Round 2 – West City Crusaders vs Northern Tigers

12 Boys West City Crusaders F.C (3) Northern Tigers (4)
This game was full of goal scoring opportunities. The boys played with passion today as they are now starting to find their feet with some quick passing and player movement which saw some good combinations starting to develop in attack and defence. Unluckily the boys went down today but they will undoubtedly get better and better with more games, a very good effort by all the boys.
Goal scorers: Bayley Morriss 2 Jake White 1
12 Girls West City Crusaders F.C (1) Northern Tigers (10)
Although the score card may not show it, this team is special! They are young and full of inspiration and determination. A never give up attitude will only see these young ladies improve immensely as a team full of promise. Just learning the simple aspects of futsal will come with experience, an excellent performance by all the ladies.
Goal scorers: Gabriela Pace 1
14 Boys West City Crusaders F.C (6) Northern Tigers (2)
It took the boys a little while to get into the grove today, going into the half time break with the score 2-1 in our favour. The second half was different, our boys were full of life and moved the ball around with speed, constant pressing and possession. Eventually the boys put away their chances and ran out 6-2 victors.
Goal scorers: Dylan Vella 2 Nathan Eskelinen 2 Liam Foote 1 Brandon Vella 1
14 Girls West City Crusaders F.C (5) Northern Tigers (0)
The girls were solid from the get go, never looking like they were in any real danger of conceding a goal. The girls played simple futsal pushing in attack and squeezing in defence really well and eventually running out 5 nil winners. A very good win and showing great signs for their round three clash with Hills Brumbies.
Goal scorers: Jessica Stofmeel 2 Monique Murray 1 Abby Lawless 1 Letisha McCormack 1
16 Boys West City Crusaders F.C (3) Northern Tigers (2)
This game had everyone on the edge of their seats, as both keepers were in the thick of it throughout the game with some great saves. Both sides had their chances but it was our boys that went into the half time break 1 goal up. It was a perfect start to the second half with two quick goals to ease the tension at 3 goals to 1. The boys conceded a late goal to give the Tigers a slight chance of victory but the boys held strong taking the game 3 ? 2.
Goal scorers: Alex Boyadjian 2 Nicholas Bransdon 1
16 Girls West City Crusaders F.C (5) Northern Tigers (2)
After a very nervy start, the girls took the game straight up to the Tigers and dominated play with holding good ball possession, creating some excellent scoring opportunities and going into the half time break with a 2 nil lead. The girls continued the second half like the first, winning the 50/50 challenges, holding good court position and pressing the opposition in their quarter off the court. This saw the girls finish the match with a comfortable 5-2 win.
Goal scorers: Jessica Elliott 3 Dimitie Whiteman 2
Youth West City Crusaders F.C (2) Northern Tigers (3)
What was shaping up as the perfect match for the spectators, certainly turned into an absolute scurry. After seeing some bizarre refereeing decisions going against us the game escalated into a fiery match. The boys began to hold strong with what was by far a bigger challenge than anticipated going into the half time break locked in at 1 all. But after seeing the unfortunate send off that certainly unsettled the boys, the Tigers escaped to a 2 goal buffer. The boys threw everything they had at the Tigers, with some extraordinary shots on goal, to bring the score back to 2 goals to 3 but in the end they just couldn?t find that late equaliser or match winner, eventually going down 3-2.
Goal scorers: Alex Dickinson 1 Shiyar Cakal 1
Women West City Crusaders F.C (3) Northern Tigers (0)
This was a game of great patience. The ladies in the first half showed great discipline by holding possession, showing great court rotation and working set plays from their side line kick ins against a very young Tigers opposition. Going into the break 1 nil up, the girls stepped it up a notch and started the second half with more fire with excellent passing and great ball control which evidently saw the goals come. The game finished by a margin of 3 goals to nil
Goal scorers: Bianca Adattini 1 Sam Collins 1 Brooke Conroy 1
Mens West City Crusaders F.C (12) Northern Tigers (3)
In a game that started with all the right ingredients of a true 1st grade futsal match up, the first 10 to 15 minutes was brilliant back and forth futsal with some great goal keeping from the Tigers keeper stopping the Crusaders from taking an early lead. Eventually, the Tigers succumb to the constant pressure supplied by the attacking Crusaders and moved into a 2 goal to nil lead. Soon after the Tigers goal keeper suffered a serious injury and needed to be replaced, allowing the Crusaders to take a half time lead 6 goals to 1. After the restart, things didn?t go the way for the visiting team with the Crusaders showing no mercy for the trying Tigers team running out winners 12 goals to 3.
Goal scorers: Dyar Jalal 3 Bradley Gibson 2 Ben Lam 2 Brendon Riley 2 Shahin Matanagh 2 David McMurray 1
Below are some nice highlights footage from our 12 boys, 12 girls and the 14 boys games from round 2. The video footage and running commentary is supplied by Mitchell Grima, Journalist Nepean News/Hawkesbury Independent.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gd4g591ULYs

by: West City Crusaders