Playing long balls into empty space since 2012.

Saturday 21 April 2012

Clifton Hill United v Altona East Phoenix, 21/04/12

Today I'll be blogging this State league 2 (NW) game from Quarries Park in Clifton Hill. The game starts at 3pm. The souvs are very good and ouzo is $4 a nip. The two teams expect to be vying for promotion at the end of the season so it should be a cracker. A Greek derby as well!

Check out the teams' histories:


Matchday

Arrived at 1.45. Spoke with Altona east reserve team coach, Jim Georgakakis who lamented silly errors by his charges that saw them level 2-2 at half time.

Phoenix dominating in the opening minutes of second half.

Clifton hill take throw near half way.



1.59 linesman gets a brief tutorial from referee.

2.01. Clifton Hill score against run of play despite good initial block by keeper. 3-2

2.05. Long range shot by Altona. Just over bar.

2.11. Dumb goal to Altona. Keeper will not sleep for a week after letting one in through his legs. If no. 10 claims it he will have more front than Myer. 3-3





2.25. Clifton Hill player yellow then red for dissent.

2.30. Game ends 3-3. After a couple of good threatening corners by Altona.


Senior game.


No team sheets available. Still waiting to see if Altona defector, Bozidar 'Bobby' Lojanica is in the Clifton Hill line up.

Altona team warm up.




Clifton Hill team



3.05. Kick off

3.06 Good lead up work by ch. Poor shot across goal.

3.08. Clifton Hill looking good on right hand side.



3.10. Clifton Hill cross beat goalkeeper hitting the post. Cleared.Clifton Hill dominant.

3.13. Dangerous cross by Bobby cut out well and cleared.

3.14. Bobby clearly offside. Shoots over from distance.

3.19. Bourakis blasts over for Altona. Altona on the back foot. Only looking likely to score on the break.

3.21. Clifton Hill free kick. Doesn't beat first man and cleared.

3.23. (bought 5 tickets in raffle)

3.27. Clifton Hill in control without really threatening. Altona need to weather this opening and the second half will play out better for them.

3.29. Better period for Altona. Clifton Hill break. Bobby cross onto roof of net.

3.34. Corner earned by Clifton Hill. But mucking around short corner nonsense defuses Clifton Hill attack.



3.36. Clifton Hill free kick in dangerous position. Blasted into wall.

3.38. "Clifton Hill with a lot of the ball haven't worked out how to break down Altona" -- Paul Mavroudis.

3.41. Altona. Shot from left across the goal.

3.43. Bad chop from behind sees Bourakis get a yellow. Free kick on right wing. Goal. Square ball deceives defense and kicked into goal with a curling slice from edge of area. Cliton hill 1-0.

3.47. Altona break fizzles out due to lack of support.

3.48. Bobby break down left. Shoots at keeper who holds.

3.49. Altona corner well caught by keeper.

3.50. Half time.

1-0 at half time. A fair indication of Clifton Hill's possession. The goal had a lucky feel to it given that Clifton Hill looked unthreatening in the final third for the rest of the time.

Altona still in this but their need to score might open up some options for Clifton Hill in attack.

4.04. Second half underway.

4.06. Bright start by Altona with some sustained possession up front.

4.09. Break by Altona. Good control on the run by no.17. Good volley into side netting.

4.10. Clifton Hill pressure requires scrambling defense.

4.15. High over the bar from Clifton Hill no. 5.

4.16. Clifton Hill corner. Comes to nothing.

4.17. Another corner. Shot cleared.

4.18. Dominant period for Clifton Hill. Long throw from right produces opportunity headed wide.

4.20. Break from Altona down right. Cross produces shot tipped over for corner. Corner headed wide.

4.22. Altona looking more threatening when they get forward.

4.23. Sustained pressure from Altona.



4.29. Clifton Hill keeper says "we're playing at their tempo. We've got to change it!"

4.31. Clifton Hill pressure forces corner. Nothing comes of it.

4.33 Goal. Franck Labah Kohler scores for altona after referee plays two good advantages in quick succession. 1-1. Deserved goal after period of dominance.

4.37. Clifton Hill have lifted a gear. Corner punched behind. Subsequent corner leads to goalmouth scramble. Ball cleared.

4.39. Altona break. Poor final ball spoils goalscoring opportunity.

4.40. More good lead up down right for Altona. Dumb final ball crossed onto net.

4.41. Another cross from right badly met by Sam Winch.

4.42. Bad tackle by Altona player. Yellow.

4.45. More pressure down right from Altona. Good cross produces scoring opportunity.



4.47. "The way it's going we'll pinch it" -- pavlaki

4.49. Clifton Hill putting on one last push.

4.50. Altona break. Blazed over from right.

4.51. Michael Gwyther wins penalty for Altona. Taken by Bourakis. Keeper judges well and saves next to post.

4.52. Full-time. 1-1.




Altona shade the half and in the end unlucky not to take all three points. Suggests that the defensive mindset of the first half might have been a mistake. Some promising young players up front bode well for the season. Clifton Hill will see this as two points lost but they need to work harder in the final third if they want to put games away.

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