04/05/2021
MATCH REPORT ROUND 3 1/5/21
Away vs Elephant Warriors
Grange Reserve (not the Penfolds)
Won 2:0
⚽️ Abraham
⚽️ Ryan
The Black and the Blue.
When you play amateurs, there’s always a bruise or two...
Early attacks went the way of the Elephant men but Adelaide Vikings FC soon saw off the offensive ‘ivory’ trade and took over the game with composure and control, effectively killing any thrust.
For 30 minutes Vikings had everything but a goal. One looked like coming, but seemed almost Disney-shy to make an appearance... Lee’s corners were on song & a Tyson header was well saved by the upright. Ty totalled 3 or 4 nods at goal out there. The belfry was a-ringin’... Sadly the scoreboard wasn’t.
Ryan found clean air to bomb down the flank today and cut in firing one across the face with a first effort. The visiting side knew a score was sorely needed before the interval. The ever hungry away-horde felt it too. Another corner was won and the call sounded. ‘Ironic-Lee’ graciously made way for Subsequent Smith who was brought on to apply his special powers of deceptive lack of pace and added aerial threat.
Cue standard ‘Mad-Gag’ gesture - with almost one, if not two, dislocated shoulders... 🤷🏻♂️ (See Shaggy for taping mate. Or Louie who recently qualified. 👍🏼)
Anyway, Team Tall-timber combined to cut the opposition apart with some nice interplay. All at grass level.
Sub~Smithy was on the rush (these don’t go long - you have to pay attention) and soon tuned in with a Diing-dong* one-two. The youngster was on his absolute best form today, getting first to a sneaky through ball & crossing well for an undeniable Abraham, who sliced his own way through on six yards under pressure, poking home ⚽️.
Maximum value prior to the long-time-coming whistle for the break.
1:0
Today Nick & Frank combined well in the centre of the park, often hunting as a pair. Each benefitted from the other’s pressure, winning the right to distribute or charge the Elephants. Had to be done... and they showed how it was.
One showed usual drive & determination, killing the home side’s ability to play easily through the centre. The other was near-infallible in possession and especially hard-working first half. The E-Wozzas should’ve tried another tack - they certainly had boys waiting - even sitting - in the wings. Pretty sure one even went for smoko & no one noticed.
Joey the Glove was operating in smooth-mode and could largely thank Vikings’ solid backline wall for his silky clean sheet. Very fitting too, when at one point the visitors had no less than four keepers on the field!
Second half, Frank caught every bit of one solid shot from the D - and was well deserving of a goal today. However sweet the strike, it brought the best from the home keeper, who was right up to the tusk with a brilliant acrobatic save.
Elephants went down often though & couldn’t cope with the calibre of Vikings’ physicality. Let’s say there were a few ‘horizontal interludes’.
The Payne-train rolled through a few stations... whilst Chi, Shags & Pete all applied their own brand of smash & grab. Others just stood or fell on people. Possibly they were in the way.
Back to the action & Lee was momentarily like Icarus, so high did he fly with a midfield header the sun grew jealous. At the same time all the blood left his beans. Maybe there were other raisins. This might’ve been why a little later, a sure-thing finish became a 7-yard spray... Ouch, at one-nil too... Not many, if any, were as devastated as he. What are you gonna do?
The only thing you can: Get on with it.
So we did. Ryan cashed in on some more wide break action, the best of which by far was a proper ‘dine-out: all-you-can-eat’ 35 yard^ complete thunderstrike. ⚽️ Certain goal of the year contender... keeper no chance. Funny, the fairly well uninformed just finished wisely saying “No, dont do that...” (take it all on yourself). Oh alright, probs ok if you did do that then. As you were mate. Bloody cracker!
2:0
Vikings could now make the most of their two goal cushion & power home to the end. It was mostly one-way pressure & surely some icing to the cake would be applied. Several chances amounted to nought though, and even a goal-bound strike off the scone of Smith head from a well placed corner was somehow minced off the line.
Next: Vukovi must try a visit on Viking shores....
A lip-smacking feast of football action awaits!!
Who wants it more?!
🤘🏼⚽️🤘🏼
*the bells of celebration are still ringing.
^Gagliardi Scale®️ to be confirmed.
