Marcellin College 2 v Southern Suburbs Thirds 0
Thursday, 18 June 2009

The Thirds travelled to league leader Marcellin College full of confidence after 2 successive victories. With veteran shot blocker and current SS goalkeeping coach Nick Tsiaras putting on the gloves for the first time this year, the team was very optimistic of getting a result, even without any substitutes.

Nick was called into action almost immediately from the kickoff when he made a great one on one save. Marcellin had much of the early possession and on 15 minutes, they hit the upright with a long range effort. However, our defence were mostly untroubled for most of the first half as Marcellin’s attack was falling away in the final third of the pitch.

SS produced a couple of chances themselves but none better on 25 minutes when some great movement from defence and through midfield enabled John Marapas to provide a great through ball to Keith Psihogios for a one on one, only for the keeper to make a great save.

Another Marcellin long range effort from 25 metres just before the halftime interval crashed onto the bar and away to safety.

The second half started positively and SS should have taken the lead on 47 minutes when a Peter Salatas header had the Marcellin keeper stretching fully to make a great on handed save and then saving the rebound which fell to George Kaplantzis on a tight angle.

On 54 minutes, the referee award SS a free kick on the edge of the box and Manny Kaplantzis’s shot was brilliantly saved again by the Marcellin keeper who dived to his right a tipped the ball round the post.

With a quarter of an hour to go, Marcellin took the lead after some neat passing allowed their striker to have a clear run a goals. A desperate Peter Salatas lunge trying to block the shot only succeeded in having the ball deflect off his outstretched leg and the ball looped over the keeper and into the net.

SS then had a clear penalty claim dismissed two minutes later - a series of throw-ins down the right found Peter Salatas inside the box who attempted to cross a bouncing ball only to have his foot taken out from under him.

On 81 minutes, Marcellin sealed the win when Nick Tsiaras misjudged an innocuous long range shot which slid underneath his body.

There was one final chance for SS just before the end but the Marcellin keeper again made a fine save after Peter Salatas’s quick turn and shoot.

Although we didn’t earn a point, this was our best team effort of the year in terms of structure, commitment and hard work over 90 minutes and this is the standard we need play at for the rest of the season.

Back to News Archives