River Grab Undeserved Victory (yeh no puns I know, failure)

Reported By Robert Green

After two weekends of persistent downpour it seemed Lilli Pilli FC U21’s were keen to continue their unbeaten run that stretched all the way back to their second game of the season – when they were soundly beaten by an energetic Georges River side, the former of which they were up against now. A highly controversial match followed in which an ultimately ten-man Pilli side succumbed to a 4-3 defeat.

Lilli Pilli arrived to the match with what seemed a significantly depleted squad with the likes of Clayden, Foldi and Poulos all absent due to injury, muppetness and family matters (obvious who that is), respectively. Additionally, first team coach Dan Anderrson was also unavailable; with assistant coach Declan Tracey stepping in as care taker coach. Dean Thompson (Womaniser Jr.) was called up from the Berry youth development squad as cover for the missing squad members. Are those enough excuses for a loss or…?

LPFC U21’s, or Berry Bafana Bafana - as recently renamed in honour of the World Cup - began the contest eagerly, with the Bafana (yes I will be referring to them by this name for the rest of the article) side looking far superior in all aspects of the game. Bafana’s attitude may well have been a key contributor to Pilli’s first goal which came only 10 minutes in when a delicious through ball from team leprechaun Michael Tracey was beautifully finished on the half-volley some 25-yards out by playmaker Matthew Phipps. Woo!

The opening goal seemed to launch Bafana to an even higher class of football, which can be analogously compared as Bafana being Aaron Vom Bruch’s height and River being squeak. At this point it in the match it was even reported that Sportsbet Live had Pilli’s odds at 0.65c to win. This was further ratified when new recruit Daniel Costa scored his very first goal for the club, sending the crowd into ecstasy. In a flowing move Bafana wove their way into Rivers box, when a pass out wide reached Costa, who fired and angled shot low and hard into the old onion bag. However, this was only the beginning of the end for Bafana.

With Bafana still dominating play, River launched a counter down the grandstand flank until Pilli defender Jackson Versitano was ruled to have fouled his opposite man. It was from this set piece which River sent a low and hard shot along the ground under Bafana’s wall, only for interim ‘keeper Matthew Burg to somehow gift River a goal. Some say ground keeping issues are to blame – in which they would be 100% correct.

Bafana’s impressive play soon became interrupted with numerous chances including a Squeak goal ruled offside by the emphysema-bound referee. The end of the half saw Bafana’s luck drift from bad to worse with the referee ruling an alleged pass-back from Versitano to Burg – which many claimed to be a pathetic decision. As the story goes, River scored off a deflection from the indirect free-kick. Though the worst incident of the half followed the goal in the form of the two-carded dismissal of temporary ranga Kurtis Thompson from the game after expressing his emotions to the referee.

The coaching staff then had to focus on calming their side down at the half and focusing on playing a the style they are known for – though now with ten men, and getting the boys head in the right mind frame for the next 45 minutes courtesy of a master class motivational speech from Emily Gilbert.

A reinvigorated Berries side then took to the field and looked to earn there deserved 3 points from the occasion. Both sides maintained a spectacular brand of football in their quest to bag the ever elusive last minute goal, and unfortunately River were the team to break the deadlock to take the lead. 3-2 it was.

This didn’t stop a ten men Bafana side from throwing everything at them. Incredibly, stand-in captain Michael Treacy managed to pull one back for his side after a Phipps free-kick rebounded favourably for ti’ lil’ Irish man. This was Treacy’s first goal for the club and how important it was – with Pilli looking certain to have squeezed a brilliant point from the match.

Though it was not to be for the brave men in green and gold as River shot themselves level with a devlish shot from the edge of the box – gifting themselves a rather undeserved win. As the final whistle was blown Bafan fans remained stunned that at the final result which had rightly robbed of their team of three points.