THE Singleton Strikers hosted former Premier League hot shots Lake Macquarie on Saturday with a crushing win to the local first grade squad being the only highlight on an otherwise gloomy day.
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The Betts Bower Haulage U17s were up against undefeated premiers-in-waiting Lake Macquarie, and the visitors steamrolled over the young Strikers before the dew had dried on Howe Park.
Two goals in the opening five minutes set the tone, and they never released control of the game. The visitors added two more goals just before half-time to snuff out any thoughts Singleton might have had of a recovery.
Lakes continued to score regularly through the second period and ended up 7-0 winners.
Singleton did have the chance to score a consolation goal when awarded a penalty. Young Hamish Mayled accepted the responsibility of taking the kick, but he slipped and fell on the wet surface at the moment of contact ... a perfect metaphor for the U17’s game.
As you can imagine, goal keeper Brad Fairclough was the busiest man on the pitch, and easily won man of the match honours from his team mates.
The Viatek U19s must have been watching the U17 warm up……because their game started the exact same way. Lake Macquarie scored before Singleton had touched the ball.
The U19s settled and drew level at the 15-minute mark through a Tony Zanardi long range ‘bomb’. This seemed to settle the young side and they more than matched it with their rivals for a long period of play and they spurned a gilt edged chance to take the lead.
But the defensive fragility that has haunted the U19’s all season reared its head late in the
opening period and Lake Macquarie skipped to a 3-1 lead at the break. The visitors added two further goals in the second half to round out the scoring.
For not the first time this season, the U19s were best served by inspirational skipper Tyler Felsch.
The ATC Williams U23s have made a habit of starting slowly all year … and so it was on Saturday when Lake Macquarie took the lead after just seven minutes.
They have also made a habit of using that early set back to jump start their game and so it was on Saturday as Singleton rallied behind man of the match Will Straw.
The remainder of the first half was a very even affair with both teams shadow-boxing without being able to land a telling blow.
Lake Macquarie stepped up their efforts in the second half, and the U23s struggled to stay with them, and two defensive mistakes lead directly to goals for the visitors as they cruised to a three nil win.
And then there was the Concept Controls first grade game.
The crowd had swelled in expectation of a thriller between two teams with plenty to play for.
Singleton was looking to keep their semi-final hopes alive. Lake Macquarie was looking to secure the minor premiership and promotion.
But no one could have imagined what was to unfold at Howe Park.
It was a case of deja vu for those who had watched the earlier games as Lake Macquarie took the lead in the first minute. The cheering of the visiting supporters had hardly subsided before Lakes had added a second.
Even the most ardent of Strikers supporters were in dismay ... this could be a cricket score.
But this Strikers’ first grade squad is made of stern stuff, and they bounced back through a well-constructed goal scored by Jackson Cox.
A sigh of relief by the large local crowd was replaced with cheers a minute later as Cox was in for his second goal.
The scores were back level and it was game on.
Incredibly, just two minutes later and the Strikers had turned a two-goal deficit into a 3-2 lead as the prolific Lloyd Wakewood weaved his magic to slice through the shell shocked Macquarie defence and score the Strikers third.
Eight minutes in five goals scored…it was clear to all that this was going to be a special game.
The momentum was all with the Strikers, and rarely has a side so dominated proceedings at the home of soccer in Singleton.
Singleton’s captain Jackson Cox was peerless and Lake Macquarie had no answer to his probing runs as he went close to adding another goal.
Set piece specialist Dan Palozzi twice went agonisingly close with free kicks that sailed just over the cross bar.
Hard working mid fielder James Bates – promoted from the reserves for this game – repaid coach Scott Baillie’s faith with a classy performance on the right side of midfield and it was Bates’ good lead up work that lead to a corner kick for the Strikers.
Singleton’s commanding central defender Stephen Bramley rose majestically above the pack to thump his header into the net for Singleton’s fourth goal.
What a game….what a comeback. When the referee blew his whistle for half time it was met with a chorus of ‘boos’…..no one wanted this spectacle to stop.
If Lake Macquarie were to rescue their promotion dreams, they had to be first to score in the second period.
But the Strikers started where they had left off and dominated proceedings.
Clearly the better team, Singleton were soon in again as local hero Jackson Cox converted a penalty kick.
Midfielder Kieran Delaney got in on the action as his sweetly struck shot sailed into the net to make it 6 for the local side.
Lake Macquarie did add a third in the dying stages but hardly anyone noticed as the Strikers were already in party mode.
Has ever a Singleton side demolished a premiership favourite so completely?
Man of the match honours went to the peerless Jackson Cox.
The win keeps the Strikers well and truly in the hunt for a semi-final berth.
They need other results to go in their favour to qualify with just two rounds to go……but rest assured no other team will want to face the Strikers in this form.
