Rovers Drop Points to Hard Working North Perth

22 June 2013 Written by HRSC

North Perth 2:1 Hamersley Rovers

A tricky Sunday outing saw Hamersley Rovers drop points to hard working North Perth at Woodville Reserve.

Rovers started the game brightly with a flurry of half chances in the opening five minutes, Dan Scudder and Ryan Williams both making the home keeper work, while Dan Guggisberg struck with power from the edge of the box moments later, only to see his effort clear the bar by some distance.

On 15 minutes North Perth showed attacking intentions of their own, with a sharp strike that took a deflection and only just went wide of the post.

On 25 minutes North Perth threatened again, this time taking the lead with a whipped cross headed powerfully back across Ian Norgrove’s goal and into the top left corner. The goal was well taken but came largely against the run of play and left the visitors stunned.

A further worrying moment came two minutes later when a great challenge from Matty Emery, that was harshly awarded as a foul, resulted in a free-kick that fortunately came back off the post.

Better play from Hamersley brought them back into it and a left footed strike from Ricky Andrews on 33 minutes was well hit but saved by the keeper.

Chances remained at a premium with North Perth content to sit deep and defend, allowing Hamersley to keep good possession and continue to probe for an opening. A further chance came for the visitors at the end of the half, when an Andrews free kick found Williams towards the far post, though the latter was unable to convert a difficult header under pressure from two defenders.

The second half was characterised by hard work and pressing from Hamersley and long kicks down the field from the home side’s No. 1. The first of two penalties of the second half coming from one of the launches forward from North Perth. The ball travelled a long way and the striker squeezed his way through towards goal, knocking the ball well wide of Norgrove and, though the striker was well wide of the goal and going nowhere, the connection from the outstretched hand of Norgrove was undeniable. Hamersley’s No. 1 stood strong to make a fine save to his left and keep Rovers in the game.

A few minutes later Hamersley were further behind due to another long ball that got lost in the low sunshine and found its way to a North Perth striker, who drilled in across the face of goal.

Hamersley now threw caution to the wind and their pressure eventually caused the stubborn North Perth defence to crack as Dan Fowler was brought down in the box. Williams stepped up to coolly plant the spot kick firmly away in the bottom left corner of the goal and set up a tense finale.

With nine minutes remaining, a free kick from Williams was well struck and left the keeper rooted to his spot, though the crossbar came to the rescue for the home side, and left Hamersley still searching and working hard for the equaliser.

It was not to be however, as the hard working North Perth saw out the remainder of the match and left Hamersley frustrated at what might have been.

Brad Brooks’ men will learn from this and will now look to put this result behind them in the next round.

North Perth Reserves 0:1 Hamersley Rovers Reserves

The earlier game saw a tight contest between two hard working teams eventuate in a win for Hamersley Rovers Reserves.

North Perth came out of the blocks quickly and with intensity, making Rovers work hard for every challenge and pegging the visitors back in the initial stages.

Hamersley did find their touch midway through the first half and a good passage of play, which saw some free-flowing football involving a range of players, resulted in a second goal of the season from Robin Maerte, after good work down the right flank set up the German to plant home from inside the box.

North Perth continued to contest the game throughout and ensured that the visitors had to work hard defensively, though further chances could have put the game to bed as a number of contentious offside decisions limited chances and another Robin ‘Schweinsteiger’ Maerte effort came back off the crossbar.

In the end, though, the one goal was enough to secure the three points for Tel Stupple’s men, who now look build on their recent form in the next round.