Eagles lose deft touch
JULIUS ROSS
April 11, 2010 09:16am
NEW Town Eagles' recent goal-scoring spree was brought to an abrupt halt yesterday.
Visiting Clarence United held them to a 0-0 draw at Clare Street.
In yesterday's other Premier League match, Kingborough Lions leapfrogged Eagles into fourth place on the ladder with a 2-1 victory over Olympia Warriors at Lightwood Park.
Eagles went into yesterday's match having scored 13 goals in their previous five games, but they failed to find the back of the net against Clarence, who were the better side throughout the game.
United went closest to scoring on 68 minutes when substitute Luke Huigsloot crossed to unmarked striker Luke Cripps on the penalty spot, but the usually lethal finisher directed his shot onto the bar.
Adam McKeown conjured the Eagles' best opportunity on 70 minutes when he rounded United keeper Cameron Sweeney. But, with the goal gaping, the striker inexplicability shot wide on his left peg.
Two minutes later, McKeown slipped a ball to Alex Leszczynski, whose shot across the face of goal fell into the path of substitute Simon Strang, but Strang powered a shot onto the upright instead of testing Sweeney.
"I'm a bit disappointed," Eagles coach George Krambousanos said later.
"I mean, you score six goals in two games and then we couldn't score one today."
Clarence coach Andrew Brown felt his side should have taken all three points.
"The chances we had were clear-cut and should have been finished," Brown said. "It's two points lost. That being said, Eagles are in good form and they always play this ground well."
In the game at Blackmans Bay, Greg Freeman recovered from a hamstring injury to start for Kingborough and opened the scoring in the second half.
Olympia's promising Zimbabwean recruit, Warren Wadawu, scored his first goal for his new club to equalise minutes later.
But Lions inflicted Olympia's fourth defeat of the season when Tom McDonald scored the decisive goal.
On Friday night, Glenorchy Knights moved to the top of the Premier League table with a 4-0 victory over a lacklustre Hobart Zebras at KGV Park.
Knights opened the scoring just five minutes in when Jade Clay tucked a shot under Zebras keeper Troy Kaden after a defence-splitting Josh Fielding pass.
Knights doubled their lead on 18 minutes when Brodie Green crossed to Jacob Huigsloot who rocketed a half-volley into the roof of Kaden's net.
Amadu Koroma then added two more goals his first a neat back-heel on 36 minutes and the second following a great counter-attacking move with 14 minutes remaining.
In the reserves, Zebras defeated Knights 6-3 in a goal feast, while Kingborough overcame Olympia 1-0 and Eagles and Clarence had a 3-3 draw.
In Division 1, Metro's 2-0 victory over Hobart United was marred by an on-field fracas in which two players were dismissed, while FFT under-15s lost narrowly to University 4-5.
http://www.themercury.com.au/article/2010/04/11/139211_soccer.html