The Briar suffered a demoralizing defeat at the hands of Azzurri FC at Everertt Memorial Stadium on Sunday, a game which was of extreme importance but in which defensive errors reigned supreme. Coming from a 20 man panel available for selection the week before, a meagre 14 players were at the disposal of Gary Keane on this occasion, and they could not get the job done. This result sees the Briar slip five points adrift of the pace in Division 4s and sets up some must win games in the second half of the season.
Conceding five goals in any game is shocking, but to do it in a division four game says a lot about the standard of our team. Through his great efforts in training every week, Gary Keane has tried his best to instill best practices defensively and better fitness levels, but his efforts seem to be in vain. His team talks seem to be falling on deaf ears.
It has been said recently that the players on the Green Briar team think they are better than they are, routinely suggesting that a playoff spot and or promotion is somewhat of a formality. Just show up and it'll happen for the team. Well the more knowledgeable "They" also say that numbers don't lie. Five Games played, Twelve goals conceded, Five points off the pace in the fourth tier of Over 30 soccer in the state.
The scoring was opened by the home side. A miss-hit shot from outside the box was dragged behind a napping Tom McElwain at right full back. His man was more alert to the situation and easily got in behind to collect the ball and slot home the opener.
The Briar responded well and took a 2-1 lead into the break. The first was a long range effort from 20 yards. Later, Michael Graham reacted quickest to a ball the keeper coughed up from a direct free kick, sending a left footed shot into the roof of the net.
The equalizer was conceded early in the second half from a corner that was headed into the air and allowed to bounce on the six yard box. The ball was poked home by the Azzurri striker and some serious questions need to be asked of the Briar defense and Jason Sullo in goal, who yet again failed to deal with defending a set piece and were all left sucking their thumbs as the home team celebrated.
Azzurri took the lead soon afterwards. Michael Graham let his man get away from a throw-in and the Azzurri winger escaped a despairing challenge and dispatched a low drive into the bottom corner from more than 20 yards out.
Graham would make amends for the error by finding an equalizer of his own. After the slightest of flick-ons to a Leo O'Connor corner, Graham met the ball perfectly in stride to volley the ball right over the Azzurri keeper and into the net.
The Greens enjoyed a terrific 15 minutes after that but failed to add to their score. Leo O'Connor was foiled twice, once from a powerful header, and another from a 1 on 1 opportunity. The Briar should have done better with a free header at the back post and Michael Graham was robbed of his hatrick after his header that was destined for the bottom corner was somehow clawed away to safety.
Perhaps the best chance to redeem all those missed chances came from the spot. Leo O'Connor stepped up to take a penalty that could have made it 4-4 after a player was hauled down while challenging a deep delivery into the box. Unfortunately for him and the rest of the team, a less than decisive discussion on who the penalty taker should be followed by an equally less decisive kick saw the penalty saved and the best chance of taking the spoils go awry.
Azzurri survived the blitz and capitalized on yet more uncertain defending. Kevin Higgins played a loose pass in a dangerous area and the resultant scramble was finished off despite the best efforts of Sullo and McElwain.
In pushing for the equalizer the Briar were caught short handed at the back and the death knell tolled on a miserable day for the Greens as they conceded a fifth and final goal.
A huge task awaits the Greens in the second half of the season if they are to salvage their campaign. A task that can only be achieved with hard work on the pitch but more importantly on the training ground.
Line Up: Fallon, Glynn, Hannick, Higgins, O'Donnell, McGuinness, Graham, O'Connor, Mikaelian, McElwain, Goin, Balekian, Sullo
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