Two well taken strikers goals
and a goal mouth mix up cost the Hawks against a strong Bathurst
side on Saturday resulting in a 2 – 1 win loss ratio to the Hawks
over the season.
The game started well with the
home team gaining the ascendance for the early part of the half with
Luke Vanderburg running on to a through pass from Dean Bertenshaw to
put the side in front after 20min. Not to be outdone, Bathurst
responded within 2min to even the game up with a well struck shot
from just outside the box. With things evened up the game became a
head to head battle in midfield until a misunderstanding about a
long ball into the box left the defence and keeper out of position
for a Bathurst player to tap in for a 1-2 half time lead.
Content with the lead,
Bathurst sat back a bit letting the Hawks midfield of Gavin Hartge
and Dean Bertenshaw dictate the play, creating many opportunities
for wide players Luke Vanderburg and Matt Sumeghy that some how were
keep out by the resilient defence. As is often the case when your
chasing a result a long ball knocked into the lone striker resulted
in a two touch turn and shot from the edge of the box that would
have done justice to a much higher level seal the game with 10 min
to go.
Man of the match was Dean
Bertenshaw
Reserve Grade: Hawkesbury 6 Bathurst 1
With second spot sown up the
side was a little laid back in the first half, showing little of the
team play necessary to take out the title. Andrew Jones knocked in
the first goal from close range to get things underway but the Hawks
relaxed and let the young Bathurst players dictate play resulting in
a 1-1 half time score.
All things being equal the
result in the second half was as it should be as the Hawks set about
a methodical dismantling of the opposition.
Goals were scored by Steve
Klinkacovski with a deft lofted shot that grazed the underside of
the bar on the way in, a further two to Andrew Jones as he stacked
his claim for a first grade spot next season and goals to returned
striker Mathew Cotter and one to Joel Waller with a well taken drive
from the edge of the box.
