The first home game for Spirit in their second year in the league held high hopes for three points, a large crowd, and some attractive play. Only one of these was realised and that only just. For Breakers to come down for the neighbours derby game and take back at least one point and drawing power for a even bigger gate for them next Friday at home. Objective accomplished, and some.
It was evident early on that Spirit's plan was to get wide with Slater and Langdon and get Seal on the end of it - worked against the Sydney United, should have v. Sth Melbourne! Lee Sterrey however was out to outfox Spirit Coach Arnold and after the first 5 mins both players were being picked up well by a duo of players - speedster Dodd and skilfull Trpcevski on Langdon and Sprod and man-marker Roberts (who also had a watching brief on Zane).
With two small groups of about 15* and 30 vocal fans trying to upstage 1000 Bob Standers and 200 McCarthy Standers in urging their team on the Breakers slowly absorbed the pressure and in counterattacking moves through Harper in the middle, Buonovaglia on the left and Owens on the right broke Spirit's rythmn. This led to a goal in the 15th min from an Andy Harper through ball which unmarked Greg Owens reached, side-stepped Hendo and tapped it in. 0-1
From that point their Spirit need to come at Newcastle and that they did but through lack of variation and organised if 'un-cultured' defending by the Breakers their just did not seem that that goal would be achieved. Certainly the acrobatics of big Bobby Catlin to deny Zane at point blank range didn't help.
Just when Spirit were growing weary of battering away and 94 mins were up Breakers sub Luke Tomich for once was unselfish and put a perfectly weighted cross to fellow sub Peter 'Junky' Juchniewicz dropping just in front of young Sobczyk for Junky to head down and over an advancing Henerson. 0-2 game set and match.
Referee Matthew Breeze gave what I thought was the best display of referring at an NSL game I've seen for at least 2 years.
Best for Breakers: Catlin, Roberts, Buonovaglia (or any of the other 11 players) Best for Spirit took up some discussion time in the club after but proved insolvable.