Hammers Too Good for Defending Champions

28 May 2013 Written by HRSC

Joondalup United 2:5 Hamersley Rovers

Goals from Ryan Williams, Ryan Sochanik, Daniel Scudder, Ricky Andrews and Shaun Gibbons saw Hamersley Rovers overturn a two-goal deficit to finish comfortable winners over defending champions Joondalup United at the Charonia Reserve.

Hamersley started the game well and enjoyed considerable possession, spraying good balls across the defence and midfield and probing from both flanks.

The first chance of the game came on 19 minutes. Ryan Williams found himself through on goal after a slide rule pass set up the chance, the big striker taking the ball around the keeper but unable to keep his balance in order to finish.

On 29 minutes, against the run of play, Rovers found themselves a goal down from a Joondalup corner. As the ball was whipped in the Joondalup player eluded his marker and planted his header firmly into the goal from close range.

Rovers needed to respond quickly to assert their authority once more, though on 33 minutes a second goal was conceded. The ball found its way through to the far post from a long throw and was met by a Joondalup player, who stooped low to head the ball into the open corner of the net in front of him.

Hamersley responded well. On 37 minutes, Ryan ‘Razor’ Sochanik found himself through on goal with only the keeper to beat and poked the ball neatly under the approaching keeper. It was no more than Hamersley deserved and gave the players the boost that they needed.

A dangerous moment on 42 mins saw a Joondalup free kick, which was struck fiercely and looked goal bound, well blocked by Ricky Andrews.

Rovers’ equaliser was soon to follow. A burst from their own half, a sensible ball from Shaun Gibbons to Sochanik down the right flank, a simple ball laid on to the front post to Williams who delightfully dinked over the keeper, and Rovers were right back in it.

The half ended with a worrying injury to a Joondalup player, who needed to be stretchered off, though the challenge from Dan Guggisberg was a fair attempt to win the ball.

Hamersley started the second half with confidence. A ball knocked forward to Williams saw the No. 10 slip a ball into the path of the forward bursting Sochanik, who in turn reversed the ball back into Williams’ run. The ball was eventually chipped to the far post and Guggisberg was inches away from getting on the end of what would have been a fantastic team goal.

The third Hamersley goal came from more great team play. The move started from deep inside the Hamersley half with an intelligent cut and inside and switch of play from Declan Peters. As the ball was taken forward and drilled across the box, a dummy from Williams found Gibbons, who in turn flicked on to Daniel Scudder, who proceeded to place the ball under the keeper, to the delight of the away fans.

Hamersley continued to dominate through a number of corners that were scrambled away by Joondalup, though the Rovers players had to ensure discipline as Joondalup could always offer a threat on the counter.

On 60 mins a dangerous moment for Hamersley unfolded as the Joondalup No. 7 was through on goal and rounded keeper Ian Norgrove, but an excellent recovering tackle come block by Phil Clarke prevented the equaliser.

Hamersley’s fourth was a moment of individual brilliance from Rovers’ marauding left back Andrews, who, on 64 minutes, turned the Joondalup defence inside and out and finished superbly over the outrushing keeper. Andrews rightfully enjoyed his goal and his team now sensed that the game was theirs.

On 71 minutes Andrews capped a fine individual performance with a double goal line clearance, after a corner from the right had just crept over both Norgrove and defender Matt Emery. The Joondalup striker hit the ball firmly on both occasions, but Andrews reacted well twice to ensure that the two-goal cushion was maintained.

On 75 mins Joondalup threatened again, with Norgrove saving finely after a cross was sliced and nearly found its way to the far corner of the goal. An athletic dive again kept the lead to two.

Hamersley finished strongly though, enjoying comfortable possession and extinguishing any further Joondalup threat, and with 2 minutes remaining Shaun Gibbons found himself on the scoresheet for the second consecutive week, after a fine run saw him beat a number of players and score confidently.

It was a thoroughly deserved victory and one which makes a statement about Hamersley’s prospects of being a strong contender for the title this season. However, Brad Brooks’ men will certainly not get carried away and will look to build on their good work in the next round.

Joondalup United Reserves 6:0 Hamersley Rovers Reserves

The earlier game saw the Reserves have their winning run taken away from them through a fairly dominant performance by Joondalup, aided by the dismissal of Nick Hage in a lacklustre first half.

Rovers found themselves a goal down after a goalmouth scramble saw the ball cleared off the line by goalkeeper Dave Wood, only to find that the referee adjudicated that the ball had crossed the line.

The second resulted from a near post flick on that the Rovers players failed to react to, the Joondalup player having far too long to control the ball on his chest and drill the ball home from near range.

The task of getting back into the game became even more difficult on 35 minutes, as Nick Hage received a second yellow in quick succession and left the 10 remaining players with a mountain to climb. A third before half time all but decided the result.

However, Rovers did come out with a burst of effort at the start of the second half and struck the upright. A goal at this stage could have seen them back into it.

It was not to be though, and Joondalup added another three in a battling half for Rovers, who had two injured players unable to be subbed due to all three changes having already been made.

After an excellent run of form it was a game where Hamersley were simply not at the races, and though the dismissal ensured that defeat was inevitable, the performance overall was not good enough as they were off pace from the first whistle. The lads will undoubtedly be working hard in training this week to ensure a return to the form that had seen them top prior to the game.