The game between Lindfield FC and Willoughby Dalleys was played under lights on Charles Bean Oval. Both teams were well prepared and the weather was cold. Perfect conditions for football.
Both teams started well, lots of good touches, lots of good passes and both sides enjoying some long passages of possession. The way the season has been shaping-up so far, it’s not very surprising to see great football from Lindfield; it’s expected. What was surprising was that Dalleys were meeting Lindfield and playing at the same level.
Both sides played at a frantic pace, but showed good ball control, good passes with players running for the space and being fed with good ball.
Both sides had good shots on goal, making the respective goalies work hard. But both teams have good, solid defence and good goalies, so it was going to take a bit more than a hopeful shot to get on to the score sheet.
Lindfield broke through after 24 minutes with a beautiful piece of play; working the ball up the right wing, beating the defence to make a great cross over the goalie which is easily put away in to an open goal.
Dalleys are getting more shots away than Lindfield, but they are spraying wide or ending in the arms of the goalie. They’re getting close, but not close enough.
Lindfield’s second goal came five minutes from half time with their centre forward working the ball through the middle of the field, beating a sliding tackle and lobbing the ball in to the right hand side of the net.
Half time 2:0.
The second half started at the same frenetic pace, and it didn’t take Lindfield long to stamp their mark on the half with a great shot on goal, brilliantly saved by the Dalleys goalie who pushed it to the feet of a Lindfield player following the ball in. A simple kick finished it off and Lindfield were 3:0.
It’s pretty hard to come back from 3:0 down and both Dalley’s coaches and players were getting frustrated; they weren’t getting the results for their efforts and they definitely did not like the decisions made by the referee.
Eventually the frustration boiled over and Dalleys were reduced to ten men when their centre forward earned two yellow cards in quick succession for dissent and was sent off.
Lindfield put the hammer down and placed the Dalley’s goal under immense pressure. The Dalleys goalie showed some magic when he made about six brilliant saves in twenty seconds. Great stuff to watch.
Dalleys reward came as they cleared the ball and worked it to the other end, surprising Lindfield with a goal about five minutes from time.
Lindfield responded with another goal sixty seconds later, taking the score to 4:1 and out of Dalleys reach.
A well-deserved win for Lindfield which moves them in to equal second place with Kissing Point. However, the score could have been much greater if it hadn’t been for the brilliant work from the Dalley’s goalie.
