Match Report By Ben Fitzpatrick

Perth Saints Premier have been dumped out of the Soccer Pools Cup with a 2-4 loss at the hands of lower league Northern Roos in what is an embarrassing result for the club.

It was a tale of two halves as the Saints battered the Roos in the first 45 and should have put the result beyond doubt but for some profligate finishing by the boys in blue. While they might look the ducks nuts in the new Adidas sensual blue strips, the quality of football on display is not matching it.

The Saints were absolutely struggling for numbers with the departures of the Irish double act back to the motherland for more Guinness, whilst Ian Ameobi was on a mine site for work, Texas Ranger in Sydney preparing his float for the Mardi Gras and Frankie Ferreira had a knee injury after getting down on it to propose to April Unwin in Fiji, only for a sand crab to slice it open, April then calling upon her Arjo-Huntleigh Health Care to fix the problem.

In was drafted Robbie Dunn and Andy Gingerbread Man Thorburn to the team to give the Saints 11 players, the pair only able to play as they weren’t cup tied for the Masters.

Saints started well and Troy Cappuccino flighted in a delightful ball to the back post that drifted over the keeper to the onrushing Smorgan who only had to head the ball in from two yards right on the post. But the “Curse of Bren Hartnoll” struck again when Morgurn slewed the ball wide to disbelief amongst team mates, although in the Bowls Club after the match he was adamant that it was a tough chance. About as tough as it is to feature in a sex tape with Paris Hilton. Not very.

Shawn missed another chance 5 minutes later when played through by Duracell but his curling effort from 18 yards with the keeper advancing rolled harmlessly wide.

Fitzberger showed him how it’s done when he smashed a pull back from Troy Flat White curling towards the top corner only for the keeper to pull off a stunning save. The ball flew high in the air, the defender and keeper letting it bounce and Fitzberger stopped crying in disbelief at the save for just long enough to leap over the flat footed defender and head the ball home over the keeper to give the boys the lead.

But the lethal finishing deserted the Berger later when an enticing corner from Scotty Feltcher found the unmarked utility at the back post but his powerful header hit the side netting when he really should have bulged the back of the net, and the pants of the men in the crowd.

The earlier misses from Smorganator and Fritzl came back to haunt the blues when a big unit that looked like a tree lopper headed home from a corner despite the ball cannoning off the humungous thigh of Hale Forbes and into the side netting.

On the stroke of half time big Dunza played through Carrot but his touch deserted him when he need to control and smash past the keeper with the defence stretched.

The Roos lifted in the second half and took the lead when a corner bounced in the six yard box the ball deflected off a few shins and was stabbed home.

The setback lasted only 2 minutes when the Blues won a free kick and in a move off the training pitch, Red curled a near post ball onto the big bonce of Dunza who flicked it over the keeper and home.

With the game evenly poised a long ball to the edge of the Saints area looked to be easily dealt with by Pim Marinovich but his misjudged header looped off the back of his head and as the ball bounced the Hulk sprinted off his line and smashed into the attacker in what looked like a truck hitting a Hyundai Getz and the ref pointed to the spot.

The ball was despatched and the Saints would have to find another equaliser. In the following 15 minutes the Roos keeper earnt his MOM award with some fine saves, one in particular from Feltpen whose 20 yard curler looked in before a full stretch tip over the bar. The big keeper also made a similar save from Orange Peel and collected some dangerous crosses to thwart the blues.

Dunzo had a fresh air shot when it looked like he would break the net and had another blocked with a desperate lunge while some poor defending from crosses saw the ball break but not end up in the back of the net.

In stoppage time it was 4-2 when a breakaway from a Saints corner found a player who strolled forward and slotted home.

 

June 29, 2009