Match Report - 28th April 2007

Another two match weekend for Headstone started with a fine 4-1 home win over St Josephs B. Headstone thoroughly deserved the win, dominating the play from start to finish and creating a huge number of very good chances. But the scoreline didn’t tell the tale of a match that, for an hour, was most frustrating for Headstone and looked as though St Josephs would come away with a point.

Headstone went into the game without half their strikeforce as Brett Swinton-Bland had a neck injury. Fed Jaramillo took over up front for the first time this season and had a busy and lively morning.

From the kick off Headstone played some neat passing football which they continued for long periods of the game. They took the play straight to the visitors and pressed them back but out of the blue it was St Josephs who took the lead. With less than two minutes on the clock, from a throw in on the right they played the ball into the box and the Headstone defence played a game of ‘after you’s’, leaving it for each other. While they hesitated St Josephs’ striker nipped in and poked the ball home.

It was a wake up call for Headstone who picked themselves up and pressed forward. Headstone made good use of their two full backs, Tom Wrigley and Ciaran McDougall, to build from the back. They combined well with Jordan Coleman, Thomas Green, Francis Nkhoma and Kyle Giles-Brown to set up many opportunities but the story of the game was Headstone’s lack of a killer instinct in front of goal. Conor McBreen, Francis, Kyle, Fed and Russell Butlin all had good chances. In addition there were many other well built attacks that fizzled out due to misplaced crosses and passes.

Francis looked to have got Headstone level with a fine shot that was cleared off the line. But in the 17th minute he was celebrating with a well taken headed goal from a corner curled in by Jordan. It was one of many well taken corners that he took and Francis raced in to nod home the ball. Later Russell had a great chance from another corner that he crashed onto the crossbar.

At half time the teams came off level though Headstone had most of the play and keeper Daniel Lynch had little to do.

The pattern of the play in the second half was the same though as time progressed Headstone created even more and better chances. However, St Josephs also had a couple of chances in which they came close to scoring. For Headstone the chances fell to Kyle, Thomas, Francis, Jordan, and Conor. But many of these were shot straight at the keeper whose handling was consistently good. Had the chances been placed towards the corners of the goal Headstone would have won the game more convincingly.

As the chances went begging it looked ominously that Headstone would squander their chances and end with a point. Twenty minutes into the half Headstone made two changes. Nicholas Furquim and Luis Meneses Zerpa replaced Jordan and Francis. Nicholas made a significant impact with some well placed passes and crosses that created danger.

Then in the 57th minute he set up Fed to give Headstone the lead. Nick took the ball down the line and crossed and from close range Fed tucked it in. Two minutes later and Fed sealed the win with a really well finished goal. It was set up by Kyle and Ciaran combining down the left and Kyle slipped it inside to Fed. He took the ball inside and curled it neatly inside the far post. Fed had many other opportunities to seal the hatrick. In one of these he hit the post. Jordan Wright replaced Kyle on the left and later both he and Luis tested the keeper.

It was left to top scorer Conor to complete the scoring in the last minute with a goal that he deserved for his persistence. Chasing a long ball over the defence he closed down the defender and got a foot in to slip the ball past the keeper.

There were good performances from all the defenders. Joe Jordan was outstanding playing composed football timing his tackles excellently. Russell was typically commanding. But Ciaran was man of the match for one of his best ever performances. He defended brilliantly and used the ball well throughout the game to show excellent attacking form.