On The Road Again

As we are getting down to the pointy end of the season, I will be picking out the do or die, promotion clinching and great escape matches to go to, this week by stroke of luck I managed to get two in.

In what could possibly be my last trip west for this season, I had singled out the return match of a game I attended earlier in the year, that of Cairnlea and North Sunshine Eagles. On paper it clearly stood out from all the rest. Traditional and local rivals, Cairnlea were on top of the ladder before this match and coming off a defeat last week to Yarraville and looking to make amends for their 4-2 loss at North Sunshine in Round 8. North Sunshine on perhaps 'Mission Impossible', 5 points behind Cairnlea before the match, but with 2 games in hand and an appeal to be heard with the FFV which may still see them lose points or be expelled from the league.

I was a bit stretched for time, with my daughters last game of netball for the year due to finish at 2:00pm, I had tentatively penciled in 2nd placed Westvales match against Geelong only a few kilometres away if I could get in the area within an hour, unlikely I thought.

By some sort of miracle, we happened to get away from Netball a bit earlier than usual, made great time down Alexandra Pde and I managed to walk in the gate at McKenchie Reserve just as the match was kicking off.

Westvale were playing their match on the back park for reasons unknown to me. The main park didn't look unplayable, but it wasn't in the best shape either.

As soon as I was setup and ready to go Westvale took the lead, with their big number 11 cooly slotting home 1 on 1 with the keeper. There was not many clear cut chances in the half with most of the entertainment coming from the animated Westvale keeper. As half time neared, I quietly packed up and moved onto Cairnlea.

On arrival at the relatively new Cairnlea Park, I was greeted by the largest crowd I had seen at non VPL match all year. Both sets of supporters lined the fence on the clubhouse side of the ground with good numbers on the opposite side and behind the goals as well. I learnt that North Sunshine were leading 1-0 at the break so anticipating Cairnlea to come out firing I positioned myself in their attacking half.

It was an absorbing match, North Sunshine were pressuring the ball well and didn't give Cairnlea the time or space to get forward, frustrating them. Most of the action was happening on the other side of the ground so I made the decision to switch sides, which also meant taking shots into the sun.

As I was sneaking behind the goals North Sunshine won a corner, I cheekily asked one of the Sunshine supporters behind the fence which one of their players was going to score from the set play, he replied "The big number 9", I focused on him at the back post and waited for the kick. A Cairnlea defender cut out the kick, but as I was looking to see where the ball had gone it fell to the big number 9 who buried the shot and reeled away in celebration.

The supporters behind me, delighted that they had guessed correctly asked "did you get the shot?" I replied a bit disappointed that I had not, but even if I had I think there would of been too many bodies in the way.

Cairnlea huffed and puffed and tried to get a goal back, but the closest they came was an indirect free kick for a backpass, which North Sunshine scrambled away and another free kick from their captain from a fair way out which was floated into the box and looked to have caught the keeper out as it came back off the cross bar and was cleared away.

It finished 2-0, North Sunshine were worthy winners from what I saw and hopefully they can get another win on Monday night at the Tribunal to keep their improbable dream alive.

On another note, it was great to be recognised by a few in the crowd at Cairnlea, it is nice to hear there is people looking at the photos and appreciating them.

Images from both matches can be found on this website and on my Facebook Page.