Port Adelaide Pirates downed a struggling Raiders outfit 3-0 in Round 19 of the PlayStation 4 National Premier League South Australia at the Croatian Sports Centre on Saturday.  

Captain Kieran McFadyen and Josh Giles handed the visitors a 2-0 lead before half time with Daniel Pearce adding a third shortly after the restart. 

The hosts were in trouble from start to finish with Raiders coach Carl Maynard describing his team’s performance as “shocking.”

“The performance was our worst performance of the year and we got what we deserved to be honest,” Maynard said. 

“I don’t have any complaints, they were better than us because we were terrible. 

“That’s what happens in football, you can’t expect anything else.” 

On the other hand, Pirates keeper Isaac Carmody was considerably pleased with his team’s display. 

“We are very happy all round,” Carmody said,” we really sured up our defence yesterday (Saturday) and really did well at the back.” 

“Obviously, we were very clinical and so we were very pleased with our performance.” 

The Pirates hit the ground running with the visitors almost taking the lead within the first minute with Giles’ fierce strike from the edge of the box hitting the cross bar. 

The blistering start was a sign of things to come with the Pirates’ high pressure and constant overlapping runs of side backs and wingers causing headaches for the Raiders’ defence.  

However, the first goal wouldn’t arrive from open play but in fact through a neat set piece in the 30th minute. 

Nicholas Mavromatis performed a short corner with a quick one-two, easing his way past a Raiders defender before threading the ball through a mass of people in the box to the feet of captain McFadyen, who had the simplest of tasks of tapping the ball into the net. 

The lead was doubled six minutes later, when a splendid through ball from midfield was finished off by Giles from just inside the box. 

The Pirates added a third seven minutes into the second half through Pearce, who headed the ball in after a corner. 

Raiders had little to show for all game with the midfield unable to provide any sufficient service to its forwards, who had to track back to even get a touch of the ball.

The home side had a chance to get a consolation in the 84th minute but Carmody made a brilliant double save to keep a clean sheet and claim the three points.

Raiders drop to tenth, whilst the Pirates move up to ninth place. 

Article by Christopher Munker