Ballarat Red Devils still winless
17 May, 2010 11:57 PM
BALLARAT Red Devils have slipped to second last on the Football Federation Victoria state league two ladder after losing to Whittlesea Ranges at Trekardo Park on Saturday.
The 4-2 defeat leaves Ballarat remain winless after the opening six rounds of the season.
After dominating the opening 20 minutes of the match and completely outplaying Whittlesea with a combination of excellent passing and a will to win every contest, the Haymes Red Devils went behind in the 20th minute to a penalty.
Ballarat's woes continued shortly just two minutes later, when Ranges took a two-goal lead, scoring with a header from a corner.
The Red Devils had a chance to get back into the match when Sam Winch played a great ball to Will Georgiou, who miscued his shot from 10 yards out.
Coach Dale Harris then made his first change of the match, replacing Georgiou with Franck Labakohler.
With Kyran Taylor having a good shout for a penalty turned down and shots from Josh Romein and Leigh Sissons saved by the Ranges goalkeeper, the scores remained 2-0 at half time.
Whittlesea went further in front on 58 minutes, when a half-clearance from David King fell beautifully for a Ranges forward, who buried the ball in the net.
Ballarat finally got the goal it deserved on 74 minutes, when Labakohler headed successfully at the back post to finish off a flowing move down the right from a Romein cross.
The Red were right back in the match five minutes later, when Romein broke up a Ranges' attack and passed to David King, who fired a right-foot shot into the top corner of the net.
Labakohler then had the perfect chance to level the match, but shot over the bar from three metres out.
Winch also had an opportunity at the 84-minute mark, but his shot was somehow cleared off the line.
Two minutes later, Michael Trigger took aim from 25 metres, only to see the ball go just wide of the post.
Ballarat's best efforts went to waste when a quick counter-attack by Whittlesea saw them round out the 4-2 result with a goal in the final minute of the match.
Ballarat coach Dale Harris is frustrated with the Red Devils' spot inside the league relegation zone.
"For the most of the season so far we are playing well with no result to show our dominance. It is a frustrating situation that we find ourselves in, with us dictating the majority of play and still finding ourselves on the wrong side of the score at the end of the match," Harris said.
http://www.thecourier.com.au/news/local/sport/general/ballarat-red-devils-still-winless/1832443.aspx