JRedknapp11
11 Aug 2002, 08:29 PM
PLAYFORD 2 ADELAIDE CITY 2
The record will show that Playford City was held to a 2-2 draw by Adelaide City at Ramsay Park on Saturday. The reality was that the Patriots dominated play for most of the game, Adelaide scoring against the run of play in the 46th minute of the first half, and the 44th minute of the second.
In the event, however, Playford deserved its place in the finals and can take a number of positives out of the match, despite losing Sam Farncombe to a knee injury after 10 minutes. In the finals, however, it will need to lift its conversion rate.
The teams kicked off in warm conditions through Steven Kidd, a roving Lee Robertson, and Mario Staltari, before Neil Childs took advantage of the strong northerly to score from a corner after 4 minutes (1-0). Six minutes later a high ball from James Monie saw Kidd win an aerial challenge with David Scarsella to make it 2-0. A knee injury to Sam Farncombe delayed play for around 4 minutes, before Playford poured on the pressure once more.
Adelaide City's John Bahagiar, Nick Budin, Peter Mercurio and Paul Bearzotti struggled to stem the tide. After 17 minutes a Damien Di Mella volley went just wide, five minutes later, a scorching drive from Childs was deflected by Scarsella onto the crossbar and over. With the Adelaide defence in disarray, chances fell to Robertson and Con Georgiou, the latter after Childs broke through and gave a seemingly perfect pass, the shot somehow going wide. As half-time approached, it became obvious that Playford's score on the board did not reflect its dominance of the contest. It was seemingly inevitable that Adelaide's only on-target shot on goal of the half should be from a free kick just outside the area which was well struck by Mimi Saric and deflected of the wall past David Miller. The 2-1 score line at the interval was far from an accurate reflection of the play.
The second half gave Adelaide City use of the breeze, but it was Playford who were in attack early, with Georgiou shooting wide. Alessio Scarsella, Adam Carter, and Bearzotti were looking to put some pressure on Playford, being somewhat successful for the middle 15 minutes of the second half but failing at critical moments. Andy Thomson came to the fore in an attacking role as, accompanied by the ever-active Damien Di Mella, he made a series of attacking runs down the left wing. Neil Childs ran himself into the ground and was replaced by an in-touch Mark Brazzale, while Pearce put in an effort after he replaced Monie.
Chances fell to the Patriots in the last minutes before a loose ball in the six yard box was scrambled over the line by Saric to level the scores after 89 minutes.
In the event a draw was enough to carry Playford into the finals, a failure to win on the part of Olympic being fatal to their chances. On the basis of control of play, Playford should have been easy winners. The conversion rate will need to improve when Playford takes on Raiders at Hindmarsh in two weeks time (12.00 Noon, August 24, 2002).
The U23 team guaranteed that it would finish in second spot (at worst) with a fighting 2-1 win over one of their top five rivals. Both goals were scored by Tom Radford.. The U19 team, having won the league on Tuesday, drew 1-1, with one of their potential opponents, the goal being scored by Keegan Armstrong
The record will show that Playford City was held to a 2-2 draw by Adelaide City at Ramsay Park on Saturday. The reality was that the Patriots dominated play for most of the game, Adelaide scoring against the run of play in the 46th minute of the first half, and the 44th minute of the second.
In the event, however, Playford deserved its place in the finals and can take a number of positives out of the match, despite losing Sam Farncombe to a knee injury after 10 minutes. In the finals, however, it will need to lift its conversion rate.
The teams kicked off in warm conditions through Steven Kidd, a roving Lee Robertson, and Mario Staltari, before Neil Childs took advantage of the strong northerly to score from a corner after 4 minutes (1-0). Six minutes later a high ball from James Monie saw Kidd win an aerial challenge with David Scarsella to make it 2-0. A knee injury to Sam Farncombe delayed play for around 4 minutes, before Playford poured on the pressure once more.
Adelaide City's John Bahagiar, Nick Budin, Peter Mercurio and Paul Bearzotti struggled to stem the tide. After 17 minutes a Damien Di Mella volley went just wide, five minutes later, a scorching drive from Childs was deflected by Scarsella onto the crossbar and over. With the Adelaide defence in disarray, chances fell to Robertson and Con Georgiou, the latter after Childs broke through and gave a seemingly perfect pass, the shot somehow going wide. As half-time approached, it became obvious that Playford's score on the board did not reflect its dominance of the contest. It was seemingly inevitable that Adelaide's only on-target shot on goal of the half should be from a free kick just outside the area which was well struck by Mimi Saric and deflected of the wall past David Miller. The 2-1 score line at the interval was far from an accurate reflection of the play.
The second half gave Adelaide City use of the breeze, but it was Playford who were in attack early, with Georgiou shooting wide. Alessio Scarsella, Adam Carter, and Bearzotti were looking to put some pressure on Playford, being somewhat successful for the middle 15 minutes of the second half but failing at critical moments. Andy Thomson came to the fore in an attacking role as, accompanied by the ever-active Damien Di Mella, he made a series of attacking runs down the left wing. Neil Childs ran himself into the ground and was replaced by an in-touch Mark Brazzale, while Pearce put in an effort after he replaced Monie.
Chances fell to the Patriots in the last minutes before a loose ball in the six yard box was scrambled over the line by Saric to level the scores after 89 minutes.
In the event a draw was enough to carry Playford into the finals, a failure to win on the part of Olympic being fatal to their chances. On the basis of control of play, Playford should have been easy winners. The conversion rate will need to improve when Playford takes on Raiders at Hindmarsh in two weeks time (12.00 Noon, August 24, 2002).
The U23 team guaranteed that it would finish in second spot (at worst) with a fighting 2-1 win over one of their top five rivals. Both goals were scored by Tom Radford.. The U19 team, having won the league on Tuesday, drew 1-1, with one of their potential opponents, the goal being scored by Keegan Armstrong