Hahndorf Magpies V McLaren District
The Hahndorf Magpies returned to the top of the 3rd division of the SA Amateur Soccer League with a comprehensive 6-0 win over McLaren District on Saturday, all the goals arriving in a stunning first half.
With the Reserves fixture forfeited by the visitors, the senior match started a little early and it was the Magpies who responded best by taking the lead shortly after kick off. Playing Leo Santangelo and Tom Holland in tandem up front, it was the former who made the first impression. Creating space just outside the penalty area, Sanangelo fired in at goal and the ball was parried by the McLaren custodian. Undeterred, Santangelo retrived the rebound and picked his corner with precision to get Hahndorf off the mark, lashing in the goal with his left foot.
Hahndorf’s midfield was in sparkling form from the outset, Chris Sawers, Jack Farrimond, Aaron Noble and Dan Hermel brightening the overcast day with their neat passing and clever running. They were supported by a strong defence containing Jon Lynn, Steve Noble, Matt Norris and Scott Taylor, the foursome forming a solid wall in front of goalkeeper Luke Guest.
Hahndorf maintained their dominant start to the match with the second goal within ten minutes, a corner giving Holland the chance on goal but the ‘keeper blocked the strike before Norris buried the loose ball into the net.
The McLaren District side struggled to contain the rampant Magpies, with home team threatening to score with every attack. Hahndorf built a foundation from the midfield, Sawers and Hermel using the width to stretch the visitors while A. Noble and Farrimond controlled the middle.
Farrimond started the move that earned Hahndorf their third goal, a piercing pass from deep dividing the defence and finding Sawers. The flighty winger raced into the penalty box and cut a pass back to Holland and the assured striker skilfully slotted the ball into the corner of the net.
With ten minutes remaining in the half, Hahndorf struck a rich vein of goals, a succession of scores putting the match beyond McLaren District. Taylor started the rout with a fine ball to find Farrimond on the edge of the area. The industrious midfielder slid the ball to Hermel and he made no mistake from fifteen metres, his right footed strike giving the ‘keeper no chance.
Barely a minute had passed when Hahndorf hit their fifth, Lynn’s pass slicing open the District defence with surgical precision and setting Sawers in on goal. Sawers used his speed and control to skip past the goalkeeper before tucking the ball in the net.
The spree continued with the third goal in three minutes when Santangelo put in his second and Hahndorf’s sixth when he drilled an unstoppable shot past the beleaguered District goalkeeper from a forty-five degree angle. It was a stunning conclusion to the half and gave some warmth to the hardy Magpie supporters who braved the frosty, inclement weather.
The second half saw a better display from McLaren District as Hahndorf struggled to reach the heights of earlier. Play was punctuated by a few sharp cloudbursts that drenched the playing surface and caused the ball to skip through on the players.
Holland had a chance to add to the score when two defenders left a through ball for each other, giving the forward a quick break at goal, but his shot passed wide of the mark. Hahndorf continued to press for more goals but despite some exquisite passing and interplay, they failed to find the net, a mixture of desperate defending and errant shooting denying the hosts.
The Magpies were deprived of a score when Sanangelo struck a scintillating volley from the edge of the area that rocketed into the goal, a mystifying offside call robbing Hahndorf of the potential goal of the season.
Substitutes Kayne Stubing, Jordan Webber and Matt Medley made an appearance during the final twenty minutes, helping to carry the Magpies forward as they searched for more goals. Webber had the best opportunity, bursting clear of his marker, the dynamic forward closed in on goal but his tame shot was little reward for the sharp move.
Webber supplied Stubing with a headed chance but the shot failed to find the target, gliding just over the bar as Hahndorf pinned McLaren District in their penalty area for much of the half. The visitors put the Hahndorf defence under pressure with some determined play but they were unable to make the most of it, hitting the side netting from close in.
Hahndorf closed out the match still looking to add to the score but found the visitors in a more resilient mood and had to settle for the first half score line by the time the referee blew the final whistle. Man of the Match for Hahndorf was Tom Holland, a goal complimenting his deft touch and searching passes during his outstanding game.
Super Cs
The Division 4 Cs travelled to Strathalbyn and put up a strong showing before ultimately conceding the match, 3-1.
In Division 5, an exciting match was decided in the final two minutes when an own goal gave the Magpies a 3-2 win over St Peters. The visitors took the lead, somewhat against the run of play, before Sam Wood equalised with a quality strike from just outside the penalty area. Hahndorf moved ahead when Jordi Kane’s well taken free found Wood and he again converted his chance well.
In the second half, St Peters hit back after beating the offside trap to restore parity in the match before Hahndorf secured the win with minutes to spare, the St Peters player unfortunate to turn Jesse Konstantinoff’s cross into his own net.
Next week the Reserves are contesting the quarter finals of the cup, looking to extend their run when they visit Salisbury Inter on Sunday. On Saturday, the Div 4 Cs takes on Old Ignatians down at Glenunga.
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