Match Report By Ben Fitzpatrick

There were to be no upsets at Tompkins Park in Round 2 of the Soccer Pools Cup with the Saints predictably dispatching lower league Kelmscott Roos 6-1.

The Saints had 12 players to call on and opted for a 3-5-2 formation to commence the game in the search for early goals that would put the contest beyond doubt.

After 10 minutes new signing Craig Jordan dispatched a 25 yard dipping effort in off the post to open the scoring.

Despite taking the lead, the floodgates took a while to open with the home side finding it tough to break through the massed ranks of Kelmscott defenders who were happy to sit behind the ball.

Sideline coach Dom Hodnett had clearly saw enough and reverted back to a 4-4-2 formation in an attempt to find more space closer to goal.

On 27 minutes Jordan scored his second long range strike, this time curling it inside the post from 20 yards to give the Saints a healthy buffer.

The goal immediately opened the game out with the Roos resistance wilting with every minute.
A sublime team move led to the third goal when Marinovich and Ferreira combined on the edge of the box to play in Fitzpatrick who cut through the defence but was dumped in the act of shooting with the referee pointing to the spot.

The Saints stalwart dusted himself off to slot home the penalty and make it 3-0 going into half time.
Sean Morgan thought the game was a bit boring so decided to spice things up by gifting the Roos a goal only five minutes after the restart. After using his pace to recover from an initial error Smorgan attempted to pass back to keeper Alex Vaughan but under hit the pass, leaving the advancing striker with a simple task to dispatch the ball into the net.

The Roos were spurred into action but it remained comfortable for the Saints backline with the lower league side not having the resources to seriously test Vaughan in goals.

David Murray restored the three goal cushion when he advanced into the area and lifted a shot over the keeper which trickled just inside the far post with Marinovich lurking with intent to poach the goal.
The big man then had a chance himself when he ran onto a cross from the by-line but his shot didn’t quite have the power to beat the keeper.

Murray scored his second of the day to make it 5-1 before Smorgan, who had been moved to a forward role for the final 15 minutes missed an absolute sitter from four yards with an open goal, the ball slicing off his boot to howls of derision from the Saints supporters sipping beers under the cabana. The miss was later compared with a howler from travelling Saints striker Bren Hartnoll three seasons ago when he somehow spooned a shot over the bar from 0 yards, with all agreeing that Hartnoll’s howler still had the crown as worst Saints miss.

Frankie Ferreira wrapped up the scoring with a few minutes to go when his deflected effort from the right side wormed its way into the far corner.

A predicted result for the team and despite not playing to the highest level possible, the winning streak was extended to two matches, goals were scored and morale continues to rise with some winnable fixtures in the next few weeks.

 

May 20, 2009