Saturday, 6 June 2009
Narrabundah FC 5
Dziubinski 16′, P. Romero 32′, D. Park 57′, Gonzalez 65′, Ibaceta 81′
Belconnen United 1
D. Allshins 51′
A resurgent Narrabundah came up against cellar dwellers Belconnen Utd in what was expected to be a comfortable day out for the reds. And so it was to prove with early goals to Dziubinski and Paulo Romero settling Narrabundah early and late goals sealing what was an assured performance.
Possibly with an eye on next weeks fixture against table topping Tuggeranong Utd, Romero decided to rest some of his stars for this match with Perryman, Quiroga, Muller and Coulter all failing to even make the squad this weekend, but even shorn of their big names, this Narrabundah side was to prove far too strong for a naïve Belconnen side who after falling behind were quick to resort to nasty and late tackles in an attempt to unsettle their opponents.
The match started off with Narrabundah effectively pinning Belconnen back in their own half and should have taken the lead after all of 5 minutes when Dziubinski was played through, only to see his calmly slotted effort come back off the post. Russell was creating havoc running from deep on the left side whilst Ibaceta and Emmy Park were finding plenty of room in the middle and it would not take long for another chance to be created.
Paulo Romero received the ball in the box before turning his man inside out and then attempted to play Dziubinski through when he perhaps should have shot. Dziubinski running through once again found the post from close range, but it wouldn’t have counted anyway as the over enthusiastic linesman had raised his flag for offside.
Eventually the breakthrough came though after another scramble in the box, Dziubinski managing to find the top corner from close range. Narrabundah continued to press and created several more good chances before the second goal duly arrived. It is possibly the best goal this Narrabundah team have scored to date with excellent build up all the way from the back to the front before a neat finish by Paulo Romero. It would remain 2-0 until half time.
After a relaxed team talk (largely because the manager thought it was already 3-0), Narrabundah came back out onto the pitch in a determined mood, but would initially be set back. A soft free kick on half way was given after a(nother) clean tackle by McConkey. The bewildered Belconnen players emerged from their own half for the first time to take the free kick which harmlessly enough was lofted towards the box. Player-manager Brett Romero looked to have a comfortable header away but only managed to nod it on. Pena in goals came to claim but was clattered into a Belconnen player with no intention for the ball before it finally dropped to Allshins who managed to finally tuck it away with a fabled double-shin drain pipe. 2-1 and Belconnen were undeservedly back in the match.
It wasn’t to last though. Narrabundah continued to press and shortly after, had a corner. Romero, looking to atone for his earlier mistake stepped up to take it and whipped in a wicked ball which found the shortest man on the pitch in Danny Park all alone at the back post where he nonchalantly powered his header home. Narrabundah had their breathing space back.
They continued to press and soon after had another goal, Gonzalez tucking home from close range after yet another scramble in the box. Narrabundah would have to wait for their icing though as chance after chance were wasted. The final goal came from Ibaceta, after playing down the left through the excellent Russell once again, the ball was played across the top of the box to Ibaceta, who looked to have let it run too wide. But he kept his composure and with a deft turn, saw the keeper off his line and from the edge of the box managed to chip him with ease to finish off the rout. Late chances continued to fall to Narrabundah with time still for Ibaceta to fire another effort against the post and Brett Romero to shoot across the face of goal, both efforts from close range, but the score remained at 5-1.
The confidence that comes from this victory should put Narrabundah in good stead for the match next week, but it will be a big test for this new side. Narrabundah have yet to beat a team above them in the table this season and this should prove to be a big test of how much they have learnt from their earlier defeats.