The Petulant Magpie: 2012 Round 1: Hahndorf Magpies V Adelaide Titans

The Hahndorf Magpies began the 2012 season in an inauspicious fashion, allowing the visiting Adelaide Titans to dictate large passages of play in a disappointing 1-5 loss.

With an encouraging pre-season behind them, Hahndorf were confident heading into the first round of the South Australian Amateur Soccer League 2nd Division and fielded an emerging combination featuring four debutants. Kierran Guest took up the goal keeping duties with Steven Ness, Michael Lewington, Luke Guest and Lloyd Oppelaar forming the defensive line.

The Titans took the match up to the Magpies and made their intentions clear with some early threatening moves. The Hahndorf midfield of Scott Graham, James Anderson, Tom Holland and Jack Farrimond battled hard to contain the visitors as they sought to break through to the Magpies defence. Kayne Stubing and Matt Norris provided the firepower in the Magpies forward line, with both players looking sharp.

The opening goal fell to the visitors, arriving via a blistering drive from a well executed corner that found the inside post of the Hahndorf goal. The home team tried to hit back but the Titans’ goalkeeper was never really tested as Hahndorf maintained some forward possession without producing a clear chance. The Titans pressed forward and earned a corner. Playing another set piece, the visitors caught Hahndorf napping and a quick centring pass found an unmarked Titan player and he slotted the ball home. Soon after, an unwell Anderson had to leave the pitch and the Magpies replaced him with Sam Wood

Hahndorf rallied before the half time break and Stubing had several chances after some quick passing from the Hahndorf midfield put him in on goal but he struck his shots wide of the mark. Soon after, the lively forward had his best chance as he stole past the defence to almost latch onto a lazy pass but the Titans’ ‘keeper did enough to prevent Stubing from forcing the ball past him.

In the second half the Hahndorf team set out with renewed vigour, L.Guest, Ness and Oppelaar were forceful in defence while Wood and Graham wrestled back some midfield control. Stubing remained the focal point in attack and drew the Titans’ goalkeeper into a sharp diving save after Graham found the forward with a fine diagonal ball.

Hahndorf’s persistence was rewarded when Lewington and L.Guest forced a turnover and combined to find Norris. The club stalwart fed Stubing with a clever ball and he turned his marker before nipping the ball past the ‘keeper and tapping into the vacant net. The Magpies continued their positive play, with K.Guest clearing to Oppelaar who sent the ball through to Wood. Stubing latched onto Wood’s pass and cut the ball back from the wing for L.Guest to lash at goal but the shot was deflected to safety by a Titans defender.

The Titans readjusted and went out to a 3-1 lead when Hahndorf lost the ball in midfield and a quick pass found a Titan forward in space and he blasted the ball past an exposed K.Guest. The midfield became a highly contested region and several willing tackles escalated in intensity before a flurry of yellow cards prevented the match from boiling over. Hahndorf was forced to make a substitution when Farrimond was injured after his ill-timed challenge resulted in a nasty clash and he was replaced by debutant Lee Jennings.

Hahndorf tried to work back into the match but made some simple errors that put them under pressure, L.Guest called upon to rescue the Magpies with a saving tackle after the home team had given the ball away cheaply. The Titans were not to be denied however and a long ball into the Hahndorf defence was only half cleared and the Titans forced in their fourth goal.

The visitors added a fifth and final goal soon after, a smart turn eluding the Magpie defender and the Titan forward drew K.Guest out, before a neat pass left a tap in to seal the match. In the remaining minutes Hahndorf tried to restore some balance to the score when Holland found Stubing with a great cross but the headed shot flew wide of the post.

The result was not the way the Hahndorf Magpies wanted to begin the season, but with the team still finding the right mix of players, the Magpies will be looking to bounce straight back with a positive result next week. Best on the day was Sam Wood, who had a great game in midfield with Lloyd Oppelaar and Steve Ness also having fine contributions.

Reserves

The Hahndorf Reserves and Adelaide Titans were engaged in a tight contest throughout the day, with the Magpies outlasting the visitors to take the three points in a 2-1 win.

Hahndorf lined up with an experienced back line containing Tim Staniford, Scott Breaker, Ash Parr and Andy Craig, with Vaughan Barratt between the sticks for the Magpies. The home team began brightly, bringing midfielders Kyle Eglinton, Ben “Beninho” Wells, Lee Jennings and Angus “House” Hambrook quickly into the game with forwards Jesse Konstantinoff and Jordan Webber keen to make their mark on the scoreboard.

A fairly even opening twenty minutes saw both sides trying to assert themselves in the match, punctuated by a couple of half chances that neither team could convert.

The Magpies began to shade possession, with the majority of play in the midfield cauldron. Jennings and Hambrook linked up with Konstantinoff and Webber and the Magpies had a few good opportunities to open the scoring. Hahndorf moved the ball quickly through the middle of the park before a ranging Hambook pinpointed a diagonal ball to Konstantinoff. Bearing in on goal his shot was blocked and the ball spilled to Webber, who made no mistake and drove the ball into goal from ten metres.

The Titans responded, going close with some sharp efforts but Barratt was in great position to quell the threats and when a shot did get past him the crossbar came to the Magpies aid.

The Magpies were expecting the Titans to come at them after half time and the visitors did not disappoint, equalising soon after the restart when a well-taken corner was deflected twice on its way into the Hahndorf net. The goal emboldened the visitors but Hahndorf stood fast to dilute the Titans attack, Staniford and Parr in outstanding form against their immediate opponents.

Hahndorf pressed forward through Eglington and Webber and forced the Titans into some hasty clearances. Continued pressure opened up the pitch and a cross-field pass found Breaker in acres of space twenty-five metres from goal. Controlling the ball, Breaker struck a curling shot with his left foot to leave the Titans’ ‘keeper grasping at air as the ball went over him and snuck in the top corner, the stunning strike giving Hahndorf a 2-1 lead.

The Titans threw themselves into attack to restore parity but the Hahndorf defensive line remained disciplined and resolute to give the visitors few good scoring opportunities. Parr was outstanding in turning defence into attack either through his piercing long passes to the Hahndorf flanks or on a weaving run past several inept Titan challenges.

Time eventually ran out for the visitors as the Magpies strong defensive resolve held true to the final whistle. Best on the day was Ash Parr with an excellent display, ably backed up by the solid defence of Tim Staniford and Vaughan Barratt.

Super Cs
An entertaining first half saw the Hahndorf Super Cs take the lead, courtesy of Nat Stewart, who slotted in from close range after the Titan’s goalkeeper failed to deal with a long clearance. The Magpies should have added a second after a dazzling run by Matt Filber left a trail of Titans in his wake before neatly squaring the ball for James Stratfold, but he scooped his shot wide of the beckoning goal.

The Titans found the second half a better proposition and scored with alarming regularity as the Magpies midfield ruptured and the opposition stretched the tiring defence to end the match with five goals to Hahndorf’s one.