the end, a wins a win, and hopefully next Sunday game we will get a better turnout.
Man of the Match: Scott, 2 goals right when we needed them and the playmaker out of the mids.

Erik Maasepp