Match Report By Gary Collins

Three weeks after their last league game, a 7-1 drubbing of Brooklands, Saints returned to Tompkins Park for the first of three Saturday fixtures scheduled for season 2009. 

Since inflicting the heavy defeat on Brooklands, Saints had suffered a disappointing loss in the cup to Rockingham City and been awarded the points on a forfeit by the south Geraldton based team, Quinns FC. 

So the Saints approached the game with the undefeated Azzurri needing to re-assert their position as the team to beat in Division One, but with a squad reduced by injury, absences and international duty.

Azzurri came into the game on the back of solid league wins against Fremantle United and Balga, but as with the Saints, a loss to lower league opposition in the cup, a 3-2 defeat by Canning City from South Division One.

Saints kicked-off playing towards the Swan River end in bright sunshine.  Coach Ross Greer started with a standard 4-4-2 formation with himself and Nigel Mann working the midfield engine room.

It soon became clear that Azzurri would provide stern opposition for the Saints with Mario (1) launching a series of attacks down the right wing and putting the Saints under pressure with his blistering pace.  Mario (2) playing wide on the left was also stretching the Saints defence and during the first fifteen minutes of the game he was a constant threat.

There was a hard fought battle for midfield supremacy throughout the first half as the shaven headed Mario (3) provided Coach Greer with some real aerial competition.

The breakthrough for the Saints came soon after the first substitutions of the game.  Eddie Greco replaced Ewald Ringer on the left hand side of the midfield and within minutes of Eddie’s introduction he had created the Saints’ opening goal.

Greco collected the ball wide on the left just inside the Saint’s half and took off on a typical meandering run towards the Azzurri goal.  The Saints’ players are used to Greco’s play and as such had no idea about where the ball might end up.  However, the Azzurri players didn’t have the benefit of prior experience and were totally confused by Greco’s play.  First Mario (4) the right midfielder was left in Greco’s wake, then the right full-back, Mario (5) was dazzled by Greco’s footwork, finally the Azzurri goalkeeper, Mario (6) was confused, fell over and allowed Greco to pass to Graham Cameron who tapped-in from close range for the Saints’ first goal.

The Saints’ lead encouraged Azzurri to up the tempo and a close range effort from Mario (2) was only kept out by Brett ‘the Cat’ Lambert who connected with the ball and the right hand upright simultaneously to keep the Saints’ advantage intact.

Par for the course during season 2009, the Saints players were left confused by some unusual refereeing decisions during the game.  As the first half drew to a close, the Azzurri left-back, Mario (7) played a back pass to Mario (6) who collected the ball in his hands. The referee blew for a free-kick and pointed to the spot where the ball was played from.  It was pointed out to the referee by Coach Greer and other senior Saints players that the free kick should be taken from the spot where the goalkeeper collected the ball, but to no avail.  The Azzurri coach, Mario Senior, was obviously unaware of the rules of the game as he shouted from the touchline for the referee to award the free-kick from the position that the ball was passed.

It is a well known fact that football played in the Italian style has attempted to influence the world game.  Match fixing, players betting on match results, fascist gangs, spitting, behind the play thuggery, indiscriminate tackles, play acting and catenaccio are all features of the game exported to the world via Serie A. 
The arbitrary adjustment of the Rules of the Game suggested by Mario Senior may be just one more area to fall under the Italian influence.

For future reference, Law 12 – Fouls and Misconduct states:

An indirect free-kick is awarded to the opposing team if a goalkeeper, inside his own penalty area, touches the ball with his hands after it has been deliberately kicked to him by a team-mate.

The indirect free-kick is taken from the place where the offence occurred

As the offence is the handling of the ball by the goalkeeper, the free-kick is taken from the spot where the handling occurred.

However, because the Azzurri goalkeeper, Mario (6), collected the ball in his goal area, reference needs to be made to Law 13 – Position of Free Kicks.

An indirect free-kick awarded inside the goal area must be taken on the goal area line parallel to the goal line at the point nearest to where the infringement occurred.

Clear as mud.  Join us next week when we examine in detail Law 15 – The Throw In.

The half-time whistle blew with the Saints holding a 1-0 lead over the Mario brothers.

The second half started much the same as the first, the Saints continued to push forward and Azzurri attempted to catch the Saints on the break using the width and pace of Mario (1), Mario (2) and Mario (8) who had come off the bench where he had spent most of the first half in the company of Sonic the Hedgehog and Pacman..

The confusing refereeing decisions continued into the second half.  Mario (2) was shown a yellow card for a clumsy tackle on Nigel Mann and within minutes had brought Graham Cameron down from behind in the penalty area.  The referee awarded a penalty but chose not to issue a second yellow and allowed Mario (2) to remain on the pitch.

Cameron picked himself off the turf to take the spot kick himself.  Cameron’s kick had about as much venom as the Manchester United midfield in the Champions League final and the ball looped gently into the arms of Mario (6) in the Azzurri goal.

As always seems to be the case, the livewire Celtic supporter made amends for his earlier mistake and within minutes of the failed penalty attempt he had doubled the Saints’ lead.  Cameron collected the ball outside the Azzurri penalty area and moved from the right across goal making room for a left foot shot.  His effort flew into the top corner leaving Mario (6) with little chance.

Cameron’s second goal started a period of domination for the Saints where in quick succession, Robbie Dunn made a penetrating run behind the Azzurri defence, collected the ball, beat the goalkeeper but directed the ball onto the post and Robbie Zabica blasted a long range free-kick against the cross-bar.

It seemed that it was only a matter of time before the Saints extended their lead, but the Mario brothers had other ideas.  After an attack down the Saints’ left flank, the ball came to rest at the feet of the dome headed Mario (3) who took advantage of the flat-footedness of the Saints defence and placed the ball in the bottom left-hand corner of the Cat’s goal.

The final fifteen minutes of play saw both teams maintain their defensive shape with few chances created by either side.  The final whistle came soon after Ewald Ringer, playing in his third position of the day, had made a telling interception and cleared the ball from danger.

The result saw the Saints maintain their 100% league record.  The first loss of the
league campaign for Azzurri. It seems that the team will need to upgrade to Super Mario status to get anything from season 2009.

Coaches Best: Greer, Cameron, Mann.

 

And now for something completely different.......................................

Regular readers would know that we have been featuring selected teams from various women’s competitions in previous match reports. 

This week we feature the ARSEnal Social ladies team.  Unfortunately the team was the butt of many supporter’s jokes throughout the season and came bottom of their division.

 

June 6, 2009