After the Easter Sunday game was washed out it was re-scheduled to Wednesday night and I thought can I drive up and still stay awake at work the next day? With my 11yo proto-Rowdie daughter Kerensa we motored up in fine sunshine after checking with the club. Having got some housekeeping out of the way with the Cub re next week's Spirit visit we settled down on the hill and eventually the usual suspects arrived.
The first half was I must say a crap one for the Breakers, with them on the back foot and giving away possession. How we led at half-time I don't know - well perhaps it had something to do with Tom Haythornwaite's strike into the top left corner from 20m off a set up by Mark Wilson. 1-0 Chipperfield and Masi were however causing untold damage and deserved a goal. Adding to Newcastle's woes were some shocking decisions by Brett Hugo. How a miscued clearance can be a back pass is beyond me, and the Wolves vigorous tackling was getting a bit monotonous without penalty.
After half-time however the Breakers began to play. Even though the Wolves got the goal back it was increasingly looking like Breakers had their act together with good service to little Johnny up front. A free kick from skipper Shane Pryce was parried by Beltrame in the Wolves goal but the corner which resulted finished with a beautiful Mark Wilon header. 2-1 The red card, deserved, to John Huxley gave Breakers an advantage which they exploited. John Buonovaglia made it 3-1 late in the game after several strikes either hit the bar or were stopped by a big display from Beltrame. An average game but a big win for the Breakers, which leaves us with a mathematical chance of the top 6.
Talking of a big display from Beltrame, the Rowdies noticed his rather expansive girth and the funniest thing of the night was when Beltrame left his goal for a wander and then backed back - to hear 'beep, beep, beep' and also 'ticker, ticker, ticker" when he moved sideways!
Bring on Adelaide City!