Craig Lairds weekly write up 10-4-16

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Match of The Day

Brahma Lodge 3 Ingle Farm 1

THE promoted Brahma Lodge have announced themselves as the team to beat in 2016 after a 3-1 win over reigning league champions Ingle Farm in a hard fought season opener in front of a big crowd at Cockburn Green.
Strangely the league champion Farm were billed as the underdog against the talent laden promoted Brahma and on eight minutes they were lucky to survive a Lodge counter attack which saw new recruit Chad Bugeja hit the side netting.
On 14 minutes the Lodgers took the lead when Farm failed to clear their box and when the ball fell favourably to Michael Mullen he hammered it home from close range.
Going a goal behind seemed to fire up Paul Simpson’s side and they should have been level on 18 minutes when Ross Fedele picked the ball up on the left before his cross found striker Shane Pearce who’s shot from six yards out was brilliantly kept out by Lodge keeper Jimmy McKee.
Brahma striker Robbie McDonald started to come into the game and on 35 minutes Farm keeper Tony Shaw needed to be at his best to deny a McDonald shot from a tight angle as the home team had to settle for a one goal lead at the break.
Farm started the 2nd half with purpose and when Michael Clarke split the Brahma defence with an inch perfect ball, Pearce rounded the keeper only to be denied by a last ditch tackle from Bernar Tarabar
The home side almost doubled their lead on 78 minutes when a goal mouth scramble saw Farm desperately block a hatful of goal bound shots but on 81 minutes a foul on Robbie McDonald saw a penalty awarded which McDonald coolly converted.
The champions refused to give in and on 84 minutes they grabbed a life line when Liam Mulvaney scored from close range but the hopes of salvaging a point were snuffed out within a minute when Jake Criscnvi whipped in a cross that Phid Coumi headed home to seal a 3-1 victory.
Lodge coach Ryan Mogg “That was the toughest game we’ve had in two years. The boys are still gelling so to get three points in the opening game is really pleasing in what is a really tough league.”

IN other games Elizabeth Downs got off to the perfect start with a thumping 7-0 win over West Beach at Lockleys Oval.
The Maroons held a three goal lead at the break on the back of goals from Matthew Wise, Scott Lindsay and debutant Matt Watson and when Michael Cartwright scored early in the 2nd half the game was all but over.
New recruits Dillon Pickert and Shaun Clarke opened their accounts while Scott Lindsay fired home his 2nd with a classy free kick to please coach Alan Mottram “It was a good displayand a good way to start the season we now look to next week’s challenge against Brahma.”
A dominant 2nd half display from Elizabeth Vale has seen them run out 3-0 winners over Elizabeth Grove in their local derby at Moflin Road
The visiting Grove had the better of the first half but after the break Aaron Westerveldts team lifted and on 55 minutes a Michael Francis corner found Jarred Ebert who rose high to header the ball home.
The lead was doubled on 73 minutes when the experienced Chris Nicholls took control of the ball in the box before lobbing the Grove keeper and a goal five minutes from time sealed the points for the home team.
Aaron Westerveldt “I thought our fitness shone out today, we really ran the game out well.”
A Jason Trimboli double has secured a 2-0 win for the newly promoted Salisbury Florina against Parafield Gardens at Underdown Park.
When Florinas Trevor Hall was fouled on 20 minutes Trimboli converted from the penalty spot and on 35 minutes Trimboli netted in signature style when he cut in from the left before firing the ball home with his right foot.
Gardens lifted in the 2nd half but Florina stood firm to collect a valuable three points to the delight of coach Jeff McCormack “They came at us hard but we withstood the pressure which is really good for team morale.”
Neville Flounders Tea Tree Gully have scored three goals in the final 20 minutes to draw 3-3 with Salisbury Inter at Tilley Park.
Inter opened the scoring on 40 minutes when a cross from Alban Martini found Marcus Marchioro who slotted the goal.
After the break a Dan Roadley ball over the top found Russell Deeley who took a touch before sliding the ball home.
The points seemed secure for Inter on the hour when Chris Fleming found Roadley who hammered the ball home from 18 yards to the delight of the Inter travelling support.
The Gully comeback was on when Rhys Devlin and Scott Williams scored from close range and with 85 minutes gone Liam Crook was on hand to head the ball home and earn a point for the newly promoted Gully.
Flounders had mixed emotions “I was disappointed in the manner we gave up the goals but our team never gives in and that was on show again today.”