Super League - Beecroft v Hills Hawks - 9 July 2011

BEECROFT WOMBATS 4 HILLS HAWKS 2

Galston Park, Galston

Saturday July 9, 2011

Beecroft Wombats continued their push towards promotion with a determined and inspiring 4-2 victory over Hills Hawks over the weekend. Two goals from Stu Smith and one each from Anthony Ejiofor and Brad Hartley gave the league leaders an important away win which was even more incredible with the side play more than half the game with 10 men.

With Hawks sitting fourth and proving to be a thorn in the side’s of the top teams, Beecroft knew this was not going to be an easy encounter. The game started very cautiously for both sides with neither giving an inch and contesting every available ball. However, a defensive error from the Hawks put Smith clean through on goal and with the keeper charging towards him, Smith cooly and calmly swept past him and tucked the ball away for a 1-0 lead after 10 minutes.

Feeling and looking confident, the Wombats continued their pressure on the Hawks defence with Smith and Ethijor battling for every loose ball and turning their defence on their heels constantly. But, against the run of play, the Hawks equalised. A long throw in was not dealt with by the Wombat’s defence and the Hawks volleyed home the free ball to make it a surprising 1-1 after 15 minutes.

This, nevertheless, did not perturb Beecroft who went in search of the lead again. The midfield of Alex Kay, Tom Fezelini and David Gorman were running like a well-oiled machine – particularly Gorman who each week has been the backbone of a hard-working and creation-making midfield. Through their persistence, the Wombats restored their lead after 25 minutes when Ethijor again latched onto a defensive error and put Smith through and with the keeper to beat, Smith made no mistake.

Again the Wombats had the lead, but there were still more twists in this game. 10 minutes before halftime, the Hawks managed to pierce the Wombats’ defence and in a last ditched effort, centre-back Duncan Ross brought down the Hawks’ forward and immediately and understandably saw red. The Hawks converted from the spot and it was locked up at 2-2.

Within in a minute, the Wombats grabbed the lead back for a third time. With the Hawks still celebrating their equaliser, Gorman split the Hawks’ backline with an inch perfect through ball, Ethijor rounded the keeper to make this bizarre and entertaining game 3-2.

After halftime, the Hawks pushed forward to obtain their third equaliser. Constant possession, consistent long balls into the box and endless shots were not a match for a back three who managed to quell every raid. Daniel Tosolini lead by example in the back three and was well supported by Sam Raymond and Liam Whelan who stood firm and kept a clean second half sheet. Most impressive was keep James Wilkinson who not only pulled out an outstanding one on one save in the first half, but managed to complement that with an extraordinary  finger tip save from a Hawks’ header early in the second half.

After working so hard throughout the second half with only 10 men, the Wombats were rewarded with a fourth two minutes before the end of the match. An inviting corner was sent in by Kay and captain Hartley rose above three Hawks defenders to power home a peach of a header.

The win leaves Beecroft still on top of the ladder on 32 points – equal with rivals Normanhurst who have a slightly better for and against record, but with six games remaining, this battle for promotion is going to go down to the wire.