1st X1 Match Report

ELTHAM (0) V FDMC CENTRAL FINANCE (3)

DING DING ROUND ONE!!

On another pleasant afternoon in South Taranaki, FDMC Central Finance strolled to another three points in a very comfortable 3-0 win against Eltham.

After a hard sequence of games and facing an opposition who were looking to gain a point to ensure their survival in the Top 8, FDMC Central Finance thought they would be in for a hard fought contest but the home team offered little to convince the neutral that it would be a fire cracker of a game.

Eltham huffed and puffed for the first 10 minutes but lacked any real quality to trouble a controlled FDMC team that gently eased their way into the game. Playing good football in patches and exploiting spaces behind both full backs, FDMC slowly took a hold on the game that they never looked like losing. In form striker Tomas MOSQUERA nodded the away team in front with an excellent headed goal from a superb cross by Aarron HUESSER and they should have extended their lead when Morgan HALL blasted a volley over the cross bar from close range shortly afterwards. Further chances to add to the lead fell to Shane GARNER, Stephen KIBBY and Aarron HUESSER but all failed to convert from close range.

Mindful that only 1-0 up at half time the home team still had a "fighers chance" of snatching an equaliser, FDMC imposed themselves on the game early on and snuffed out any sort of renaissance that Eltham had in mind. Frustration crept in as the team struggled to find the second goal that they deserved and it was surely only going to be a matter of time before they got it.

Morgan HALL played exceptionally well up front linking well with Tomas MOSQUERA and bringing others into the game. Indeed he came in for some very rough treatment from a robust if not a little crude Eltham defence and he was unlucky not to grab a goal when a snap shot in the penalty box was cleared off the line. Moments later, it was MOSQUERA who grabbed his second goal, latching on to a scrambled clearance after a blatent foul on Morgan HALL that would have ultimately led to a penalty if MOSQUERA had not converted the rebound.

The cushion of the second goal allowed FDMC to play with more freedom and attacking flair and with Andrew CROWE causing problems down the left flank a third goal was likely and it was man of the match Morgan HALL who stole a march between two Eltham players to lob the ball past the oncoming goalkeeper and seal a three goal victory.

An important and comfortable win whcih signals the end of Round 1 - a superb first half of the season and comfortably in second place, three points behing Waitara. FDMC will now enjoy a well earned rest next Saturday as the remaining catch up games are played out and look forward to their first round game in the Duff Rose Bowl the week after that.