Oak Flats fought hard to overcome home team Berkeley Sports in a tight but exciting encounter on the weekend. After their close loss to Thirroul last weekend, the Falcons definitely came back fighting hard, hoping to end Berkeley’s hopes of playing in the finals. Joshua De Gouveia definitely fought hard for the Falcons, scoring three out of four goals for the visiting side, with the winning goal in the 2^nd last minute.

Due to the Westerly wind conditions of the day, it seemed that Oak Flats were more with the ball in the first minutes of the game. The Conditions made it hard for accurate passes.

After Oak Flats seemed to be dominating the first few minutes, it was Berkeley who 18 minutes in scored the first goal.

Tony Palialunga brought the ball down the right shoulder to set up the play. After a perfectly waited cross from Jon Adams, the ball found Chris Rowlan on his own to beat a defender and place the ball past the keeper to the right of the goals.

Only three minutes later a mistake from Berkeley equalised the score. After a scramble in front of the goals, Berkeley’s Justin Mears attempted to get the ball away from the goal but unfortunately placed it in, ending in an own goal for Berkeley.

Just 21 minutes in and the score was 1 all.

The ball seemed to be travelling up both ends of the field as the game went on. After a free kick given to Berkeley, Adams crossed the ball in towards goals with Oak Flats’ Ben Wunsch punching the ball away hoping to clear the goal. The ball landed with Greg Moon who volleyed the ball perfectly passed defence and into the goal.

The scoreboard read 2 to Berkeley and 1 to Oak Flats.

Only five minutes later and Oak Flats equalised the score once again.

After a well-timed through ball that was picked up by De Gouveia, he ran the ball straight down the middle of the field passing through Berkeley’s defence, and hit the ball into the left hand corner, passing Berkeley keeper Claude D-Alessia.

In the 46^th minute of the match a penalty kick was given to De Gouveia after he was taken down inside the box by Lorri Manfredi. De Gouveia took the shot from right in the middle of the box, flawlessly placing it into the goals for his second goal of the match.

At half time, the scoreboard read 3-2 to Oak Flats.

Berkeley came back fighting in the second half, hoping to up their game for a win. In the 60^th minute, they equalised the score after a corner was taken. Jesse Gant crossed the ball towards the goal, placing it in nicely – deceiving the keeper and defence.

The score was now 3 all with both sides trying to win the game. More chances were taken on goal but unfortunately none of them successful until the last few minutes of the game.

It was in the second last minute where De Gouveia again passed defenders and rose the score for a win for the Falcons. After a cross from the left of the field to De Gouveia, he passed two defenders with a low shot into the goals, Berkeley’s D-Alessia misinterpreted the ball, letting it go past him.

The game was tight, but it was this last goal that brought the score up to 4-3, a win for the Falcons.

 

Saturday 23^rd July, Berkeley Sports and Social Club 1.

Referee: J Ruscia

Assistant Referees: S. Bell, M. Lavin

 

Berkeley Sports Football Club: Claude D-Alessia, Ben Hardcastle, Ryan Crouch, Justin Mears (21’ own goal), Mathew Mears, Dylan Evans, Jon Adams, Chris Rowlan (18’), Jesse Gant (60’), Tony Palialunga, Greg Moon (37’).

Replacements: Dave De Oliviera, Matthew Hood.

 

Oak Flats Falcons: Ben Wunsch, Brenton Burke, Mathew Cesta, Lorri Manfredi, Jason Murdzevski, Jamie Stevenson, Christian Cappetta, Samuel Bosowiec, Joshua De Gouveia (42’, 46’, 89’), Brenton Lloyd, Daniel Munilla.

Replacements: Brady Eagleton, John Tilden, Chris Murdzevski, David Kiss, Chris Jarman.

Report by Lauren Ferri (@lauren_ferri)

Photo by Pedro Garcia