Final score of 1-1 doesn't tell the full story. The first 45 minutes were an embarrassment to NZ and Aussie football, as was a 5 minute spell in the second half. I wondered what the group of half a dozen Middlesbrough fans in Bloc 5 thought of it.
I cannot recall who the ref was and his name wasn't in the programme but he lost control early on. He also had no positional sense and had to be physically thrown out of the way by Kingz players on at least two ocassions - the second when Chris Jackson was moving in on goal. He just pushed the ref away and ran onto the ball but missed with the effort.
Wolves gave raf De Gregorio quite a bit of attention. Rather than use the word "tackle" I would use the phrase "kick the shit out of"..... De Gregorio is the most effective midfield weapon the Kingz have at present and obviously the word is out that he should be nobbled. His legs must be black and blue after this match.
Dean Heffernan gave Wolves the lead following classic Kingz capers at the back around the 51 minute mark. He struck it well enough but once again its poor defending that led to the goal.
Then we saw the first miracle of 2003. Andy Vlahos scored a goal!! This season Vlahos has shot from distance, angles, straight ahead, one on one, missed a penalty and so it was ironic that he shoud finally break his barren spell by scoring from 1 inch.
Thats right, he drove the ball home right on the line and then picked the ball up and drilled in back into the net as if to say "thank christ for that!".
Then with about 5 mins to go Wolves thought that they had scored but the assistant had his flag up for offside (check the video Chris when you get it - it looked an OK goal to me).
The Wolves players had run off and were celebrating then Dino Menillo turned and saw that the goal was disallowed and he then called the referee a "fucking cheating c**t, which was audible on the TV and was also seen by everyone watching the match live at home. Red card to Dino (aka known as Judas to some:-) and the catalyst for mayhem.
Menillo wanders off towards us getting the roasting from hell. He's swearing his tits off as he wanders off the pitch telling the assistant to fuck off. Meanwhile Ron Corry and the Wolves coaching staff are livid. Ron's standing there abusing the officials, the f word is flying all over the place - all caught for posterity on the TV and young ref is quickly in dishing out red cards. Havent seen the full replay yet but the assistant coach may also have been dismissed.
Ron and co are escorted around the ground and he hops behind the barrier and watches the rest of the final few minutes there.
Low and behold, the action hasn't finished yet. Almendra has his shirt pulled and he lightly brushes off the offending Wolves defender. The Wolves defender then collapses to the ground as if he was struck a blow in the chest. World Cup assistant ref Paul Smith waves his flag. The Wolves player lies prone and the ref dishes Almendra a red. The crowd look at the video replay and they are angry.
The boy has cried wolf! He's pulled off a hollywood and cheated big time. Cheated the match officials and cheated the home crowd. The booing in the final couple of minutes is incessant.
I've got to watch the vid of the whole game tommorrow morning to remember it in some perspective but I can tell you, Wolves haven't made many friends here.