Craig Lairds weekly write up 30-8-15

[pecker]

MATCH OF THE DAY
SALISBURY INTER (3) INGLE FARM (1)
THE 2015 SAASL League Championship race remains alive after Salisbury Inter defeated top of the table Ingle Farm 3-1 at Underdown Park.
Ingle Farm and a good contingent of supporters travelled to Underdown Park knowing that a win would seal the clubs first Premier division championship while Inter were looking to get back to winning ways after losing in round 15 against Parafield Gardens.
Farm created the first chance of the match on eight minutes when a Jarred Noel shot from a tight angle whistled inches wide.
Inter grabbed the opener when Alban Martini took advantage of a defensive mix up to pick the ball up on the by line before cutting in and slotting the ball home.
On 28 minutes the league leaders were two goals down when Martini turned provider with a through ball finding Andrew Butler who cut on to his right foot before firing home.
The visitors grabbed a goal back on 39 minutes when Shalayiding Tursun played in a dangerous ball from the right hand side that was met by leading goal scorer Musti Ipekdal who made no mistake from close range.
Farm ended the half strongly with inter keeper Nick Sincock twice needing to be at his best to keep the ball out of his net as Inter went to the break leading 2-1.
As expected Ingle Farm started the 2nd half strongly and on 47 minutes Ipekdal picked up a loose ball but his shot was straight at Sincock.
Sincock pulled off the save of the match on 56 minutes when a Liam Mulvaney ball picked out Luke Air who took a touch before volleying only to see his goal bound effort tipped over.
On 64 minutes Tursun did superbly well turning two defenders before shooting just wide.
The game was sealed on 80 minutes when a Chris Fleming tackle dislodged the ball and Martini picked it up before showing his quality to skip past the keeper and slot the goal to the delight of the Inter support.
Inter coach Steve Cook “It was a really satisfying performance today. We showed a lot of desire and competed really well against good opposition.”
Farm coach Paul Simpson “We are disappointed to lose the game but it’s all about taking your chances and credit to Inter who took theirs.”

ELIZABETH VALE (0) PARAFIELD GARDENS (3)
PARAFIELD Garden’s slim championship hopes remain alive after a 3-0 win over Elizabeth Vale at Mofflin Road.
The two sides met seven days earlier in the Challenge Cup Quarter Finals where the Vale won 1-0 to back up their 1-0 win over Gardens at Bradman Oval in round 7.
Gardens opened the scoring on 15 minutes when Shane Pearce picked up the ball in the box before holding the ball up and laying it back to Louis Brain who struck his left footed shot into the top corner.
The visitors went to the break with a two goal advantage thanks to Mateusz Marczuk who showed his strength to cut inside and muscle his way past two defenders before firing home.
The result was sealed on 75 minutes when Pearce beat the offside trap before settling and picking his spot.
The win coupled with top of the table Ingle Farm’s loss see’s the gap whittled to four points with two rounds remaining.
Gardens Coach Duane Gray “We are still in the hunt. All we can do is keep winning and hope others can gain results against Farm.”

PARA HILLS WEST (0) ELIZABETH DOWNS (2)
RELEGATION threatened Para Hills West conceded two goals in the last five minutes to suffer a heartbreaking 2-0 loss to Elizabeth Downs at Manor Farm Ground.
Westies started the day in 8th position desperate for a result while the Downs are playing for pride and a top half finish.
The game never reached any great heights as Westies played as you would expect a side fighting for survival to play.
The Downs created the bulk of the opportunities but were continually denied by the inspired keeping of Dave Brook.
Westies best chance came on 82 minutes when Kurtis Cracknell-Uedin was through on goal only to be denied by a fine save by Ben Aldridge.
On 85 minutes the Maroons struck when a Jason Trimboli corner found substitute Callum Whysall who flicked the ball home to sink the Para hearts.
The win was sealed one minute from time when another substitute Blake Hillas was played through one on one with the keeper before finishing coolly.
The loss drops Westies into the relegation zone with two games to go while the Downs sit 5th with five wins from their last six.
Downs coach Alan Mottram “I thought Brooksey was great for them but I thought we created enough chances to deserve the win.”
Westies coach Chris Groom “They dominated the game but we could have snatched it late. I was happy with the effort from the boys but we just lacked that bit of composure at times.”

ELIZABETH GROVE (2) FULHAM (1)
ELIZABETH Grove secured their 3rd successive win in the league with a 2-1 win over Fulham at Dauntsey Road.
Both teams have had successful seasons in their return to the top flight and both came into the game on the back of two wins in their last two league games.
The Peckers opened the scoring on 31 minutes when a long throw into the box looked likely to be taken by the Fulham keeper before Ben Debono nicked in to slot the opener.
Fulham opened the 2nd half strongly and struck a deserved equalizer through the always dangerous Lumi Adisa who fired home from an acute angle.
Both sides created good chances with the Grove’s Kahmen Greig, Debono and Jarred Foster all being denied by Fulham keeper Michael Georginas while Adisa fired over from close range for the visitors.
The winner came on 81 minutes when some good build up play saw a Greig strike parried by Georginas before Debono was on hand to tuck the goal away and seal the three points for the Peckers.
The win seals a top half finish for the Grove to the delight of coach Shane Golder “We are really happy with the win. It looked like it would end up a draw but to the lad’s credit they kept pushing.”
Fulham coach John Christopoulos “We were disappointed to give away two really soft goals. We created enough chances and probably did enough to win but credit to the Grove they took their chances.”

WEST BEACH (2) SOUTHERN KNIGHTS (1)
A stoppage time goal has sealed a dramatic 2-1 win for West Beach over Southern Knights in a relegation dog fight at Lockleys Oval.
Southern Knights (9th) travelled to face the bottom placed West Beach with both sides knowing a loss would be a dagger blow to their survival hopes.
It was Beach who struck first when a stray back pass on 20 minutes was picked up by Colin Obrien who steadied before sliding the ball home to the delight of the home fans.
Southern Knights drew level on 75 minutes when a corner played in to the box finished with Matt Daughtry who headed home.
As the game moved into stoppage times Daughtry nearly won it for Knights when his effort from 10 meters out struck the cross bar and in a dramatic finish to the game Beach’s Matt Quinn played in Ashley James who fired the ball home and in doing so moved West Beach out of the relegation zone.
The win see’s Beach move up to 8th spot on nine points while Para Hills West drop to 9th on eight points and Southern Knights have it all in front of them sitting in bottom spot on seven points.
Beach coach Colin Agalich “It was a pretty frantic end to the game. The beauty is that it is now in our hands and we aren’t relying on anyone. I want to pay tribute to the boys today, they really dug in and got the result we needed.”
Knights Chairman Nick Swann “It was a bit tough to take to be honest but we will regroup for the game against Inter next week.”