Round 11 – UOWFC vs Coniston
YOUTH GRADE – Won 10-2: The youth graders should have scored a packet of goals against a team that started with 8 players but missed a host of chances while also putting a few away, including a great header miss from Grant Beckett from one metre out. Ultimately Coniston ended up finishing with 10 players and to their credit they scored two goals due to Uni completely switching off. Three points and some positive moments but some more consistent play is needed against the stronger teams.
Some quick adjustments needed for our scoreboard during the Youthies match!
RESERVE GRADE – Won 9-1: With half the Coniston squad backing up from youth grade, this should have been a walk in the park for UOWFC. Wayward finishing in the first half meant that it was only 3-1 at half time and player coach Brendon Fotheringham seemed to be the only player capable of keeping his head over the ball. Fotho got his fourth in the second half and the flood gates opened. It finished up 9-1 with Luke Vandenburgh grabbing a couple as well. Special mention to Fotho for losing his well maintained composure and putting a penalty wide which would have been his fifth!
Reserve grade player coach Brendon Fotheringham on his way to four goals
FIRST GRADE – Won 3-1: The first grade side was always going to be the only grade that provided any sort of competition and Coniston almost went up early with Uni being kept in it by a great save from goalkeeper Liam Stevenson. Unfortunately shortly after Stevenson was about a step of position for a free kick and Coniston went up 0-1 with a well hit strike on goal.
UOWFC were looking ok with the ball but getting caught on the counter attack. The half time team talk from coach David Watts worked wonders as the boys came out and scored the equaliser via a cross and great header from Captain Scott Muilwyk within a couple of minutes. Uni’s second goal was a great touch and finish from Marc Lee inside the Coniston penalty area. Ross Graham sealed the win with a great turn and hammered his shot past the Coniston keeper who didn’t move. A good win and vital three points to Uni.
Round 4 (Sunday catchup game) – UOWFC vs. Thirroul
YOUTH – Lost 0-2: The youth graders came up against a good Thirroul side, and even the inclusion of first grade goalkeeper Liam Stevenson due to his unavailability for first grade couldn’t help them to a good result. In fact it was actually the misread of a cross from Stevenson that let the Thirroul striker get his head to the ball first and Uni were 0-1 down. The second half saw the uni boys fight well but ultimately another goal came when the backtracking defenders couldn’t clear the ball off the line and it ended up 0-2. A good effort against a well drilled side.
Nathan Williams can’t keep out the first Thirroul goal
RESERVE – Lost 0-3: The reserve grade squad were like the youthies and coming off a good win the day before. Thirroul were well drilled and got a questionable first goal which arguably should have been a Uni free kick just prior. Then poor disiplane saw captain Tom Shannon given a straight red card for foul language in another display of the inconsistency of this rule between grades, games, and more importantly different referees. When these decisions costs clubs players and money it is a huge burden when it’s not enforced consistently across all games and divisions. UOWFC were now under the pump and it was only amazing goalkeeping by Damien Clark stepping up to reserve grade that kept the scoreline respectable. A triple save in the first half was particularly impressive. Uni put up a great fight with 10 men and knocked the ball around well. They easily could have pulled back a few goals themselves. A late goal blew it out to 0-3 but the the ressies boys can hold their heads high after a gutsy display, and should be looking forward to the return match to take revenge.
FIRST – Lost 0-2: This was a big game for the first grade squad against a side near them on the table. Usual goalkeeper Liam Stevenson was unavailable so reserve grade goalkeeper Nathan Williams was promoted and started well, coming out and dealing with several crosses and corners in quick succession against a huge Thirroul side.
1st grade captain Scott Muilwyk practising his dance moves for later in the year.
Unfortunately a wickedly swinging corned whipping straight towards the near post top corner managed to evade everybody and Thirroul were up 0-1. A miskicked clearance let the ball fall to the Thirroul strikers feet and he buried it to make it 0-2. Uni pressed well in the second half and dominated the game but couldn’t find a final pass to unlock the defence so it finished 0-2.
