THE Group 2 Security sponsored Over 35 teams were on the road last Friday night with F Troop at Adamstown and C Grade at Westlakes.
F Troop took the park without goal scoring machine Warren Gillespie who will be out for another month with a broken hand, and influential midfielder Ian Swan who had dancing commitments. Add that to the normal unavailabilitiesdue to shift work, and the F Troop stocks were thin with only one reserve on the bench.
The game started well enough with Singleton’s Todd Geddes marshalling the defense well, and the game was a midfield arm wrestle with the Strikers Kenny Millar prominent.
Singleton had an early chance to go in front when Willy Gomero was free in front of goal, but his shot sailed wide of the post.
Adamstown capitalized on a period of sustained pressure to score the first goal of the match.
A goal mouth scramble led to a second for the home side in the shadows of half time.
The second half started with Singleton in the ascendency, and it wasn’t long before the mercurial Simon Mulready continued his rich vein of goal scoring form with a well taken shot getting Singleton back in the game.
It looked like a famous comeback was on the cards with Mulready and Millar pulling the strings in midfield for the Strikers, but they couldn’t find the key to once again unlock the packed Adamstown defence.
Two late goals to Adamstown as the Singleton boys faded made the scoreline of 1-4 flattering for the home side.
Singleton was best served by ‘keeper Damien Foster, central defensive lynch pin Todd Geddes, and an eye catching box-to-box midfield display by the mercurial Simon Mulready.
The Over 35 ‘C’ grade team made the long trek to Westlakes keen to continue their home form on the road, and from the outset they looked the far stronger side.
The early pressure soon told when new signing David Rudder curled a perfectly aimed shot into the bottom corner of the Westlakes net from all of 30m.
Not content with the early lead, the Strikers kept pushing forward and some intricate passing saw a well weighted cross floated into the penalty area.
Beanpole Striker Greg Newton flew majestically above the pack and his powerful header proved unstoppable.
Westlakes were struggling to contain the Strikers and their defense in particular was being sorely tested by Singleton’s passing game with Jock Cameron being particularly influential in the heart of midfield.
Still Singleton’s keeper Mark Henderson was rarely involved however he was called upon to make one classy save with a finger tip pushing the ball over the bar to safety.
Defensively, Singleton were being well served by well known local educator Tim Rohr, and the ever reliable Phillip Wright.
The final score of 2 – 0 was a true reflection of the game, and the Group 2 Security sponsored Over 35 ‘C’ grade side continue to push up the table.
Both Over 35 teams are in action at Howe park this Friday night with F Troop kicking off at 6:30, and ‘C’ grade at 8:00pm.
