Semifinal football oh yeah, it’s like the normal comp but more distilled, more intense. Intense. The Raiders V Bombers for this one at the Aerodrome of Ayreshire Park and the Raiders probably fancying their chances too they’d done quite well through the season V Bombers, wins in both encounters 5-1 and 2-0 and a full squad for this match (well who doesn’t want to be there in the finals). Jason Hillier striking in his lemon yellow tunic the man in charge and the energy from both sides just igniting at the ‘drome. It was the Raiders calling the early shots, Fabrice Wamara the target as Ben Dooley and the ginger bread man Jai Waddick continually found the big striker to set up the odd angry shot. Boambee first on the board though after Christian Penny was bought down in the Raiders penalty area. It was a raking pass from Frank Barton the unleashed Penny who runs somewhat akin to Forrest Gump ie never ending, anyhow Lockie Moye delivering the goal from the spot for the home side for 1-0 on 23 minutes. The Raiders unfazed by this turn of events (perhaps a little faze) straight back to the business. Dooley next to go close as he gathered the ball outside the area Stitt advancing and Dooley audaciously chipping but not well enough.
The match really changed on 29 minutes, the Bombers awarded a free kick just inside their half and Moye delivering a floating a ball into the Raiders area toward the near post. Lee Kennedy the Raiders keeper seemed to have it covered but the bad boy Brady Parker nipped in and deflected the kick in. He hadn’t done much at all to that point had Parker but he sniffed out this chance like a dog at a barbie. Bomber thoughts of victory crystalizing now, Penny did a couple of extra laps around the ‘drome in celebration just he could!
In a half that offered a lot that is good about football the Raiders struck back. Craig Simpson aka the Turtle fired out a ball for Tim Ruprecth to drive to the Bombers bye line, his pass back to Wamara saw the striker swivel and with the hammer back and safety off about to unleash at Stitt from point blank when he was bought down and Hillier calmly pointing to the spot. The turtle fired in the goal on 33 minutes to advance the score to 2-1. The half had one more twist though as Dooley bounced a pass off Asma Radford drove to the top of the box and was swamped by Bomber defenders, Urunga ‘s calls for a second dot shot looked certain as Hillier delivered an instant shrill blast on the fox 4 but pointed to halfway not penalty spot signaling the end of a cracking half of the beautiful game.
The second half not quite as absorbing as the first, the Bombers doing enough to blunt a persistent Urunga attack. The final score line had the Bombers winning 2-1, the return match will be at Urunga this weekend probably Saturday at 2pm. In other matches the Raiders ressies had a 0-0 draw at Koroora and will be playing the Storm at the Cabbage Patch in the return game and that match will precede the First grade probably, the women had a 5-1 loss to Boambee and will require a plan B if they are to get over Boambee in their return match which will be at the Ayrshire Park this weekend.
Go you Raiders!