Round 17: Croydon Cougars V Hahndorf Magpies

Croydon Cougars V Hahndorf Magpies

For the penultimate round of the South Australian Amateur Soccer League 2nd Division, the Hahndorf Magpies travelled to the Western suburbs where they met the Croydon Cougars in a torrid affair that saw the hosts battling to the end for a 2-1 win.

The fine weather and relatively good surface of the Cougars’ ground brought out some sparkling football by Hahndorf in the opening twenty minutes. Matt Norris and Jordan Webber put the Cougars defence under pressure as the Magpie midfield enjoyed the better possession in the opening exchanges.

The Cougars made some forward moves but the defensive line of Steve Noble, Andy Craig, Jack Farrimond and Rupert “Crusher” Lindon forced their opponents into shooting from distance and the speculative shots were comfortably dealt with by Hahndorf ‘keeper Nathaniel Brooke. Norris was proving to be a serious threat up front for the Magpies and drew the majority of the contested ball in the forward third of the pitch. Webber, Norris, Dan Hermel, Chris Sawers and Kayne Stubing all helped to keep the hosts on the back foot as chances fell to Hahndorf but despite the Magpies hitting the crossbar, their scoring chances were not converted.

Although they played the first twenty minutes largely in the Cougars half, the Magpies had little to show for it and the hosts made them pay with a quickly taken free kick that surprised the Hahndorf custodian. The goal gave the home team confidence and the match was soon evenly balanced with neither side creating many clear cut chances. Hahndorf had a great opportunity to level the score from a corner but Craig showed why he had spent the majority of his playing days in defence when he blasted a shot over the bar from close in.

The second half continued much like the first had ended, a tight tussle between the two sides with the respective defences quenching the majority of attacks. Hahndorf began to use Sawers more and the speedy winger made some telling runs into Cougar territory but the Magpies found their aim astray as Hermel and Norris shot wide.

Lindon found himself the target of some side line banter but answered his critics by repeatedly cutting out the Cougars attack on the flank and combined with the other Magpie defenders to keep the Cougars to shotting from distance. A Hahndorf free kick found the head of Norris and he knocked the ball across to Hermel but his shot went wide of goal as the Magpies pushed for an equaliser.

Tom Holland entered the match with the intensity lifting and play went end to end as each side found the defences difficult to get past. Ness remained busy deep in midfield and combined with Norris and Hermel to get Hahndorf going forward. Craig and Farrimond made a few good challenges to keep the Cougars at bay while Stubing, Norris, Holland and Hermel remained a persistent threat in attack.

With the match entering the final ten minutes the Cougars scored, an innocuous shot from distance escaping through Brooke to put the home team two goals up. Hahndorf responded with some of their best attacking play and finally broke through with a goal. Holland sent a cross-field ball to Sawers and he deftly chipped a pass into the path of Hermel who took it in his stride to centre the ball to Norris, the combative striker turning it into goal.

The Cougars responded with a volley that was lashed toward goal but Brooke made an excellent diving save to deny the score. A frantic final few minutes saw Hahndorf throw themselves into attack and they created several good opportunities but could not find the net. Norris went agonisingly close to an equaliser after Sawers low cross was forced out by the Cougars’ ‘keeper into his path, however the onrushing striker could not guide the ball into the net. A final free kick in the dying minutes gave the Magpies their last chance but Craig failed to get a touch on Stubings tumbling drive and the shot went just the wrong side of the post.

It was a highly competitive match and the Magpies will feel they did enough to get a draw but it was not to be. Man of the Match was Matt Norris, who worked tirelessly in the forward line all game with Hermel and Craig also having strong contributions.

Reserves

The Hahndorf Reserves put on a clinical display to comprehensively outplay the Cougars in a 4-1 result that was richly deserved by the Magpies.

From the opening whistle, Hahndorf took the attack up to the hosting Cougars with striker Jesse Konstantinoff busy in the forward line to the extent that he was fouled in the penalty area after just a few minutes of play. Konstantinoff took the penalty kick but the Cougars’ ‘keeper did well to save the strike and the Cougars added insult to injury by scoring themselves minutes later.

Hahndorf suffered a further blow when Konstantinoff went off with an injury and he was replaced with “El Presidente” Stuart Thomas, who slotted seamlessly into central defence alongside Tim Staniford. The Magpies regrouped and defenders Ash Parr and Scott Breaker began to use the wide spaces to bring Kyle Eglinton and Angus “House” Hambrook into play. Gary Ledson and Tom Stevens took control of the middle and Chris Hyde formed a new striking partnership with Tom Holland, the latter restoring parity with an excellent goal.

The Magpies held possession in the attacking third before Holland dallied at the top of the penalty area, keeping the Cougars defence guessing before he picked out the bottom corner of goal with a fine drive. Hahndorf continued to control large portions of the match, with Magpie ‘keeper Andy Jones only called upon for some routine saves. The match swung decisively in favour of the visitors just on half time, when Hambrook, having a great game, made a burst down the flank to find Hyde in the middle and the experienced marksman drilled a volley low into the net.

After the resumption of play, Hahndorf were unrelenting in their application, the Magpie spine of Thomas, Ledson and Stevens forming a solid base to distribute the ball wide to Hambrook and Eglinton. The Magpie defence remained defiant, Breaker in particularly good form as Hahndorf pushed for further goals. Eglington heeded the call with Hahndorf’s third, neatly side footing the ball over the exposed Cougar ‘keeper after some fine build up play.

Parr made a few rampant runs at the heart of the Cougars and on one occasion, the opposition parted like the Red Sea before Moses, allowing Parr to lash a shot just wide of the mark. Hahndorf stamped their authority on the match with their fourth score of the game, Hambrook and Holland combining to present Hyde with a fine ball and he slotted away his second goal.

The match was a great result and well deserved with strong performances across the park. The Man of the match plaudits went to Scott Breaker with a plethora Magpie players close behind, including Hambrook, Hyde, Holland, Stevens, Parr and Staniford.


Super Cs

The Super Cs had a comfortable 2-1 win over local rivals Strathalbyn, the Magpies going 2 nil up by the half time break. Big Brian and Nat Stewart put the goals in for Hahndorf while ‘keeper Ben Simpson made a brilliant save from a penalty to keep Strathalbyn scoreless until the final minute of the match.

Next week all three Hahndorf teams are home for the final matches of the season, the Super Cs kicking off the day against the top ranked McLaren District with the Reserves and Firsts hosting the second placed MA Hawks, the visitors having already secured promotion to the Premier Division next season.

Round 16: Hahndorf V USC Lion

Hahndorf V USC Lion

Hahndorf all but ensured their South Australian Amateur Soccer League Division 2 survival with an epic 4-3 win over USC Lion on Saturday, a cracking winner by Chris Sawers sealing the match in the final minutes for the Magpies.

Three points separated the two sides going into the 16th round of League fixtures, the match touted as a fabled “six pointer” between the 7th placed Magpies and the 9th placed Lion teams. The pointy end of the season took on a razor sharp focus for the Magpies and they hit the ground running to go 1-0 up within the first minute. Kayne Stubing escaped on the flank to deliver a fine cross that was contested in the middle by Michael Lewington and Matt Norris, the later getting a telling touch to guide the ball into the Lion net.

Hahndorf maintained their momentum in the early phases of the match, Chris Sawers and Stubing industrious with Dan Hermel and Steve Ness in the midfield, while big forwards Norris and Lewington were an imposing threat. Lion regrouped and began to wrest possession from the Magpies, defenders Scott Schubert, Luke and Kieran Guest with Jack Farrimond finding themselves under increasing pressure as the game developed.

However, it was the Magpies who struck the next blow, a score carved out of an innocuous free kick to the top of the penalty area. With his back to the goal, Stubing brought the ball down with his chest and then created space to turn and arrow a sharp effort to the bottom corner of goal, a stunning strike that left the visitors in trouble at 2-0 down.

Hahndorf grew in confidence and found the flanks offered the best chances of scoring, speedster Sawers racing through to find Lewington in the middle but his glancing header flashed past the post with USC Lion in disarray at the back. Hahndorf kept up the pressure through Hermel and Norris, the two combining as the Magpies kept the ball in the attacking third before Ness lashed a shot wide of goal.

Hermel and Stubing continued Hahndorf’s attacking drive with a neat move but the USC Lion goalkeeper made a good interception before the duo could add to the goal tally. Several more sorties by the Magpies kept the Lion defence on their toes but it was the visitors who struck back, a counter attack catching Hahndorf out minutes before half time. Hahndorf custodian Nathaniel Brooke parried the initial shot but Lion retrieved the loose ball and a good cross to the far post gave the Lion forward a neat headed goal. Lion could have equalised a minute later, an audacious shot from forty metres almost catching Brooke out but it was high and wide of the target and the Magpies went into the break with a 2-1 lead.

After half time, Hahndorf looked to regain their two goal lead, and had several promising attacks broken down by Lion before Lewington scored, but a handball in the control of the ball saw his strike disallowed. Lion hit back with some sustained build-up but Guest brothers and Farrimond had the defence organised to dull the searching Lion attack.

Norris continued with his high work rate, latching onto a fine through ball but the Lion ‘keeper was equal to the task and beat the shot away as Norris closed in on goal. Stubing and Sawers found there was plenty of space to roam on the flanks and several times the latter exposed his marker with some deft turns and dummies to get behind the defence. Stubing fed off the spoils from Lewington who knocked down a free kick to the winger and he drilled a shot at goal only for the Lion ‘keeper to make a great diving save and tip the ball over the bar.

Despite the positive drive by the Magpies, Lion hit back with a goal to restore parity, a cross cut back to a player in the middle and a neat finish made it 2-2. Five minutes later and a revived Lion stalked out of the relegation zone with a long range strike that deceived Brooke in the air and sent the visiting team and supporters into celebration.

The intensity of the game increased as players lifted themselves for the final twenty minutes. Hahndorf and Lion exchanged attacking forays but met desperate defences determined to deny another score. Hahndorf launched a searing attack deep into Lion territory where a loose ball in the penalty area was heavily contested and the referee awarded a penalty to the Magpies. After the protestations of the visitors were silenced, Norris stepped up to the spot kick, hitting the ball cleanly into the corner for a 3-3 score and adding another layer of excitement to the highly charged contest.

The final fifteen minutes were action packed with both teams creating some fine chances. Lion had a free kick on the edge of the penalty area but wasted it by shooting over the bar. Hahndorf responded through Stubing, the winger dashing past the Lion defence to smash a shot against the crossbar. Brooke made several telling saves as Lion applied the pressure, his best effort a great tip over the bar from a long range drive.

The Hahndorf coach made some changes, injecting the fresh legs of Jordan Webber and Tom Holland into the seething cauldron of end to end football. Lion poured forward but strong rearguard action by Farrimond stopped them in their tracks. Hahndorf countered but could not break through. Lion then had the best opportunity to take the points, a scramble in the Magpies penalty area seeing the ball drop to a Lion player close to goal but he blazed his shot over the bar when he should have done better.

Hahndorf made Lion pay dearly for the miss when they drove forward, Holland splitting the Lion defence wide open with a superb ball to Sawers free on the wing. Sawers raced directly to goal and hit a thunderous shot at pace that fizzed past the advancing ‘keeper and buried in itself in the top corner of the net to send Hahndorf players and supporters into frenzied celebrations.
However, with five minutes to play, the visitors had the chance to once again even the score. Lion managed a couple of shots on goal but these were scrambled away by Brooke to maintain the lead for Hahndorf and they were able to see out the remaining time and claim the three valuable points.

The match was an epic battle between last years two promoted teams and puts Hahndorf six points clear of the relegation zone with two rounds left. Man of the match was late goal hero Chris Sawers who had a superb game on the flank with Matt Norris and Kayne Stubing also major contributors in the win.

Reserves

The Hahndorf Reserves and USC Lion played out a competitive and entertaining 2-2 draw in the second fixture of the day.

Hahndorf started the match well with Kieran Guest, Angus Hambrook, Jesse Konstantinoff and Rupert “Crusher” Lindon setting out to attack the Lion unit from the outset. The Magpies moved the ball well in the initial stages and pinned the visitors back in their half. Tom Stevens was industrious in the middle of the park with good support from Kyle Eglinton and Scott Breaker. Hahndorf capitalised on their possession when they scored through Konstantinoff, the hard working forward striking fine shot to give the Magpies the lead.

Lion worked their way back into the match, giving Dan Mardle Gary Ledson and Andy Craig plenty of defensive duties as they sought to protect Andy Jones’ goal. Hahndorf created some good chances but could not take full toll of their opportunities with some neat interplay going unrewarded. The home team were making the better plays and probably should have found another goal for their endeavours. Yet it was Lion who scored, the goal a blow to the hard work of the Magpies throughout the half.

Hahndorf brought on Tim Staniford after the break as the two teams resumed play. Lion began to impose themselves more on the match and Hahndorf had to scramble a few close calls away to safety. The match was largely played in the Magpies half with the Lion putting Hahndorf under pressure for long periods of play. Perseverance paid off for the visitors when they took the lead, the Magpies tardy in possession and Lion took over to deliver a ball to the far post and finished it with a fine headed goal.

However, the Magpies were not done and showed their battling spirit to grasp a late equaliser through substitute Tom Holland, who drove in a fine curling free kick that nestled into the far corner of the net. The draw was a fair reflection of the match, Hahndorf having the better first half with Lion stronger in the second. Best for Hahndorf was Dan Mardle, who had a fine match in defence with Jesse Konstantinoff and Tom Stevens also strongly involved.

Super Cs

In the first match, Hahndorf kicked off the days triple header against CCM United, the Super Cs paving the way with a solid 3-0 win over the visitors.

Next week the Hahndorf Magpies are away to the Croydon Cougars, while the Super Cs are visiting local rivals, Strathalbyn.

Round 15: Hahndorf V Adelaide University

Hahndorf V Adelaide Uni

In a high scoring affair, league leaders Adelaide University punished early mistakes by the Hahndorf Magpies to eventually run out 3-7 winners in the 15th round of the South Australian Amateur Soccer League 2nd Division.

Adelaide University went into their clash against Hahndorf needing a win to guarantee a promotion spot to the Premier Division and they got off to a perfect start, opening the scoring after a few minutes. Hahndorf ‘keeper Nathaniel Brooke misread a back-pass and picked up the ball to concede a free kick well inside the area. With all the team lined up on the goal line, the Magpies repelled the initial shot and the following rebound but a third strike at goal took the aerial route and found the top corner from twenty metres.

Hahndorf handicapped themselves further five minutes later when Andy Craig lost possession in defence and the University forwards pounced to advance, outnumbering the ‘keeper, they slotted the ball past the stranded Brooke. The Hahndorf defence, comprised of Craig, Ash Parr, Angus Hambrook and a Scott Schubert, was a new combination and they took time to adjust to the movement and speed of the Adelaide outfit. Steve Ness and Dan Hermel worked hard in heart of the midfield and tried to release wide men Jordan Webber and Tom Holland, however the University countered with some slick passes and movement to breech the Hahndorf goal for a third time before the twenty-five minute mark.

Hahndorf managed to construct some sweeping moves forward, Matt Norris the principle target with Kayne Stubing looking to get behind the Adelaide defenders. The Magpies created several chances, using the wings to good effect and getting some shots on the opposition goal. Unfortunately for the Magpies, they conceded a penalty just before half time and after the Adelaide side converted the spot kick, the home team went into the break trailing by four goals.

Upon the resumption of play, Hahndorf resolved to put a better account of themselves and did start to match Adelaide University across the park. Hermel and Ness continued to do the hard graft in the middle while Norris was a dominant presence in the forward line. Holland stayed wide and combined with Parr and Stubing to have Hahndorf stretching University wide.

The flanks offered Hahndorf the best avenue to goal and it was via this route that the Magpies grabbed a goal back, a cross leading to an errant handball in the area due to Norris and Webber’s pressure. Norris took the spot kick and placed it neatly in the corner before the referee asked for the kick to be retaken. The captain responded well by smashing his second effort into the opposite side of goal to get Hahndorf on the board.

The Magpies doubled their tally soon after, Holland releasing Stubing wide and the speedy attacker raced down the flank to deliver a fine cross. Norris timed his run perfectly to elude his marker and headed the ball over the advancing ‘keeper to make it 2-4. Two goals in quick succession put life into the match and the intensity lifted as Hahndorf sniffed an unlikely chance to reel in their opposition. However, after weathering a series of Magpie attacks, the University side responded with a fifth goal, the forwards again finding a loose player close to goal.

The two teams continued to engage in the thrust and parry of the second half and University converted a good chance on goal for a 2-6 score line. Hahndorf took stock and once again looked to the flanks to deliver the goods. Switching play from the back, the Magpies advanced down the wing and another Stubing cross had Norris and Ness contesting for the ball in the penalty area. The ball was scrambled to the edge of the box where Hermel pounced to drive a shot past the crowd of players and find the corner of the net.

The plethora of goals was not quite finished however and with both teams tiring, it was Adelaide University who managed to squeeze in one more for the day, a neat series of passes ending in a tap in from metres out to round out the scoring at 3-7. Matt Norris was peerless in earning the Man of the match honours, with Scott Schubert and Dan Hermel making strong contributions.

While the Magpies were disappointing in the first half, they put in a much improved second stanza and will be encouraged by their form on the attack. The return of some key players will bolster the defence in the coming weeks with a couple of crucial matches coming up after a week off due to the quarter finals of the Cup competition.


Reserves

The Hahndorf Reserves put in a brave effort against the table topping Adelaide University Reserves, an early Magpie strike cancelled out by four unanswered goals to the visitors.

An experimental line up by the Magpies saw them get off to a flying start when two minutes in, central midfielder Michael Lewington latched onto Jesse Konstantinoff’s early pass to blast a rising shot into the top corner of goal from twenty metres. With Chris Hyde, Kieran Guest and Konstantinoff roaming the forward line, supported by Kyle Eglinton, Tom Stevens and Lewington, the Magpies continued to have the upper hand on the University side during the early phases.

Hahndorf pushed the visitors into their own half, keen to add further scores to the board as they looked to capitalise on first use of the slope. University replied with a few chances over the bar as they sought to find a way past the defence of Ash Parr, Tim Staniford, Scott Breaker and “El Presidente” Stuart Thomas. Hahndorf custodian Andy Jones made a couple of sharp saves but within ten minutes the visitors had equalised, a slick movement leaving a free man at the top of the penalty area and he picked out the inside of the goalpost with a low shot.

The equaliser emboldened the University side and they put Hahndorf under pressure with a series of attacks but the Magpies held firm. Parr put in a trademark bustling run, slicing past several players to shoot and earn Hahndorf a corner that was promptly wasted by the Magpies. The teams traded attacks with the University hitting the crossbar with a fine shot before a Hahndorf free kick led to a bit of a scramble in Adelaide’s penalty area, Guest scything his shot wide in the melee.

The match was turning into a fairly even affair when the visitors took the lead; a short Hahndorf clearance was picked up and returned with interest to give Jones no chance. The lead encouraged University and they nearly extended their tally but for Jones making two tremendous, consecutive saves. Guest replied for the Magpies but pushed his header wide from a promising corner kick. Pressure just before half time by Adelaide was alleviated by Breaker, the full back making several telling tackles and interceptions as the visitors threatened.

Hahndorf brought on several players at the break, Ben “Beninho” Wells, Dan Mardle and Alex Robson, all backing up from the previous Super Cs fixture, as the Hills team looked to peg back the league leaders. However, University had other ideas and exposed the Magpies on the wings to open up a productive route to goal.

The Magpies defended well but the pressure took its toll and the Adelaide side broke through for their third score of the day. Hahndorf replied to put in several good moves but could not unravel the University defence for the answering goal. The visitors built up their attack and peppered the Hahndorf goal, giving Jones the opportunity to work on his fitness and shot-stopping skills.

Late into the match Adelaide eventually drew a penalty and scored, putting a dent in Jones’ extraordinary perfect record in penalty saves up to that point. The Magpies were disappointed to have conceded the four goals after a great start but with several players backing up after playing in the Super Cs, it was always going to be a tough ask. Best on the day for the Magpies was Michael Lewington, the big man in superb form with Kyle Eglinton and Andy Jones with great support.

Super Cs

The Super Cs got the day of football off to a fine start for the Magpies with a strong 3-0 win over Mt Lofty Eagles, Robbie Green showed age had not diminished his finishing skills with all three goals. Next week is a Cup round and the only team on display will be the Super Cs when they venture to Pt Elliot to take on the Southern Breakers.

Round 14 Southern Breakers V Hahndorf Magpies

Southern Breakers V Hahndorf

Hahndorf posted an impressive win against a lacklustre Southern Breakers, a brace of goals to Leo Santangelo and a hat-trick to Kayne Stubing boosting the Magpies to an emphatic 0-6 victory.

With five rounds remaining in the South Australian Amateur Soccer League 2nd Division, the scramble for points is well underway for the clubs in the lower half of the table. Subsequently the clash at Breaker Park between 7th placed Hahndorf and 10th placed Southern Breakers held plenty of interest for the parties concerned and drew a healthy crowd on a sparkling day.

The Breakers started on the front foot from the opening whistle, using local knowledge to attack with the sun and slope behind them. The Magpies fended off the early forays, the combination of youngsters Jack Farrimond and Luke Guest with veterans Steve Noble and Andy Craig working hard to keep the Breakers at bay.

Nathaniel Brooke was busy in goal, but only faced one real test when Breakers player-coach Glen Higgins tried a shot from distance that hit the goalpost and then the rebound was slashed wide by the following forwards. Hahndorf continued to soak up the pressure before the midfield kicked into gear and Dan Hermel made a strong run down the flank to put in a low cross for forward Kayne Stubing to fire into the net.

Minutes later Hahndorf doubled their lead after a structured build up saw the Magpies attack the goal in numbers with Leo Santangelo heading a cross back to Stubing who had a simple tap in for his second goal. However it was not all beer and skittles for Hahndorf when they lost a player for a straight red card offence with twenty minutes remaining in the half.

The Magpies regrouped and quickly adjusted their structure and made light of the loss by firing in a third goal. Stubing was rampant on the flank and glided past his marker to arrow a cross to Chris Sawers, the marksman chesting down the ball before taking it past the Breakers’ keeper and blasting into goal.

Hahndorf continued to work hard throughout the half with Steve Ness, Hermel and Matt Norris harassing the opposition at every opportunity while the defence countered the pressure of the Breakers with stubborn resistance.

The Magpies went into the second half determined to hold on to their lead and not let the Breakers back into the match. The defence were organised to dull the expected attack by the home side, Craig and Guest holding the spine and linking with the midfield. Norris and Ness tirelessly trekked the midfield to make the Breakers accountable and the hosts had trouble getting a cohesive attack together.

The constant chasing and pressure by the Magpies all over the pitch led to the fourth goal, Santangelo capitalising on a slight lapse in defence to take possession and lose his marker with a smart turn before striking a curling drive into goal from the edge of the penalty area.

The fourth goal seemed to knock the wind out of the Breakers and they looked all at sea, such was the application of the Magpies towards their goal. Things got worse for the home team when ten minutes later Hahndorf gained themselves a penalty, an unlucky handball giving Santangelo the chance to put the match well beyond the Breakers. Santangelo duly stuck the penalty into the net but an infringement forced a retake of the spot kick. Lightning did strike twice with Santangelo true to form and again hitting a solid shot into goal.

Hahndorf made several substitutions, bringing Tom Holland and Jordan Webber into the match, the pair picking up the pace and intensity straight away. Holland made an impact within ten minutes, a precision pass slicing through the defence to put Stubing through on goal and the speedy forward brought up his hat-trick with a fine strike to the corner of the net.

Hahndorf kept up the intensity for the remainder of the match, the Breakers getting a few chances but Brooke had the shots well covered and the closest the sea-siders got was a cross that skimmed past the top of the post late into the match.

The win by Hahndorf was a tremendous team effort with all players applying themselves for the full ninety minutes. Man of the Match honours went to Kayne Stubing,the hat-trick hero having a tremendous match with Matt Norris and Luke Guest also outstanding throughout the game.

Reserves

The Hahndorf Reserves fought out a 1-1 draw with the Southern Breakers Reserves, both teams having the chance to take the win but unable to find the crucial goal.

Hahndorf started the match well, the Magpies getting off to a good start with Rupert “Crusher” Lindon in the mix with a couple of early headers that were on target but lacked penetration. The Breakers shaped up to a couple of opportunities but the Hahndorf defence was well organised by Angus Hambrook, with Dan Mardle, Kieran Guest and Kyle Eglinton providing good support.

The Hahndorf forward line of Chris Hyde and Jesse Konstantinoff worked with the midfield to get the Magpies into some promising positions however the finishing touches were absent, several shots going high and wide of the goal. Tom Holland and Jordan Webber produced some nice passes in combination with Eglinton as the Magpies tried to mount an attack on the flank.

The avenue did eventually prove fruitful for Webber, set free to attack the full back, he muscled his way past to run in on goal and open the scoring with a fine finish. The Breakers hit back with a structured attack but a saving tackle by Hambrook kept Hahndorf custodian, Andy Jones from facing a shot in a dangerous position.

Tom Stevens was industrious in the middle of the park, combining with Holland and Webber to keep the pressure on the Southern Breakers. Webber almost forced a second goal but the Breakers ‘keeper made a good save at the feet of the flighty wingman. The Magpies put together some flowing passes but could not convert their possession into a greater lead.

The second half opened with Hahndorf pressing the Breakers back and some good work released Konstantinoff but the ‘keeper parried the strikers shot. The match ebbed and flowed with the Magpies having the majority of the play but the Breakers also have a few opportunities to score.
The match looked like it was to be decided by a single goal with both teams finding the respective defences hard to break through.

Hahndorf brought on Scott Breaker, Stuart Thomas and Ben “Beninho” Wells to see if the injection of fresh legs could extend their goal advantage but late in the match the Breakers equalised. The intensity suddenly increased as both teams sought to find a winner in the dying stages of the match.

The points looked to be headed the Breakers way when they were awarded a penalty deep into the second half, but Jones again defied the odds to make the save, the Magpie custodian remarkably making it three penalty saves from as many chances. The penalty was the last effective scoring opportunity and the match ended with the points shared. Angus Hambrook gained Man of the Match honours for the Magpies with strong contributions from Rupert Lindon, Jesse Konstantinoff and Kyle Eglinton also prominent.

Next week Hahndorf play host to league leaders Adelaide University, the Magpies looking to carry over this weeks form to the match at the Pine Avenue arena.