PORIRUA BURIED AGAIN BY THE MARAUDERS
FOLD, FONG AND FABIO DOUBLE ON TARGET FOR THE MARAUDERS
Date: Sunday 5th June
Venue: Fortress Moonshine
Kick-off: 1pm
Referee: Pedro
Crowd: 8
Team: Josh A; Nick O, Dave G, Dribble, Josh M; Adam, Kristin, Fold, Casey; Adam Jnr, Fabio. SUBS – Kristin, Bryce.
The Marauders ended a difficult week on a high note following an entertaining 4-2 victory at happy hunting Fortress Moonshine against their bitter rival Porirua Club.
Name
Apps
Goals
Assists
Ave. Rating
Nathan Wooding
3
3
1
8.00
Casey Anderson
1
0
0
8.00
Will Mathews
4
3
2
7.75
Josh Aldrich
4
1
0
7.75
Adam Frew
5
3
2
7.60
John Conlan
4
0
0
7.50
Frederik Maes
3
0
0
7.33
Adam Wilson
6
2
6
7.00
Stephen Thomas
2
4
2
7.00
Cameron Smith
5
1
4
6.80
Mark Anderson
5
6
2
6.80
Nick Officer
4
2
1
6.75
Josh Moore
4
0
2
6.75
David Gleadon
4
1
0
6.75
Nick Hansen
3
0
0
6.67
Ben Jagersma
3
2
0
6.33
David Anderson
3
1
0
6.33
TOTALS
6 Matches
6.90
2011 Stats Following an earlier defeat by rivals Tuskan Raiders , the Marauders needed to bounce back against one of the leagues big guns to reassert their title credentials, and did so in style with a dominant attacking performance in the Hutt.
Rivalry
There had been plenty of pre-match hype and statistics bandied around thanks to teamstats.net. Pre-match banter between skippers centred on Porirua thinking that they had turned up to an Under 18’s game. However, the home skipper Adam quite rightly pointed out that there were only 4 players under that age, it was just that none of the others had started shaving (read Josh A, Josh M, Dribble, Nick O, Dave G, Fold, Fabio)! It is also worth pointing out that the return of our very own ‘Gaul’ (Spartacus 2011), Casey, had returned sans razor for his much anticipated comeback.
Just before kick-off, the Captain called the youngest Marauders team to ever take the field to arms and warned against complacency on the ball against our fierce and blood hungry rivals.
Opening Exchanges
The Marauders could have been out of sight before half-time, with Adam Jnr and Fabio both denied by Porirua’s Johnsonville Warehouse Security Guard custodian inside the opening 5 minutes before Fold twice went close.
The breakthrough eventually arrived after 10 minutes when a Porirua attack was thwarted by the dependable Nick O before he unleashed a pin point long ball to the advancing Fold who coolly lobbed the advancing ‘guard’ at pace. A quite brilliant strike after many failed attempts at the stated ‘lob’ last week. Marauders 1 – Porirua 0.
Within 60 seconds it should have been 2-0, but Kristin fired just over.
But the Marauders could not keep the ‘Rua’ out. After some solid defending which was well marshalled by the adaptable Dribble and Alan Hansen (LFC legend!) like Josh Moore, the Rua struck. After a good break downfield the ball fell to their young prodigy who struck a drive from outside the box that dipped just over the diving Josh A’s outstretched glove. Marauders 1 – Porirua 1.
The Marauders lead was almost restored on 32 minutes when another good break this time started from Dave, saw Adam Frew receive the ball on the outside of the box youngsters first-time strike saw its cannon into the cross bar with the keeper well beaten.
At this point the Marauders brought on young Matthew to replace the hard running Casey and the hosts had their lead restored on 37 minutes when a pass from the youngster found Fold in space. His centre found Fabio who thumped home past the veteran goalkeeper. Marauders 2 – Porirua 1.
As the halftime whistle sounded it really was still a game for the taking. Both sides creating chances but the possession and territory stats still slightly favouring the Marauders. Dominant
As the second half got underway it was the Marauders who were first to settle with Fabio squandering the first opportunity. Dribble was the creator with a perfectly weighted long ball to leave Fabio with only the ‘Guard’ to beat but he drilled his shot across the face of goal.
The Marauders continued to dominate and the veteran keeper saved from Fold away to his right although he did not make full explosive Fold-like contact on his shot.
Porirua were now being pulled apart almost at will and Adam Jnr had a shot deflected for a corner after exchanging passes with Fabio. Adam then dragged a shot past the post as the away side hung on desperately.
The home side refused to be frustrated and were back in the goals with 35 minutes to go when the elastic limbed Fabio scored his second of the game as his majestic effort curled in at the far post following a great break out from the back by the ever dependable Josh Moore. This really was a magnificent goal and capped a wonderful game by the Dutch-Italian. Marauders 3 – Porirua 1.
Porirua tried to get a foothold in the game and the two Josh’s had to be alert to cut out several dangerous crosses and through balls from the overlapping Porirua forwards.
However it was no surprise when endless Marauders pressure resulted in their final goal of the game. Another break out from the back, this time started by Dribble found Adam Jnr in space on the left hand side. His cut back to Adam Snr on the edge of the box was turned square to young Matthew who struck a beauty to fire past the unsighted keeper. Marauders 4 – Porirua 1. Transformed
Porirua were transformed after their ineffective showing up to this point following the Marauders 4th. In the 76th minute they pulled one back due to some lacklustre defending after another long ball from the Marauders was thwarted. The Yarpie played the ball into the path of the striker who managed to flick the ball under the replacement keeper Dave G’s body. Marauders 4 – Porirua 2.
At this point it became a race against time for Fabio as he tried desperately to net his third of the game. Several chances were created mostly by his own razzle dazzle, unfortunately it was not to be. That first hat-trick for the Marauders will have to wait for another day.
The final act of the game fell to Dribble who despite a pin point cross from the Marauders skipper could not head home a deserved goal much to the anguish of his assist hungry captain.
Following the game there was many talking points, the goal that never counted (Fabio’s third), the double injury setback (Adam Jnr and Josh A.), Fabio’s rubber limbs allowing him to turn almost at will on what was unstable ground and the skippers favourite…. The update on Dave G’s sifting!
NEWSFLASH…
Marauders secure sponsorship from Quinn’s Post Tavern in the form of even cheaper jugs - $8.
Can it get any better than this!!
Man of the match: ‘Fabio’. Surely this gifted maestro must be double jointed.
Goal of the match: ‘Fabio’. A sublime finish as the tricky Italian uted a difficult skill (according to Wooding a shot-cross).
Save of the match: Josh’s stunning dive to his left to defy to the Porirua ‘Yarpie’.
Miss of the match: Wooding. A woeful header from the centreback as he was gifted the close range header on a silver platter at the death.
Moment of the match: Matt’s strike from outside the box prompting their goalkeeper to complain to Pedro that his view was obscured by a Marauders player. Sucked the heart out of Porirua.
Talking point: Marauders 2 injuries – will Adam Jnr. and Josh A. be back next week?
FINES:
· Adam – Delayed pre match ‘G-up’.
· Nick H – Failure to send a good luck text pre game and subsequent failure to enquire about the result post game.
· Mark – Still no fine jug from last week offered.
· All those regulars who failed to bring their own socks – do your own washing!!
