Canning City Soccer Club State League Report.

Fixture/Result: State League First Division: Canning City 1: Shamrock Rovers 5
Venue: Willetton Sports Club
Photo Caption: Canning’s Dave Evans(in blue) takes control of the ball in midfield while challenged by Ross Cossgrave.

Reporter and photographer: Philip Unsworth

After being deserted by several players after last weeks loss to Fremantle Spirit Canning City had a tough task coming up against newcomers to the State League Shamrock Rovers who have been in good form since the start of the season.  Michael Zoccoli, Jeevan Krishnan and Christophe Maire came into the team from the Reserves to cover vacated positions.  From the start Canning’s defense was under pressure. However, when the home side broke out of defense they did it effectively with some quick passing going forward. Sam Ainscough was the first to test the Rovers keeper Eamon Barnes who blocked Ainscough’s shot after some good work on the left by Dane Navarro. Navarro himself came close on the 20 minute mark when he received the ball during a melee in the Rovers defense. The Rovers had by this time built up a rhythm of play and one minute later got their first goal through Alan O’Mahoncy due to poor defensive play by Canning who allowed a loose ball to find its way across the goal mouth from the right to an unmarked O’Mahoncy at the far post.  It was a simple tap-in from 5 metres for O’Mahoncy to open the scoring. Rovers Damien Smith floated cross almost caught Canning keeper James Partridge off his line on the half hour mark, but the ball bounced off the crossbar and out of play. Three minutes before half time came the most controversial point of the match when the referee awarded a penalty to the Rovers after an incident close to Canning’s goal that resulted in the ball crossing into the goal. After the referee blew his whistle there was a roar of protest from the Canning players upon which the referee consulted his linesman who had his flag up. After a short consultation between referee and linesman a yellow card was issued to a Canning player and penalty was awarded. Rover’s Ian stack stepped up to covert from the spot. The Canning players had been complaining that the ball had been handballed into their goal in the first place by a Rovers player. Six minutes after the half time break Canning came painfully close to opening its score when both Blake Readwin and Mark Trevisiol hit the Rovers goal frame in quick succession after some good work on the right by Dane Navaro had got the ball into the visitors penalty area.  The Rovers stretched their lead further when the ball broke to John Kearny after bouncing off Canning defender Ben Witschge in the penalty area.  The goal was a simple unchallenged drive into the back of Canning’s goal for Kearny from 6 metres.   The Rover’s fourth goal came a short time later when Damien Smith score a wonderful goal with a rasping shot from a narrow angle into the far corner of the goal, giving James Partridge no time to react. Canning got a late consolation goal after Dane Navarro was pulled back from behind by Eamon Barnes in the penalty area for which the referee awarded a penalty.  Navarro stepped up to confidently convert the penalty by sending Barnes the wrong way and striking a low shot into the corner of the goal net. A late goal in extra time by substitute Nick Carrol rounded off the scoring for the Rovers who were deserved winners. However, the score tended to flatter the visitors because with a bit more luck and a bit less bad luck the win by Rovers could have easily been a narrower one. On the positive side for Canning they played with a lot of heart and determination and looked as if they were playing for the shirt. Earlier Canning’s Reserves and 18s had lost 4:0 and 3:2 respectively to their Rovers counterparts giving the visitors a clean sweep on the day. Next week Canning City is away to Ashfield.

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