Roy Law
Well-Known Member
But of all the concerts that I've done for the homeless overseas,
the one I did that pleased me most was not for refugees.
Was for a home in Canberra that stands amongst the trees -
The Retirement Home at Belconnen for blind A-League referees!
(Plagiarised from Welsh comedian Max Boyce)
It doesn’t matter how good the defensive structure there is no accounting for a shockingly incompetent referee. The penalty decision against Michael McGlinchey was one of the poorest I have seen. McGlinchey won the ball cleanly, Emile Heskey, as he has done throughout his career, fell over, and Ben Williams, just metres away awarded the spot kick which was efficiently dispatched past Mat Ryan by Ryan Griffiths. Only 3 mins 30 seconds had elapsed. It was a dreadful way to start
We had already had warning of the incompetence of Williams when Ruben ‘Psycho’ Zadkovich launched himself at Josh Rose and only got a yellow card. There would be few referees in football who would not have given a straight red. But this was Ben Williams...
The Mariners then showed why John Hutchinson had said they were a better footballing side than Newcastle. They absolutely dominated play. Newcastle were reduced to hacking the ball downfield hoping Heskey would get something on it.
Rogic set the tone with a beautiful slalom dribble, gliding past the defenders as if they were poles on a ski run only to just fail to get his right foot attempt over Birghitti.
The referees aptly named ‘assistant’ then gave Rose off-side when he had started his run in his own half. No matter, it was all Mariners; one statistic had them with 70% possession. Quite brilliant approach play between Rogic, McGlinchey and Bojic saw Bojic’s cross elude McBreen only for Sterjovski to make a hash of the chance. The only time Newcastle got in the gamet was from Mariner mistakes – Sainsbury almost doing a Brad Porter but recovering brilliantly.
Arnie would have gone in at half-time saying well done but we can do more; we must convert our dominance into goals.
Football though, is a game of two halves and a game in which fair due should be shown to opponents. Newcastle may have been outplayed in the first half but they were much better in the second. They didn’t sit back on their lead; they pushed forward and began to make inroads down the flanks with Goodwin and Virgili. The lively Virgili was showing why Josh Rose has never been a Socceroo: running him ragged with persistent wing play. He beat Rose and then side stepped the statue of Zwaanswijk and provided Heskey with a tap-in for 2-0. You could easily criticise the defending but credit to a skilful, intelligent run from the young Newcastle Jet.
The Mariners were looking distinctly ragged, only Rogic was the shining light with flashes of incredible close skills and intelligence. Pedj picked up a delightful yellow when he upended two Jets for good measure. Mat Ryan failed to get to a cross at the far post being distracted by Heskey. Monty produced a piece of quality defending as Newcastle threatened again. A great piece of approach play from Rogic and Rose gave Sterjovski a chance but he miss-hit the cut back from Rose who might have done better by picking out the unmarked McGlinchey at the far post. McGlinchey looked bewildered. Sterjovski was replaced by Bernie Ibini and Arnie switched to the diamond 4-4-2.
Ryan produced a special flat kick directly to Bernie but he was muscled off the ball by Mitchell and then Rogic wonderful slid past defenders again until Tiago blatantly hacked him down on the edge of the area.
Bernie’s running was causing the Jets problems although his touch would often let him down however he got his reward after persistent work from Rose on the left fand coolly slotted home after the Jets couldn’t clear Mariners pressure.
John Hutchinson then showed why Monty is a much better defender when he clumsily, needlessly, brought down Virgili; Goodwin hit the bar with Ryan beaten from the free kick.
The Mariners became more desperate; more long balls were being pumped forward. McGlinchey’s delayed a cross too long and Rose’s header was weak. Ryan almost played Griffiths in with a poor clearance. Rogic was helped from the field after great keeping from Birghitti gave him a head ache from McGlinchey’s challenging free kick. We all leapt to our feet in the dying seconds when Zwaanswijk headed home but the officials got this one right as he was inches off-side.
A disappointing result but early days; the first half was easily our best display of the season and finally it appears the players are making 4-2-3-1 work. We can do better, we must do better, but we are steadily improving. And next time we won’t be up against twelve men.
the one I did that pleased me most was not for refugees.
Was for a home in Canberra that stands amongst the trees -
The Retirement Home at Belconnen for blind A-League referees!
(Plagiarised from Welsh comedian Max Boyce)
It doesn’t matter how good the defensive structure there is no accounting for a shockingly incompetent referee. The penalty decision against Michael McGlinchey was one of the poorest I have seen. McGlinchey won the ball cleanly, Emile Heskey, as he has done throughout his career, fell over, and Ben Williams, just metres away awarded the spot kick which was efficiently dispatched past Mat Ryan by Ryan Griffiths. Only 3 mins 30 seconds had elapsed. It was a dreadful way to start
We had already had warning of the incompetence of Williams when Ruben ‘Psycho’ Zadkovich launched himself at Josh Rose and only got a yellow card. There would be few referees in football who would not have given a straight red. But this was Ben Williams...
The Mariners then showed why John Hutchinson had said they were a better footballing side than Newcastle. They absolutely dominated play. Newcastle were reduced to hacking the ball downfield hoping Heskey would get something on it.
Rogic set the tone with a beautiful slalom dribble, gliding past the defenders as if they were poles on a ski run only to just fail to get his right foot attempt over Birghitti.
The referees aptly named ‘assistant’ then gave Rose off-side when he had started his run in his own half. No matter, it was all Mariners; one statistic had them with 70% possession. Quite brilliant approach play between Rogic, McGlinchey and Bojic saw Bojic’s cross elude McBreen only for Sterjovski to make a hash of the chance. The only time Newcastle got in the gamet was from Mariner mistakes – Sainsbury almost doing a Brad Porter but recovering brilliantly.
Arnie would have gone in at half-time saying well done but we can do more; we must convert our dominance into goals.
Football though, is a game of two halves and a game in which fair due should be shown to opponents. Newcastle may have been outplayed in the first half but they were much better in the second. They didn’t sit back on their lead; they pushed forward and began to make inroads down the flanks with Goodwin and Virgili. The lively Virgili was showing why Josh Rose has never been a Socceroo: running him ragged with persistent wing play. He beat Rose and then side stepped the statue of Zwaanswijk and provided Heskey with a tap-in for 2-0. You could easily criticise the defending but credit to a skilful, intelligent run from the young Newcastle Jet.
The Mariners were looking distinctly ragged, only Rogic was the shining light with flashes of incredible close skills and intelligence. Pedj picked up a delightful yellow when he upended two Jets for good measure. Mat Ryan failed to get to a cross at the far post being distracted by Heskey. Monty produced a piece of quality defending as Newcastle threatened again. A great piece of approach play from Rogic and Rose gave Sterjovski a chance but he miss-hit the cut back from Rose who might have done better by picking out the unmarked McGlinchey at the far post. McGlinchey looked bewildered. Sterjovski was replaced by Bernie Ibini and Arnie switched to the diamond 4-4-2.
Ryan produced a special flat kick directly to Bernie but he was muscled off the ball by Mitchell and then Rogic wonderful slid past defenders again until Tiago blatantly hacked him down on the edge of the area.
Bernie’s running was causing the Jets problems although his touch would often let him down however he got his reward after persistent work from Rose on the left fand coolly slotted home after the Jets couldn’t clear Mariners pressure.
John Hutchinson then showed why Monty is a much better defender when he clumsily, needlessly, brought down Virgili; Goodwin hit the bar with Ryan beaten from the free kick.
The Mariners became more desperate; more long balls were being pumped forward. McGlinchey’s delayed a cross too long and Rose’s header was weak. Ryan almost played Griffiths in with a poor clearance. Rogic was helped from the field after great keeping from Birghitti gave him a head ache from McGlinchey’s challenging free kick. We all leapt to our feet in the dying seconds when Zwaanswijk headed home but the officials got this one right as he was inches off-side.
A disappointing result but early days; the first half was easily our best display of the season and finally it appears the players are making 4-2-3-1 work. We can do better, we must do better, but we are steadily improving. And next time we won’t be up against twelve men.
