Old Ignatians 0 - 9 Southgate County

Old Ignatians 0 – 9 Southgate County
(O’Leary 3, James D 2, Street, Seedat F, Urul, James M)

Southgate faced bottom of the table Old Ignatians knowing that survival hopes required nothing other than a win. Other than the lack of a keeper we had our strongest squad of the season. In the changing rooms beforehand we were discussing what odds we could get on an O’Leary hat-trick…1000/1 was the expected number…

We didn’t start particularly well and Old Igs had the best of the opening exchanges. We were wasteful in possession and too slow to close Old Igs down. However 10 minutes in we took the lead; a long diagonal was played up field to Urul who brilliantly headed the ball across the edge of the box to O’Leary who smashed a half volley into the bottom corner from 20 yards. The goal settled us and 5 minutes later a great move on the left ended with Danny Barbosa being cynically fouled in the box after some lovely footwork. Dorian James stepped up and hammered the penalty straight down the centre for 2-0. Within 5 minutes we were 3 up; a corner was excellently flicked on at the near post by O’Leary and Urul provided the finishing touch. Old Igs were then awarded a penalty when Street was adjudged to have been holding a player at a corner. O’Brien, deputising in goal, did his best Grobbelar impression with the wobbly knees, it clearly worked as the Old Igs penalty taker, trying to mimic Dorian’s spot kick went for power but ballooned the ball over the top. We then scored a superb counter attacking goal; breaking up play and from our box Danny set Dec free, he played Mason through on the right who delivered a lovely cross for the onrushing Deeno to volley home. Beautiful football. 10 minutes before the break we made it 5; another lovely cross from Mason picked out O’Leary who took a touch, stepped inside his man and curled into the top corner. Just before half time it was 6; Matt Wright won the ball in central midfield and floated a peach over the top to O’Leary who took one touch before belting the ball into the bottom corner for a first half hat-trick…shame those odds weren’t genuine.

A brilliant first half; superb football and finally we were clinical. We spoke about maintaining the standard, not over-complicating things and showing respect to Old Igs. Bailey Lovett came on for Wright who’d had an excellent first half in centre mid. 5 minutes into the half we made it 7 when Street poked in from a corner. We made it 8 with 20 minutes to go when Mason skinned the full back for the umpteenth time and very unselfishly squared for Dorian who was left with a simple tap-in. With 15 minutes to go Mason got the goal his performance deserved, a brilliant run down the right, beating a few men before cutting in and scuffing a left foot shot in. We put some lovely moves together in the second half and could have scored more but we were guilty of overplaying and over complicating at times. Credit to Old Igs as they kept going and could well have scored in the second half…it’s not easy to keep it up with this kind of score-line.

A great performance and result; we need to ensure we match the standard in another big game against Old Aloysians next week. Man of the match could have gone to a number of players but just 2 got votes; Mason who was superb throughout…but O’Leary took it, worthy winner for a great performance including that hat-trick.

Team; O’Brien, Boadu, James D, Bellinger, Street, Wright, Seedat F, Barbosa, James M, Urul, O’Leary, Seedat Z, Lovett.