“After ranglings and turmoil within the ranks on Friday after team selection the tornados battle to a 1-2 win”. Only the scoreline prevented a prediction from Adam ‘Nostradamus’ Fielding coming to fruition with the ‘turmoil’ and ‘battling’ elements of the comment certainly bang on the mark. A niggly 24 hours on Facebook that at first looked like it would unsettle the side but in the end,may have provided the drive that got them over the line in a spirited display at Bay City Park on Saturday afternoon.
At first it wasn’t evident where the goals would come from. With free scoring midfielder Jamie Jermain sidelined with an ankle injury and striker Dean Ward covering for Cam Russell between the posts, there was even more pressure on the forward line than usual. Matt Russell promised much pre-game with vows of driveresque finishes and Garth Manuel pushed forward from central midfield to play alongside him. It was a positive move from a team that were pre-game underdogs to beat an East Coast Bays side that had thrashed the impressive Africans 5-1 the previous week.
There were ominous signs for the Tornadoes early on. The teams traded blows but it was bays that created the first opportunities and could well have been ahead inside the first 15 minutes if it wasn’t for two excellent saves from Ward, the first a low diving block to his left and the second an excellent, instinctive save with his legs. Bays continued to apply the pressure but other than the opening chances Tornadoes defended superbly, and other than 2 corners that flashed across the 6 yard box, the Bays possession was easily broken down.
After 25 minutes the Tornadoes composed start to the game paid off. Bays, looking slightly more desperate as the half progressed pushed up looking for another opportunity but the ball broke to Sasha Fowler in the middle who sent a well weighted through-ball over to Matty Russell who, after snaking his way to the by-line looked like he’d left too much to do to score from a tight angle. However, Russell managed to squeeze a shot under the Bays keeper and into the net to spark a 50 yard celebration dash through the elated away side.
Things got better 9 minutes later when Russell picked the ball up on the left hand side and dinked a delightful cross into the six yard box for Garth Manuel to volley home into the empty net. It could have been 3-0 at the break when Russell was again sent through the middle, but what appeared to be an attempted chip over the keeper looked more likely to decapitate the Bay City Park worm population than sail over the head of the goalie.
Despite that, with the score 2-0 at half-time and Bays not generating too many opportunities, Tornadoes were confident they could go on to chalk up their first win of the season. The only negative of the half losing Sam Smith to a hamstring injury which doctors are confident shouldn’t see him out for too long.
But closing out games at the wrong end of the table is never easy and within 5 minutes of the re-start Bays were back in the game after their pacey right winger went careering down the sideline and pulled an excellent cross back for the Bays striker who side-footed home despite Ward getting a good hand on it. Midway through the second half and the scores were level. Tornadoes propensity to give away needless free kicks was punished as a floating ball allowed Bays to equalise with a powerful header.
The neutral would have put their chips on the home side at this point but there’s a new ignited fire in this Tornadoes side and they came back from the ropes to look threatening once again. A few through-balls almost saw Russell through on goal and only a last ditch tackle prevented Tornadoes re-taking the lead. With 10 minutes remaining the killer blow arrived. Michal Kadlec picked the ball up 5 yards outside the bays box and sent a curling shot sailing towards the top left hand corner of the net. The post, however, had other ideas and rudely stood firm, sending the ball back into the 6 yard box towards the vacant Manuel. The chance looked to have gone when the keeper closed him down but somehow Manuel squeezed the ball under his body and into the net to send the crowd, and the players into wild celebration. The goal rocketed Manuel to joint top of the scoring charts, and with Ward likely to remain in goal for the next 4 weeks, no-one would bet against him pulling away before McCarthy can return from his lengthy knee injury.
With 2 minutes left Bays desperately pushed for an equaliser and may have found it without bravery from both defence and keeper, Ward nearly joining Smith and Lee Woodward on the sideline, who looks to have suffered a nasty knee injury after hearing the dreaded pop. His injury sparked an excellent, sprightly performance from Paulus Choi, further adding to high class performances all across the park.
It was an outstanding effort from the entire side with stand-out showings from Ward, Manuel, Kadlec, and Royce Rollinson but after the goal and the assist Russell had already made a case for POTD which was enhanced with a fantastic work rate for the rest of the game. The high work rate was also the reason Russell found himself temporarily entangled in the bays net midway through the second half earning himself the Dick / Player of the Day double.
Tornadoes are now unbeaten in 3 and will take renewed confidence into the weekends game against new rivals Boca.
Player of the Day – Matt Russell
Dick of the Day – Matt Russell
