Match Report By Neil Martin

League leaders Perth Saints made the longest trip in Masters Football to Mundaring to tackle the unpredictable Perth Hills United. The Saints had put in a stunning performance against The Jacks to record a 6-0 win last weekend and would be looking for more of the same at the higher altitude.

Brett Lambert and Jim Kasdorf were out for the Saints whilst Robbie Zabica came back into the starting line up after returning from International duty where he collected a runner up medal as part of the Australian Masters side who narrowly lost 1-0 to Thailand in the final of the Seniors World Cup at Phitsanulokin in Thailand .

The kick off was delayed as the home side waited for their shirts and then had a few problems finding a referee whilst the uneven playing surface was sure to prove a test for both sides as the ball bobbled all over the place.

The Saints got straight down to business from the opening whistle and the injury plagued Perth Hills must have wondered what had hit them. Adrian Scagnetti opened the scoring for the Saints after blasting the ball past the keeper from just inside the box with only six minutes on the clock and the lead was extended to two just five minutes later when Andy Thorburn thumped the ball into the far corner of the net.

Thorburn was again on the spot at the 29 minute mark to extend that Saints lead with an unforgettable goal that I cannot remember. The visitors had taken a stranglehold on the match courtesy of a dominant midfield, a watertight defence along with some quality finishing. More agony was bestowed upon the Hills outfit nine minutes later when the Saints leading marksman Graham Cameron produced a typical Cameron goal to give the Saints a dominant 4-0 lead at the break.

The second half brought no respite for the Hills as the Saints started in the same fashion as they had finished the first half. Despite the uneven playing surface the Saints produced some lovely moves and it was Alex Robertson who got his name on the score sheet in the 54th minute with a deft header to stretch the Saints lead to five goals.

Robbie Zabica moved from left midfield to take over the keeping duties from Ross Greer and Zabica was called into action soon after diving to his left at full stretch to deny the Hills a goal. Greer dominated in the air through the midfield and continually drove balls to the feet of the Saints strikers.

Cameron picked up his second goal of the match and the Saints sixth at the 61 minute mark and the Saints were awarded a penalty just four minutes later when Cameron was brought down in the box. The Hills keeper did well to get down wide and low to his right to save the resultant spot kick and deny Thorburn a hat trick.

There was no stopping the skilful Saints as they created chance after chance in a pilgrimage on the Hills goal. A free kick awarded to the Saints 22 yards out on the left of the box was hammered home in some fashion by Scagnetti to bring up the Saints seventh of the afternoon with still 16 minutes to go. The Saints were keeping the scoreboard attendant busier than a one-armed wallpaper hanger with a case of the hives.

With the twelve strong Saints following chanting “we want eight, we want eight” that Saints crowd pleaser Ewald Ringer collected the ball on the edge of the box at the 84 minute mark before unleashing a wicked drive into the back of the net.

Another good performance by the hard working Saints who will now have a week off before they come up against Balga at home on Sunday 18 May.

It was reported after the match, over a cold beer, that Julie Andrews was spotted running through the nearby forest during the match singing “The hills are alive with the sounds of Saints music”.

The win by the Saints extended their lead at the top of the table to three points. In other round 4 matches Chindits hit form to record a 4-1 win away at Gosnells after trailing 1-0, Ashfield again got their noses in front in a high scoring encounter defeating Melville City 6-5 in an entertaining match, The Jacks threw away a late goal to draw 1-1 with Perth Azzuri, Sorrento Bobs collected another three points with a 2-0 away win at Balga whilst Leeming collected their second 3-3 draw in as many weeks to share the points with Wanneroo City.

Coaches Best: Thorburn, Collins & Greer.

Champagne moment: Adrian Scagnetti’s free kick

April 6, 2008