1st XI Soccer – SPC d Damascus

St Patrick’s 11 defeated Damascus College 0

GOALS: Alex Worthington 4, Lachlan Wright 2, Tiernan Sommers, Marcus Parini, Josh de Voogel, Mark Ritchie, Ryan Schorback

BEST: Alex Worthington, Talan Flockhart, Darby Gaffney, James King, Josh DeVoogel, Ryan Schorback,

Jack Gaffney, Mark Ritchie

We didn’t begin well and weren’t switched on for the first 5 minutes. Damascus were turning our attacks and looking dangerous in the centre. However, we scored off our first corner as Talan Flockhart gained a ball at the back and he maintained the ball deep on the line before centering to Alex Worthington who had time to get control before hitting it firmly beyond the keeper’s lunge to the left. Talan again showed too much pace for their defense and centered the ball back to Alex who raced straight at the keeper hit it again cleanly to the left of the keeper for his second. Smart play for our third and again to Alex when Josh de Voogel took on the defense down the left wing and found Jack Gaffney centrally. He sized up options and squeezed the ball in front of the charging Alex who smashed it into the back of the net for his third straight. Josh de Voogel went close with two shots himself before Mark Ritchie gained space down the left wing and centered to Tiernan Sommers whose quick fire pass let Lachlan Wright in for a soft finish from close in. James King was continuing to look dangerous despite playing off the back left and he found Lachlan who neatly backfooted for a close in option which couldn’t be picked up by the forwards. Talan had been too quick down the right wing and this time he crossed over to Mark Ritchie who was able to finish off on the other side of the pitch for his first goal for the team. To repay his team, Mark burst out from the centre and gave the ball to Tiernan in the centre and his lay off gave Lachlan some space to finish off for his second. With six goals in the first half, one might believe that the game was totally one sided but our defense did plenty of work. Dennis Wanjiku was the usual steady defender laying back to Ryan Schorback if in danger for generally clear kickouts, James King had been ever strong on his side and was getting forward and Jude Jeandet controlled the centre back position. Together they started much of the play and Talan Flockhart had been the go to starter for many of the forays to goals.- –

The second half saw Damascus keep trying and they went close to scoring twice in the early part. However, clean play through the centre by Mark Ritchie got us scoring with his strong pass to the wide Marcus Parini against the far line. It looked like he had no room to maneuver but somehow he sidestepped their defender against the line and continued into the 18 yards. He widened the angle slightly looking like he was going to give off but shot cleanly inside the keeper for a great result. Jack Gaffney was the target forward and he put it back to the waiting Alex Worthington and he sized up the options before opening up the shot and driving powerfully for his fourth goal, this time from 25 metres. Josh de Voogel who had gone close before – rounded their defense on the right and his long run took him into the box before he speared his shot through the angle for a top goal. Marcus Parini was free rolling in the centre and he passed long to Tiernan Sommers on the left. Tiernan looked to have run out of the room on the near post but he defied the observers and sliced the small opening against the post for his goal. We got caught out by the strong run of their striker and he was fouled inside the 18 yards. Ryan Schorback read his shot and his desperate lunge far to the left saved the penalty. It wasn’t long after that he was in the play at the other end as Jack Gaffney drew a penalty from an awkward tackle. Ryan was summoned up to the spot and duly drilled the shot for perhaps his only goal for the season -“ but who knows? Jack Gaffney was fouled a second time and just missed with a header over the top of the bar from the set shot.-

We continue to play through the examination period and next week we take on High School at home before the -Big One- the week after against St Pat’s Green. They have proved themselves a formidable opponent in the last two weeks with a close 2 nil loss to Grammar and a 2 all draw against College Black.