QUARRIERS CONTINUE UNBEATEN RUN AGAINST HELENSBURGH

 

Last Saturday the Kiama Quarriers Soccer club played Helensburgh Thistle at Rex Jackson Oval, Helensburgh, in what was a top of the table clashes in the Illawarra Soccer Association First Division.  The Quarriers are unbeaten so far this year and are currently sitting unbeaten in equal third place with a game in hand.  The boy’s form has been terrific so far this year and their style, and results, are causing a stir amongst other clubs.  In another top performance the Quarriers ran out very convincing winners 4 – 2. 

 

Kiama have had a good, young First Grade squad for the last four or five years but have always lacked depth.  They have acquired a number of new players during the off-season and now have about eighteen or nineteen First Grade standard players who can come into the team without reducing its strength.

 

This was highlighted on Saturday when sweeper Mike Merriman was struck down with appendicitis and hospitalised the night before the game.  He has been in great form so far this year and a real revelation for the team as he controls the defence.  Coach Brod Creighton did a little bit of re-shuffling and moved last year’s sweeper, Dave Jovanov, back into his old position.  As luck would have it Jovanov only lasted four minutes before leaving the field with an ankle injury and the side was changed again, without any loss of cohesion and power. 

 

Helensburgh are a very strong and physical side and played Saturday’s game the same.  They came into the game in top place and were keen to put their southern opponents in their place.  For the first fifteen minutes it was all Thistle as they played over the top of Kiama.  It would be fair to say that the Quarriers were getting used to the alterations forced on them and it took a little while for the team to hit their straps.  Once they did, though, the game became very one sided and in the 25th minute Damian Mason opened the scoring for Kiama with a well-taken goal.  Earlier in the season Mason advised the club that due to work commitments he would only be able to play Reserve Grade this year but he has been in scintillating form and hard to leave out of the team.

 

Seven minutes later Kiama went two up when midfielder Marc Price was up-ended in back play inside the penalty box by a Thistle defender.  This made it easy for Jim Berry to step forward and plant the resulting penalty in the back of the net.  At this stage Kiama were rampant and looked capable of putting another couple past the goalkeeper.  Helensburgh did well to stem the flow and it was only some last ditch defending that saw them hold the Quarriers to a 2 – 0 half time lead.

 

Kiama have a tendency to go to sleep in some games and did exactly that for a short period after the break.  They came out with their minds elsewhere and paid the penalty as Helensburgh bounced back with two quick goals.  One of them, a penalty kick, had most of the supporters, and players at the ground, shaking their heads. 

 

It was at this stage that Kiama realised they had a game on their hands and they picked up their work rate and took control of the situation again.  Thistle were using different tactics in this half and it was obvious that instructions had gone out to get a lot more physical with Kiama.  This may have worked in the past but the 2001 edition of the Kiama Quarriers is a much tougher and aggressive team than we have seen in the past and the boys took great delight in shovelling the aggression back at Helensburgh, with a bit more on the top.  In doing so they not only put one of the competitions toughest teams on the back foot but also put another two goals past them through Luke Bedford and Mason with his second. 

At full time the score was 4 – 2 and Kiama looked head and shoulders above the Thistle.  Perhaps the score line was a bit thin considering the difference in standard between the way the two teams played in this match, but that is football.

 

The Quarriers were good all over the park and there was not one player who didn’t play well.  But with any team it is the midfield that wins games and that is where Kiama were the strongest with standout players in Price and Mason who were there when it got ugly.   Young Brad Boardman played in the midfield also and was the Kiama Leagues Club Man of the Match.  Boardman was a revelation in the engine room and combined toughness with skill to put in a match winning performance.