The Back Page
Round 10 and starting on the homeward stretch with teams playing each other for the second time. Today’s opponents were North Caulfield who have had an odd season either winning convincingly or losing – it is unusual for a team to go so long without a draw. We had a good 3:1 away win at North Caulfield on the opening day of the season, but early season form is deceptive and may count for little as the season wears on. An important game this with North Caulfield just above us on the table – a good win and we draw level, a defeat and they pull clear. Other imponderables for today’s game were whether the week’s rest and light training over the holidays would help or hinder the boys. The Knights were without the services of Karan and John, but had recruited Jeffrey Wang (ex Brumbies) from the under 10’s to bolster the side; North Caulfield had their own problems with personnel, but brought along a crop of promising players from their Joeys.
Ross had a plan to confuse the opposition by switching numbers of a few key players from game one – in the end he managed to also confuse a number of the parents who were struggling to identify their offspring and has totally ruined the match reports since Ben 29 doesn’t have the same ring as Ben 10.
So how did we go? On a wet pitch, where it wasn’t as much about worrying about the wind but working out the tides, the boys played extremely well and got the result that they richly deserved. The Knights started off positive from the start with the Bens (Irvine and 1029), Felix and Ari pushing forward in attack. Ben Irvine was unlucky to not to score on the first serious attack - Ben 1029 squared the ball past the keeper, and the ball skewed agonisingly over the bar. Disappointment for the moment, but a definite sign of things to come. A couple of minutes later and pressure from Ben 1029 causes a desperate North Caulfield defender to slice the ball into his own net – not a classic goal, but as we know, they all count.
Celebrations quickly over, the Knights were on the defensive as North Caulfield pushed forward through the mud. Adam, Adrian, and Zac held firm in midfield and Luke, James, and Michael held firm in the last line. For all their replacements and the heavy pitch, North Caulfield had lost little of their speed, and the defence and midfield had to be on their toes. More attacks from the Knights pushing North Caulfield back, and again the pressure told with a defender handling in the area – penalty. From a penalty spot that looked like a mud-filled puddle, James calmly stroked the ball into the left hand corner of the net out of reach of the diving keeper.
Two-nil up midway through the half and the boys started to relax and play with some fluency, Jeffrey and Aussie came on into midfield to keep the momentum going. To their credit, North Caulfield were not losing heart and came forward. Filip, who despite the seemingly one-sided result was busy, had another outstanding game between the sticks was determined to shut up shop at the back. Some good play from defence through the midfield towards the end of the half found James on the left edge of the box; his lofted shot was well clear of the keeper as it was driven into the top corner of the net.
Half time and three to the good, with the defence holding firm and the ball being moved slickly up the pitch the oranges would have tasted good at halftime (either that or they were from one of those fancy organic shops). Second half and the Knights playing toward the dry end of the ground. Referee counts the players, possibly to check that no one had got lost in the swamp on the near touchline, blows his whistle and we are off again.
The boys were growing in confidence in the second half and there were some nice passages of play. The tackling was determined and possession was guarded jealously. North Caulfield pressed forward in numbers and threatened on a number of occasions; however, the disruptions to their team were evident in defence where that essential but enigmatic feature of football teams, shape, was starting to be lost. Ari relishing his more attacking role was finding more space and was next on the score sheet. North Caulfield pushing too many men forward were caught on the break, a ball in from the right channel and Ari slots home.
Sensing the game slipping away, North Caulfield continued to press – Filip thwarted a break, charging down the attacker at the edge of the box and the defence scrambled the ball clear. The Knights were clearly hungry for more, and Adrian lofted a ball over the keeper from a few yards out following another forward thrust. A few minutes later and Ari bagged a second goal after another break through the flagging North Caulfield defence trying to get back after another push forward. Six-nil and the boys are certainly having a day out, with one of their best performances of the season so far. In the shadows of full time North Caulfield get reward for their effort. A series of attacks result in a couple of corners and a goalmouth scramble sees the ball in the Knights’ net.
Final whistle and a resounding 6:1 victory; a good start to the second half of the season with a double over North Caulfield. Not so much drifting off today, but a quick exodus to get out of the cold and wet to the hot chocolates and sausage rolls, carrying a few kilos of best Larpent mud for good measure.
If you think that our pitch was heavy, I found this on Youtube
Until next week, Rest Up, Train Hard, and Go Knights!
| 
