Saturday 9 August 2008
Port United and the Andrew Miedecke Motors-sponsored Port Saints fought out a 2-2 draw in the Football Mid-North Coast Premier League on Saturday.
In a result that saw both teams pick up a point that may yet prove crucial in the race for the top four, United twice took the lead but couldn't hold on against a determined Saints outfit.
The home side were gifted their opener on 19 minutes, with Saints penalised for handball in the penalty area. Goalkeeper Terrance Stafford dived the right way from the resulting spot-kick, but couldn't get his hand on the ball as United went 1-0 ahead.
It was no more than United deserved after having two earlier efforts on goal, but Saints hit back within two minutes as Jared Hartman produced a wonderful finish, chipping the ball over the stranded United keeper to level things in some style.
Both teams again exchanged missed chances, United nearly capitalising on a poor Stafford clearance before Hartman smacked a wonderful left-foot effort just inches over.
Ten minutes into the second half United again took the lead, with Craig Woodcock being disposed on the left by a United player. From there it was clinical, with both the resulting cross and thumping headed finish both out of the top drawer.
Again Saints hit back though, and it took just seven minutes for James Alexander to turn well after receiving a throw-in, and then slotting the ball home for a fine finish. In the context of such a hard-fought game however, Alexander's goal all seemed rather too easy.
Both teams tried hard to grab a winner, with United having the better of the chances, and with eight minutes remaining it looked like the home side would grab the winner only for Nathan Attard to clear the danger right on the goal-line.
In the end both teams had to settle for a point, with Saints maintaining a good run of recent form going into Saturday's home clash with high-flying Macleay Valley Rangers.
Saturday 31 May 2008
An extraordinary 20-minute spell has seen Macleay Valley Rangers hand the Andrew Miedecke Motors-sponsored Port Saints a lesson in the Football Mid-North Coast Premier League.
With 54 minutes gone the game was locked at 0-0, yet by the 74th minute MVR led 6-0 after a stunning goal blitz saw them cruise to all three points.
After holding their highly-rated opponents goalless for so long, Port Saints went behind after conceding a soft goal from a short free-kick routine.
MVR doubled their lead on 62 minutes, and within two minutes it was 3-0 with the home side taking a short corner as Port Saints once again fell asleep at a set-piece.
Six minutes later Craig Woodcock was in the right place to head a shot off the line, but within seconds it was 4-0. Two minutes later a carbon-copy goal made it 5-0, and a fine piece of awareness gave MVR a third goal in five minutes, and a 6-0 scoreline.
Port Saints finished the game well, but were left to look back on a crazy spell which saw MVR pick up the three points.
It was the visitors who had the first effort on goal after just seven minutes, Trent Carrall shooting over when presented with a half-chance, but soon after Saints goalkeeper Terrance Stafford was called into action for the first time, saving well with his feet and then watching the follow-up being blasted wide.
James Alexander had an effort on 18 minutes that went over, but MVR soon got in their stride, shooting wide on 21 minutes before Stafford somehow blocked a close-range shot.
Shortly after MVR came close again, but Port Saints managed to keep their opponents out until half-time, with the only action of note seeing defender Eddie Gillroy pick up a yellow card for a late tackle.
MVR started the second half well, coming close in just the second minute, and Alexander followed Gillroy into the referee's notebook on 53 minutes after giving away a foul in a dangerous position.
From the resulting free-kick MVR took the lead, setting up 20 minutes of misery for Port Saints as shots rained in on Stafford's goal.
The pick of the bunch was MVR's sixth, which saw the unlucky Stafford race off his line to clear, only for the ball to be returned first time from 45 metres back into the unguarded net.
Port Saints managed to keep the home side scoreless in the last 15 minutes, and indeed captain Matt Williams came close with a free-kick. It would have been scant consolation for his side, who have a week off before entertaining the Taree Wildcats on Saturday June 14 (3pm kick off)
Saturday 24 May 2008
The Andrew Miedecke Motors-sponsored Port Saints have suffered a heart-breaking 1-0 defeat against Port United in the Football Mid-North Coast Premier League.
After bravely battling their way through three major setbacks in the game it looked like Port Saints might hold on for a deserved point, only for the visitors to finally break the deadlock with an 84th-minute effort which found its way into the back of the net courtesy of a huge deflection.
It was tough on Port Saints, who came ever so close to snatching a point despite conceding a first-half penalty; playing for more than half the game with only 10 men and seeing sweeper Trent Harrison forced off after a sickening collision that left him needing hospital attention.
A slow start gave no indication of the drama that was to follow, with Port United not having the first real effort on goal until the 22nd-minute, a shot from some distance whistling only just over.
On 29 minutes though Port United had a chance from much closer when they were awarded a penalty for handball, but from 12 yards the resulting spot-kick was poor, allowing Port Saints goalkeeper Terrance Stafford to block with some ease.
Stafford showed great bravery in saving the follow-up to keep the game goalless.
Port Saints hit back four minutes later, a free-kick from the right being flicked on and going just wide, and on 36 minutes the home side nearly broke the deadlock when Matt Williams did brilliantly to thread a ball through which allowed both Sam Taylor and Keith Helly to race clear.
Port United's goalkeeper was quick off his line and did enough to snuff out the immediate danger however, with Taylor placing his follow-up shot wide.
Three minutes before the break Port Saints were reduced to 10 men when Nathan Attard was shown a straight red card, forcing his side into a reshuffle and meaning Saints would play the entire second half a man down.
Port United started the second half well, another long-range effort on 50 minutes going just wide, and six minute later the visitors came close again with a shot that was just wide.
Stafford again did well on 61 minutes, coming out to push away a dangerous cross, and six minutes later Port Saints thought they had opened the scoring only for their 'goal' to be disallowed for a foul on the goalkeeper.
Within seconds James Alexander came close after cutting in from the left, but on 70 minutes Harrison, charging down the right, was involved in a crunching tackle that saw the game stopped for over 25 minutes as the Port Saints sweeper received treatment.
When the game finally restarted it was Port Saints who were quicker into their stride, with Williams going on a great run before shooting over with his weaker right foot.
Port United must have thought there was no way through when with seven minutes remaining they saw one effort well saved by Stafford, with the rebound somehow spooned over the bar from close range, but a minute later a driven free-kick was helped on and deflected off a Port Saints player to leave Stafford with no chance.
The goal knocked the stuffing out of the home side, and a minute later it should have been 2-0, only for Stafford to again do well in blocking an effort from close range before the rebound chance was again squandered, this time the follow-up being placed against the post.
There was to be no way back for a gallant Port Saints outfit however, and things could have been worse in the last minute only for Port United to have another effort go just wide.
Despite the defeat it was another brave performance from Port Saints, who should go into Saturday's tough trip to Macleay Valley Rangers in good heart despite missing players through injury and suspension.
Port Saints 0 lost to Port United 1
Wednesday 14 May 2008
The Panthers have defeated Port Saints 4-2 in a hard-fought Football Mid-North Coast Premier League encounter at Wayne Richards Park on Wednesday night.
Two goals in as many minutes on the half-hour mark gave the home side the advantage, but a stunning effort from James Alexander just two minutes after the half-time break gave Port Saints hope.
A penalty after 60 minutes restored the Panthers' two-goal advantage, but when Sam Taylor raced clear to score with 21 minutes remaining it was anyone's game.
As Port Saints pushed forward in search of an equaliser however the Panthers finally sealed the game with a fourth goal to secure all three points.
An even start to the game saw little in the way of goalmouth action apart from a couple of long-range shots from each team, but things started to heat up after 27 minutes when, within seconds, the Panthers had a shout for a penalty turned down and Port Saints goalkeeper Terrance Stafford was forced to tip a shot over the crossbar.
Three minutes later though the Panthers were ahead, a shot from outside the area clipping the inside of the post before crossing the line to give the home side the lead.
Port Saints suffered a further blow a minute later, with Stafford's ball being cut out by a Panthers attacker, who still had a lot to do before beating two men and slotting his shot home.
The Panthers stepped up another gear before half-time, twice hitting the woodwork and forcing Stafford to race bravely off his line to block a shot, while in injury-time Taylor nearly grabbed his side a lifeline, only to see his effort blocked on the line by a defender.
Two minutes after the restart Port Saints did halve the deficit however, Alexander - with absolutely nothing on - turning and hitting a superb shot from 35 yards which nestled into the corner of the net.
The Panthers hit back with Stafford again keeping his side in the game, but on 53 minutes the home side came close again with a free-kick taking a deflection and onto the post, with the rebound somehow evading the onrushing attackers.
Stafford again kept his team in it by racing off his line to block a shot, but the Panthers were awarded a clear-cut penalty on the hour-mark, which was tucked away to make it 3-1.
Against the run of play Taylor pulled one back for Port Saints on 69 minutes despite the best efforts of the Panthers goalkeeper, setting up an enthralling last 21 minutes which saw Port Saints create chances pushing forwards and the Panthers constantly look dangerous on the break.
Panthers came close on 76 and 83 minutes, but sandwiching those efforts Port Saints twice nearly grabbed an unlikely equaliser, with Trent Harrison racing clear only to hit a shot over the crossbar, and then Daniel Gardner hitting a thunderous effort just over from the edge of the area.
With four minutes left Panthers again hit the post, but they finally sealed the game on 87 minutes with an attacker cutting in from the left before shooting into the bottom corner.
It was a deserved win for the Panthers, who hit the woodwork an incredible four times, but Port Saints - missing injured duo Matt Williams and Peter Goonan - will take plenty of heart out of a brave performance.
Port Saints 2 (James Alexander, Sam Taylor) lost to Panthers
Saturday 10 May 2008
Port Saints have continued their impressive start in the Football Mid-North Coast Premier League with a 3-2 win over the Wauchope Axemen.
After starting life in the top flight with a draw against the Camden Haven Redbacks and victory against Great Lakes Vikings, both at home, Port Saints' first away trip of the season couldn't have got off to a worse start when Wauchope took the lead after just three minutes.
But Port Saints hit back in style, with Sam Taylor, Matt Williams and Nathan Attard all on target with fine strikes before half-time.
Wauchope hit back in the second half, pulling a goal back on 62 minutes, and could have grabbed an equaliser three minutes later only for Port Saints goalkeeper Terrance Stafford to pull off a wonderful fingertip save.
Port Saints hung on to collect all three points, but their unbeaten run will be put to the test on Wednesday night when they take on Panthers at Wayne Richards Park in a catch-up game.
Wauchope got off to the perfect start when, with just over two minutes on the clock, they raced into the lead. The ball found its way to a completely unmarked attacker on the left, and he made no mistake by slipping the ball under the exposed Stafford.
Port Saints hit back with an effort from Taylor - who would go on to 'enjoy' an eventful 45 minutes - that went just wide, before the same player had another effort on 11 minutes from a tight angle.
On 16 minutes the visitors were back on level terms however, with Taylor burying a shot into the far corner with his left foot.
And 10 minutes later it was 2-1, Williams producing a finish of some quality to put his side ahead.
The home side spurned a glorious chance to level things on 34 minutes, a shot being blasted over the bar from close range, before Taylor was forced off for treatment with a nasty cut under his right eye.
Taylor would eventually recover to come back on just before half-time, and Port Saints came close to extending their lead when David Bruce - a standout for the visitors - fired just over.
But Port Saints did go into the break two goals to the good when Attard struck with just seconds to go, turning brilliantly before thumping a shot home for his side's third goal of real quality.
Any thoughts that the goal might kill off Wauchope proved unfounded however, as although Williams fired over following some good work by James Alexander, Wauchope made it 3-2 after 17 minutes of the second half following a rare mistake from Attard.
The Port Saints sweeper was caught in possession deep inside his own half, and the home side capitalised to give them real hope of snatching at least a draw.
And they should have been on level terms after 65 minutes, but just when it looked like a shot from close range was going in, Stafford reacted brilliantly, flinging himself full length to tip the ball around the post.
With 25 minutes remaining any result still looked possible, but Port Saints just about held on, with Williams coming close late on with a cracking shot.
It was a win that took Port Saints to seven points from a possible nine - but they know they will need to improve when they take on Panthers on Wednesday before having a rest next Saturday when they have the bye.
Port Saints 3 (Sam Taylor, Matt Williams, Nathan Attard) defeated Wauchope Axemen 2