Atlantic Stars : Match Report v. Coconut Joes on 10 Feb 2009

2009-02-15T14:21:00.000-08:00

Atlantic Star 2 Coconut Joes 1

Maguire (2)

Murray

Holian

Leach

Glasgow

Maguire

Marler

Coyne

Dickens

Thorburn

Fraser

Carlowe

Heffernan

Atterbury

Jack

As we enter the final third of the season this game was to take on huge importance with the winner cementing second place in the table, and looking the firm favourites to finish the league campaign as runners up. For the second week running there was a fantastic turn out for Star, only Doherty and Griffiths through work commitments, and Silveria and Coen on the treatment table were absent. Coen was suffering from shin splints after a challenging World Cup schedule over the weekend.

Looking to build on an excellent win against the Old Boys, Atterbury opted to start again with a physical side to test the waters against a Coconut Joes side brimming in confidence. The only tactical change was the decision to play a man marker on Chris Ordolis, the opposition’s midfield play maker. Skipper Glasgow started in this role, although as the game got underway Joes had placed him up front which meant some Atlantic Star started with the ball largely in their own half. The first couple of half chances befell Star but were wasted and then Murray was called upon a couple of times in quick succession to block from the Coconut Joes strikers.

There were a lot of weary players on both sides after the toils of the World Cup over the previous weekend and even with so much at stake, the game was almost taking on a lackadaisical manner. Regular substitutions were used by both sides but neither were to push the other to the edge and it was of little surprise at half time when the scoreline remained goalless.

Was the second half going to be any different or would both sides be content to see out a draw? This question was to be answered by Kris Maguire as he suddenly stepped up and took the game by the scruff of the neck.

From a high kick out by the Joes goalkeeper, the ceiling was struck and a yellow card was brandished. As happens in these circumstances Star were able to nominate a player to leave the field and they chose the biggest threat at that time which was the rounded Canadian Joes forward. While he was leaving the field much to his disbelief Maguire stepped up and rocketed the free kick into the back of the net. As Star regrouped for the kick off and the first referee signaled for the goal, the second referee ruled it out claiming it should have been an indirect free kick and the goal wasn’t to stand. To the further frustration of the Star players, they weren’t even allowed to retake the kick and were penalized with the game being allowed to reconvene from the Joes goalkeeper.

But even this wasn’t to hold Star back. As Dickens was bundled to the ground on the edge of the area, a free kick was awarded. This time it was direct and Maguire stepped up and for a second time blasted the ball straight into the back of the net. There was no way the referees were going to disallow it again.

Maguire added a second goal minutes later, another powerful shot from the edge of the area giving the Joes goalkeeper little chance. At the other end Murray had been having his best game of the season and despite lots of effort by Coconut Joes, Star were looking pretty comfortable at the back. But as we all know from those who have watched the red and whites this season, it is at this point when things always go wrong. As Atterbury and Thorburn ran straight into each other, knocking each other out, Carlowe tried to get back to cover but Joes suddenly had a three on one opportunity and they didn’t waste the chance to give themselves a lifeline. Suddenly there was belief that Joes could get back into the game, and manager Atterbury learning from the previous week called a time out with three minutes remaining on the clock. Star put on a defensive side to see out the last few moments and they did so successfully and so a second six pointer in a week went the way of Atlantic Star.

Just three games of the regular season remain and second place is now firmly within the grasp of Atlantic Star. Can they see the season out and secure that important position going into the play offs.