Missed Opportunity
After a 3 week lay off due to the adverse weather the conference’s top two teams found themselves thrown together for one of the season’s most important games, albeit with a few non match cobwebs!
Coach Kalteneggar still without his full strength squad was forced once again to re-arrange his line up and formation with the ever texting Shannon coming in for Parelli in the midfield and Hardwick in for Totaro playing just in behind Merlino.
As per usual the game started at break neck speed but with the pitch still sporting puddles from the recent downpours there made for some interesting challenges of which the referee failed to act appropriately. Greenisland, as the game went on, started to put some meaningful attacks together but with the bulky frame of Ault and the even bulkier frame of Grayson at the back all aerial attacks were thwarted. And just as the scripts had gone against Balmain this season a break down the right from Modena saw his cross converted via the keeper and a defender by Dave “First Touch” Hardwick for a 1-0 lead to Balmain. Greenisland seemed to take offence to having 80% of the game and being a goal down (welcome to our world) and increased the pressure on The Tigers Goal but still they held firm.
Half-time came and went and still Balmain held on even after losing first Ault with a dead leg, then Suttor with an even deader leg. The pressure was now relentless and a slip of concentration saw a Greenisland winger steal away down the right for his inch perfect cross to be converted from 6 yards giving Cuthbert no chance in goal…1-1. You would have thought, “that’s it, we’re gone now” but No! Balmain took the ascendancy and began to take the game by the scruff of the neck, First Uri “The Urinator” Kaye with a looping chip that just beat the upright, then a Jaffray volley that crashed off the bar followed by a deflected save which fell to the big man (Lozza) for a simple tap in….2-1 to Balmain…….NO!! Offside from 3 yards out!
And so it ended with what appeared to be a fair result but Balmain will know this was very much a missed opportunity.The man of the match went to the ever Righteous Jaffray, for his workman like performance with a mention for all the 5 boys at the back for their great effort in keeping us in the game.
Earlier, the reserve team recorded another crushing victory against Greenisland, the final score ending 6-1. First half goals to Craig Andrews (a double), Admir Smajovic, and Jem Richardson put the tigers ahead 4-0 at the break. Sasha Emedi scored a pile driver from well outside the box to make it five in the second half, and Ibrahim “Ibby” Ibrahimovic scored the first goal of his life to record six, and after seeing him celebrate we can only hope he scores a few more this season.
