Tough Defence Rocks Power Puff Adelaide
The graphic popped up at the top of the screen: possession statistics. Mariners 11% Adelaide 89%. Fox Sports guru Andy Harper summed it up in a flash “and none of that 89% has involved Liam Reddy”. It was a telling indictment of how Adelaide’s idealist possession based football was foundering on the rock of the stern pragmatism of the Mariners defence.
Phil Moss had selected the same eleven that had so professionally disposed of Brisbane at Suncorp although this time he had no defenders on the bench with Seip and Griffiths both injured. As the teams entered the field it was clear by the steely look in his eyes that Nick Montgomery was up for this game. A dignified minutes silence was observed for the tragic young Australian striker Dylan Tombides.
The Mariners started well; Roux was lively on the right and Duke almost played Ibini in on goal. Adelaide responded when the giant Malik muscled his way in for a header but it fell softly for Reddy. Just under ten minutes gone and Duke hassled the sluggish Boogard into an error and raced toward goal. He should have shot with his left foot but tried to cut back onto his favoured right and the chance was gone as the Adelaide defenders recovered. Five minutes later, Ibini, with his first meaningful touch on the ball, turned beautifully away from the defender and played Rose in on the left. Rose cut in but got his right foot shot hopelessly wrong and it went wide.
Adelaide were almost in with an excellent move down the right but no one could benefit from the cross; they then had a shot deflected shot which Reddy took it easily.
Adelaide were now dominating the game, they were asking all the questions. The Mariners could not get the ball; they could not get out of their own half. Ferreira’s clever cross almost found Neumann but the striker couldn’t get the touch required. It was Adelaide’s best move of the half.
As applause broke out in the 38th minutes for Tombides Duke shanked a chance after good work by Roux and Ibini. The Mariners finished the half strongly, showing clever neat skills, especially Fitzgerald who nutmegged a defender deep in the box (sounds very painful!) but could not find a target for his cross. The half ended with neither keeper being really troubled; you knew the second half would be very tight.
Duke started the half with a terrific run from deep before he found Ibini on the right. Bernie cut in but his left foot shot went straight at Galekovic. The game was developing as a contest between the Mariners terrific defence against the persist waves of Adelaide possession. The Mariners though, possessed the potent weapon of the pace of Fitzgerald, Ibini and Duke on the break.
Bernie had a great chance down the right but although he hit his right foot shot well Galekovic was able to save again. Bernie was just warming up.
Reddy was called on to stretch to deal with an Adelaide cross after Trifiro was caught in possession but then the Mariners immediately threatened as Duke and Ibini combined at speed down the left. Despite Adelaide’s sophisticated football the Mariners were showing genuine class of their own. Watson received a yellow when he cynically cut down Caceres to end a flowing move from the back.
And then Bernie lit it up. Calm play at the back, an excellent chipped pass from Anderson to the advancing Roux; his cross met at full stretch by Duke who laid the ball back for Bernie. One touch and bang! The ball was in the back of the net before Galekovic could move. “We are Champions! We. Are. Champions!” echoed round the ground. It was a quality goal by a team that constantly delivers.
Fitzgerald, in particular, and Duke and Ibini continued to cause problems for an increasingly frustrated Adelaide side. They began to accumulate yellow cards. Hutchinson had already replaced Trifiro and now Simon came on for the outstanding Mitchell Duke. Ironically, after his mid week display, Simon’s first touch was a touch up on a defender to concede a clumsy foul. His second touch was another foul.
As the game neared the end it was the Mariners who were winning every loose ball and then Reddy nearly gave away all the good work when his drop kick rebounded of Djite and almost let the Adelaide man in. Fortunately Reddy recovered and hacked the ball clear under pressure. He then showed just how good he can be with a dramatic dive to his left to turn away Adelaide’s only shot on target for the half. So much for 89% possession!
In time added on Sterjovski came on for the outstanding Nick Fitzgerald; the little firecracker received a well deserved ovation from the appreciative crowd. Normally these substitutions just eat up time but this one had added spice. As Mabil went to pick the ball up for a last Adelaide hurrah Sterjovski ever so gently bumped into him and knocked the ball away. Mabil went ballistic; sucked in by the old pro. A push and shove melee exploded into life much to the crowd’s amusement.
Angry Adelaide had one last go, a free kick after an Anderson timely foul, but Reddy easily collected and it was all over.
Adelaide, whose fans bizarrely draped a Chelsea banner over the fence, got what they deserved: nothing. They were posers today; power puff predators. It was the Mariners, with awesome relentless support from the crowd, who carried the real menace. The Mariners defence, with Bosnar in dominant mood was superb. Rose and Roux, in particular, were excellent today. I am inclined to give the MoM to a guy called Duke Ibini Fitzgerald such was the impact of the front three but if pushed I would give the nod to Fitzgerald.