South Springvale v Doncaster Rovers Report
Round 2 State League Div.2 South East Saturday 21st April 2007
Reserves: South Springvale 2 v Doncaster Rovers 4
Seniors: South Springvale 0 v Doncaster Rovers 1
Doncaster Rovers were playing Round 2 at South Springvale’s Warner Reserve whilst for 6 of the teams in the league, including South Springvale; it was there first round for 2007.
Bleak conditions descended as the start of the game approached and the unusual sight of rain fell all afternoon causing the otherwise hard ground to become slippery. After last weeks draw coach Joe Biskic made to forced changes. Striker Stefanidis was away as his wife was giving birth and new signing Tony Alessandrino was injured. In came the experienced Gerry McAleer after serving suspension and young Matthew De Angelis for his first start after illness and a string of injuries.
The compact pitch at South Springvale usually causes the game to become a cauldron of fiery exchanges and today was no different. The game started with both teams playing attacking football with both keepers being called into action early. Rovers began to assert domination through the midfield and each time South Springvale attacked the Rovers defence closed efficiently.
After early waves of attacking the Rovers for a short time lost its way midway through the first half and South Springvale were now edging possession and looking dangerous in attack with player – coach Ange Goutzoulis causing some problems for the Rovers defence. Tempers flared during this period when Matt DeAngelis was badly fouled ‘with a studs up’ tackle that was very high. Referee Minic decided that no card was warranted much to the annoyance of the Rovers players even though DeAngelis required extensive treatment.
The second half produced a number of chances and the game became more open. Rovers pushed forward from the kick off and it stayed that way for the whole half. The industry of Michael Santoro in midfield and the over lapping exchanges between Santoro and Ramzi Nasser down the right flank caused problems for South Springvale. The injury to DeAngelis proved too much and he was substituted in the 50th minute with Adam Wiles taking up a wide left position. Rovers were now stretching the opposition and a slick exchange in front of goal saw the 17 year old Rovers junior Shayan Alinejad shoot from point blank only to see South Springvale’s veteran keeper Tony Sango save with his feet.
This spurred Rovers into further attacks and after a corner from the right the ball was headed at close range at goal and Sango scrambled across his line to get his left hand to the ball. Only moments later at the 68th minute mark Rovers sent up the big men for a free kick, the ball was half cleared to the edge of the penalty area and fell to Rovers defender Jason Vukadin who unleashed a cannon ball that had goal written all over it. The players and the crowd were simply astounded when the South Springvale keeper again managed to keep the ball from crossing the line with his feet.
Then finally the moment that Rovers wanted came with 12 minutes remaining there was some polished passing from the midfield with captain Rob Ardesi running through the centre Michael Santoro sent in a pin point cross and the captain headed the ball past the ex-Rovers keeper Sango to put Rovers 1 – 0 up.
South Springvale responded with searching for the equalizer and now the Rovers keeper Manny Pappas was required to make two late saves to ensure that Rovers went home with all three points.
