Mixed Fortunes for Amateurs

23 April 2013 Written by HRSC

Perth Royals 1:0 Hamersley Rovers

In overcast and at times showery conditions at the JA Lee Reserve, Hamersley Rovers, missing four first team regulars, suffered their first defeat of the season to Perth Royals.

The game opened with Hamersley showing intent, as Ryan Williams, full of confidence from his first Hamersley league goal in the league opener last week, muscled himself onto the ball and found Steve Kruit with a threaded ball, the latter with just too heavy a touch in front of the Royal’s keeper, receiving a yellow for his enthusiastic attempt to win the ball.

Hamersley’s next chance, 20 minutes into the game, came courtesy of a Kruit won corner. The near post cross somehow slipped its way through to Glen Arkins, whose shot from close range was struck well enough but was kept out through a combination of keeper and defender.

The game had settled into a fairly even contest of few chances, Hamersley enjoying occasional pressure, though not really threatening, through a number of good crosses, while their opponents had the occasional shot from distance but mainly opted for the long ball and to sit back.

As the game progressed to half time both sides were guilty of losing possession too easily, with the Royal’s No. 33 finding himself getting on the ball more frequently, as on the occasion when he delivered a good ball for Royal’s ‘Shane Warne’ striker, who, as epitomised his afternoon, missed his effort by some distance.

The second half started slowly with Hamersley working hard but not threatening. Then, after 65 minutes, a cross in from the left found Royal’s No. 33, who put his header back across Ian Norgrove’s goal, and while Hamersley’s clean sheet hero from last week got fingers to the ball he could not prevent it from reaching the corner of the net.

Hamersley responded well. A positive run from Williams took him down the left wing, and after a neat one-two with Declan Peters, found Dan Fowler at the far post with a low cross, who could unfortunately only find the side netting with his stretching effort.

The game was more open now but Perth Royals also began to threaten more, ‘Shane Warne’ toe poking his effort straight at Norgrove. Hamersley again threatened when Fowler found Williams with a great long cross, and though Williams’ header appeared to take a deflection wide. the referee only pointed for a goal kick. A further strike from Royal’s No. 33 rattled the underside of Norgrove’s crossbar, thankfully bouncing to safety.

On 74 minutes a controversial decision all but ended Hamersley’s chances of taking away points from the afternoon. A sliding challenge from Matty Emery saw him clearly kick the ball back to Norgrove, and as the striker tumbled over Emery’s leg the referee made yet another poor call and awarded a free kick to Perth while issuing a red card to the unfortunate Emery. Following the dismissal the game petered out and Hamersley failed to threaten.

A disappointing result on an afternoon when Hamersley didn’t really fire, and one that the Hamersley lads will certainly be looking to make amends for in Round 3.

Coach Brad Brooks (on the flat performance): “We were reactive, not proactive.”

Perth Royals Reserves 0:1 Hamersley Rovers Reserves

Earlier in the afternoon Hamersley reserves enjoyed a second successive victory thanks to a Dan Malatesta strike in the first half.

Hamersley dominated and could have been ahead by more than the one at the interval, the goal being struck well by Malatesta from outside of the box but the keeper perhaps should have done better as he let the ball go under his body.

The second half saw further chances for Rovers, with Ben Comber striking the post with a low drive, Dan Willis glancing a header just wide and Paul Broom getting on the end of a long cross to find his header just going over the bar. Paudie Byrne also came close as he was found by a great Matt Austin free kick, but Byrne only saw the ball late and dragged his effort wide of the post.

The concern began to arise that the failure to be clinical might result in a slip. Dan Malatesta had a chance to put any such fears to rest as the ever-energetic Austin, who disposed the defender and broke through into the Perth half, played him through. As the free Malatesta received the ball it seemed certain he would finish with only the keeper to beat, but it was not to be as yet another chance went begging.

Fortunately though Perth had nothing to offer, and while they did make the occasional foray toward the Hamersley penalty box, they never looked like breaching Dave Wood’s goal.

A good result that sees the Ressies with 6 points taken from 6 available.