After so much recent rain, it was a beautifully sunny Saturday afternoon for the football today.
Lane Cove are currently second on the table having won three out of four of their games this season. However, their three wins have been at home and their loss was away. Today, Lane Cove were away to Kissing Point.
Due to the recent poor weather, Kissing Point were a game behind and have one win, one loss and one scoreless draw. On the right day, Kissing Point has the ability to go all the way, but need to convert effort in to goals more often this season.
Right from the kick off Kissing Point took control, keeping possession and playing at break neck speed. These guys are unbelievably fit this year.
However, Lane Cove stole the ball from a good bit of Kissing Point possession and scored against the run of play after only four minutes.
A series of corners for Kissing Point did not get past the Lane Cove defence. However, the last corner of the series was cleared out to the feet of the Kissing Point defender who powered it back in to the lower left corner of the goal, bringing Kissing Point level after twelve minutes.
Kissing Point continued to dominate play, keeping possession, even rattling the wood work on a couple of occasions.
Kissing Point found a good channel for their efforts; playing the ball from the backs down the left wing and then crossing in to the right when they headed for goal. But again, they couldn’t convert effort in to goals.
Lane Cove were getting frustrated at the lack of time on the ball, but were turning meagre possession into good opportunities.
Two minutes from half time, a Kissing Point striker was brought down just outside the Lane Cove 18 yard box which was quickly converted from a free kick in to a goal. Kissing Point were 2:1 up right on half time.
The second half started at the same frenetic pace as the first half; Kissing Point with the majority of possession and Lane Cove grabbing a few opportunities. Kissing Point were pressing hard and hunting for a quick goal early in the half.
Lane Cove, when they got possession, really troubled the Kissing Point goalie. But Kissing Point were creating two chances for every one Lane Cove could manage.
Then came a breakthrough Kissing Point were hunting for; the Lane Cove goalie grabbed at a loose ball but was out of his area.
A solid wall of five Lane Cove players stopped the free kick which was rocketed back in from the edge of the box, straight in to the arms of the Lane Cove goalie (redeeming himself for his earlier error). So the scores were still locked at 2:1.
Twenty minutes in to the half, Lane Cove got the goal they deserved. Working the ball down the pitch from an unproductive Kissing Point corner, the ball was pushed out to the right wing where it was crossed to the middle. A well-defended shot was pushed out to the Lane Cove midfielder who fired it back in, low and right, bringing the scores level.
On the stroke of 4:30 a Lane Cove player hand-balled on the edge of the goal area. The kick was hoisted over the five man wall only to be pushed over the crossbar by the Lane Cove keeper. Two-all, but things could have been very different.
Then Lane Cove’s striker was fouled just outside the Kissing Point 18 yard box. The four man wall forced the shot to go around the wall, which put the keeper to full stretch to his left as the ball sharply rattled the upright.
Three minutes from time, Kissing Point scored the goal they had been looking for all through the second half; the ball was passed from the left of the box to the right where the Kissing Point striker punched at it with the inside of his right boot, lifting it high over the goalies head and in to the goal.
3:2 to Kissing Point and the final whistle went almost immediately after.
Great game of football.
