In a continuation of last week's shower of goals being seen by too few (indeed, the fewest) spectators, tonight's fare at Belmore was a travesty only because it wasn't plastered across the psyche of any person that might ever be convinced to switch to the real football.
Only 4,634 saw UTS Olympic torch title aspirants Brisbane by 5 goals to 3 tonight in an extremely exciting and entertaining game - even for the partial observer with me! :) Even though my last information (albeit not the final score) had it that Sydney United were down 1-2 to Perth at some stage in the second half, tonight's result surely will nigh on guarantee the Pumas their first Minor Premiership if not necessarily, A-League title.
Brisbane scored first through Knipe in the 10th on the counter. His celebratory dance(?) afterward will be the subject of many posts this week I'm sure; suffice to say, when (not if!) you see it think of The Prodigy!
UTS replied in the 22nd through Ciantar's moderate headed effort; in reality, Bolton will have to shoulder blame for coming for a ball that he had no need to commit to, and even then, having decided to attempt to punch it clear, should have had shown greater conviction. Ciantar's header from 6 yards barely bounced over the line before hitting the back of the net - Bolton would have saved it for sure had he stayed at home.
Meredith finally got the game-time he was long looking for at Belmore, it's just that he had to be in the colours of another team to do it. To deepen the irony, it was his partner in crime, Peter Tsekenis, who himself was also seen only fit enough to warm the bench during the last weeks of the Ratcliffe era, that was given the job of spoiling the former's every move. And he did that quite effectively. But moreover, there was a real friction between the two as each tried to outdo the other as if a point was there to be proved...And didn't the crowd give it to Meredith too. Everyting he touched turned to "boooh"....
Tonight's game was a revelation if for no other reason that there surfaced an alternative chant to the perrenial "O-LYM-PIC, ....". A slight inflection only it's granted, but we all heard the (dare I call it, more Anglocised version of same) "C'mon Olympic....[5 claps]....etc" and it was sustained for more than the typical 4 chants....
Olympic went into the break two goals to the good thanks to the re-discovered finishing of Kris Trajanovski and some simply breathtaking teamwork from Olympic's midfield and forwards. In the 44th Traja accepted a far-post looping cross to immaculately plant the ball between Bolton and his near post. With the ink barely dried on my notebook, he was in again in the 45th minute, heading into an ungaurded goal after Bolton had been indecisive in clearing a chest-high(?) cross that ultimately ran across the face of the goal (I'd guess within the 6 yard box) between a lunging UTS player, his marker and (as before) an under-committed keeper. With the ball squeezing through the lot of them Traja merely had to concentrate on making sure that he got the order of scoring and celebrating right.
Interestingly, all three Bris subs (including Frank Farina) stayed out in the middle to warm-up. Strange considering Farina's coaching role!
Whilst the first half was entertaining enough, the second phase was an frustrated session in sitting. A little obscure I know, but if golf is a good walk spoiled by having to play your shots, then the second 45 mins at Belmore was a good stand spoiled by having to sit down when the excitement level wasn't at it's peak.
Chances, action, excitement, more goals, cheering, a nervous finish....it was all there.
UTS had several point blank shots somehow cleared from the c(g)oalface, but then again, so to did Brisbane. Both keepers executing some fine saves - yes, Bolton too.
In the 14th minute, Tome scores from an Emerton cross to apparently put the issue to bed. However, only two minutes later, Farina converted a penalty after having come on for Danny Wright in the 8th min of the second part. (Must confess that I couldn't be sure who won the penalty. I originally thought it was Floppy himself who was felled by Barrett(again unsure) "en route" (thanks Mike Hill) to goal on a fast counter attack (more details after watching the replays).
UTS were playing the best football I've seen them play this year and it reminded me of their confident style of last year's (more) successful campaign. Poimer was robbed of a final strike on goal by an intervening Troy Cranney as the former set himself for a one-on-one with Bolton after one of the prettiest build-ups from Olympic of the night (I hope you're each given the chance to see it from it's conception - can't trust these television sports editors can you?).
In the 30th, Brown just failed to meet a wickedly curling cross supplied by the recently-introduced Harris.
After much up-an-back, Knipe cleverly secured his second goal for the match thanks to his chest-'n-turn effort wide in the box after receiving a Cranney supply. He shot to the Farr post to register a sniff of a result for the Strikers.
At 4-3, and with only minutes remaining, even the middle-aged Greek ladies were screaming and yelping everytime Brisbane got anywhere near Tony Franken's territory - everyone was on an adrenilin surge praying for the fianl whistle. Bolton even came up for a corner but to no avail - either way. The place was abuzz. The crowd was indulged in extended chanting......"C'MON OLYMPIC....." v "OLYMPIC".......ooohs and ahhs.
The final orgasmic release came when Derek Poimer was provided the ball near the half way line with the bearest of Brisbane's defence before him. With a controlled but deft chip over an adjacent defender, whilst he had players of both teams nearby, Poimer was basically first-placed in a race to Clint Bolton.
From half way, then, Poimer's weary legs took him at full speed to the edge of the penalty area all the while maintaing a commanding control of the ball. I kid you not, there was a palpable crescendo in the tension in the crowd....Poimer approaches at speed; Bolton does what he can to close the angle....and with almost the last roll of the dice (by which time everyone in the crowd who has long since resorted to remaining standing, is placing their hands on the shoulders of the person in front of them to save falling forward in over-excitement), Poimer poises his right foot surely behind the pacy ball. At this stage, such was the excitement that there were several fans already cheering in anticipation (I was one of them). It wasn't in vein as Poimer's shot merely sings its way into the top right hand corner to send the crowd spastic - the release was awesome!
In a week where Newcastle and Liverpool revisted that 4-3 epic of a year ago and Barcelona and Madrid(?) played another high-scoring thriller, I would content myself with the knowledge that all of Australia's soccer players (let alone the invisible fringe we're incessantly chasing) even just knew how exciting this match was! This (like Sydney United v Marconi some weeks ago) is the stuff to pass around!