On a perfect day for football Murdoch were drawn away to the league leaders looking to avenge their league loss earlier in the season and to progress further in the cup. Strengthened by a few available
first teamers Lynwood set their stall out to attack Murdoch from the off. Under pressure Murdoch were failing to find a way of releasing the pressure as their retention of the ball was minimal. This pressure resulted in a couple of last gasp tackles and from one of these a corner was conceded. Murdoch failed to clear their lines and the ball was placed into the net from a fortuitous lofted shot.
Despite thsi setback Murdoch kept their heads and slight tactical change saw a change of forward line. This change allowed Murdoch to hold the ball up a bit better and play their game in the oppositions half. A freekick conceded on the byline by Lynwood was punished when Flav rose highest and looped his header over the home custodian. Jason “the poacher” Nurse ensured the goal would stand by heading home from 1cm!!!!

With the scores level Murdoch were looking to halftime when a Lynwood attacking move was well finished by their tall striker leaving Stewart with no chance. At 2-1 Murdoch started the second half determined to improve on their first half showing. Taps replaced Vince and the change of pace began to worry the Lynwood defence. With 25 minutes to go Taps broke free from a tackle and calmly placed the ball past the oncoming keeper. The equalising goal stung Lynwood who began to launch wave after wave of attack. This caused Stewart to produce a string of superb saves that singlehandedly took the game into penalties.

Murdoch penalties were all scored up until the 3rd which would have given them a lead. However this was missed as the pressure began to tell on both teams. A pressure penalty from Henriko took the game into sudden death where Stewart saved the first penalty. With an opportunity to win the game Stewart went from hero to villain as he steered the ball wide of the goal. Lynwood scored their next one leaving Murdoch and Rowan in particular to have to score. The penalty was saved and the rest as they say was history. Lynwood were deserved winners but Murdoch can take plenty from the game and have to bounce back this weekend against Fremantle. Unlucky boys sometimes hard work does not get rewarded keep playing with the same effort and commitment and the season will be a success. (more…)

Murdoch reserves made the short trip to play their local rivals at the weekend looking to pick up 3 valuable points before going into next weeks cup match. With the weather conditions being far from ideal the team looked to take advantage from the wind and soon took the lead when Jason Dixon bundled home a corner from Alex Kurz. As in previous weeks Murdoch failed to build on this lead and allowed spirit back into the game. An innocuous ball into the box was handle by a Murdoch player and a penalty awarded. The kick was well placed to the right of John whose quick reflexes allowed him to palm the ball onto the post and the defense cleared the ball to safety. Murdoch played on the counter but a failure to hit the target kept the spirit in the game. Shortly before halftime this inability to lengthen the lead was punished when a corner fell to the spirit striker who had time and room to smash the ball past john. At halftime some harsh words were mentioned and the team changed formation to a 4-4-2 with Taps making his first appearance for a number of weeks after injury. Taps soon began to have an influence on the match with his direct running.

Murdochs resurgence during the half saw them reclaim the lead when the impressive Fernandez crossed low and true for the onrushing Rohan Cross to steer him from close range. Two soon became three when Taps weaved into the box and slotted past the exposed spirit keeper. Despite the lead Murdoch defending into the lwind had plenty to do and a failure to clear the ball saw a wind assisted shot slip past the excellent Desousa in goal to give Spirit a lifeline with 10 minutes left. This lifeline was soon withdrawn when Murdoch scored the goal of the match as the impressive player coach weaved his way like a little eel through the spirit defence before playing a one two with Taps that saw the return ball cooly dispatched in at the far post. With the 2 goal lead restored Taps scored his second and Murdochs fifth as he latched onto a long ball and slotted home. This was a good second half performance by Murdoch but there is still work to be done. (more…)

Murdoch dropped crucial points from a fixture that really should have fielded all three points. Despite taking the field without a recognised striker and having to make a number of changes from the previous weeks demolition of Spearwood Murdoch got off to a flier when Tim Brewer forced the ball into the net after Maccabi had failed to properly clear a corner. Murdochs inability to retain the ball and to get their passing game going kept allowing Maccabi to counter and it was from one of thesee moves that their equalising goal came. Their forward nodding home a cross unchallenged. Despite this setback Murdoch soon regained the lead when some fine link up play from Dixon and Murray released Murray down the flank and allowed him to cross the ball for Brewer to bravely head home his second. Shortly after the goal Murdoch were forced into a change when the influential Jason Nurse left the pitch with a groin
injury.

Murdoch came in at the interval with the slenderest of advantages and started the second half with better possession. The Maccabi keeper pulled off a great double save from Blaz and the rebound shot from Dwaine and kept his team in the match with a number of claims from crosses. Murdoch had complete control but the quality of ball into the box was not good enough and allowed Maccabi to easily clear their lines each time. Murdoch were made to pay for this slackness when a hopeful run into the area allowed their forward to steer home their equaliser.

Murdoch huffed and puffed and a great save from a specualtive Blaz shot ensured that both sides would have a share of the spoils. (more…)

Murdochs early season title aspirations received a jolt this weekend when a strong Shamrock side gave a lesson in team play and decisiveness. Murdoch were off to a flyer when the first attack of the game saw Anthony Walsh bundled over for a penalty, which Flav converted against his old club. The lead was too easily gained and Murdoch failed to build on it. Within 10 minutes Shamrock had eqaulised when an inability to clear the lines saw a shot from wide of the area beat the keeper at the near post. Shamrock soon began to gain a foothold on the match and their target of hitting the big man up front paid off when the Murdoch defence allowed the forward space and time to run clear and leave the keeper with no chance.

At halftime the emphasis was on getting the basics right, these instructions fell on deaf ears as a poor clearance fell to the feet of the Shamrock leftback who let fly from distance to score the goal of the game. Murdoch eqaulized through a route one goal themselves when Anthony chased down a lost cause and got on the end of the ball to round the keeper and score. Murdochs lifeline did not last long as another defensive error left the keeper with no chance on a one on one situation. 4-2 became 5-2 as the Murdochs heads dropped. Flav pulled a consolation goal back from a great Luiz corner but the damage was done. The humiliation was complete when a short goal kick routine went straight to the Shamrock attacker who took the gift.

This result was a wake up call for the squad and hopefully will be learnt from as we really should be competing with these teams if we are serious about this season. (more…)

The long trip to the end of the free-way proved to be a worthwhile venture for the reserves. With news of the league leaders slipping up mid-week the squad realised that it was a great opportunity to draw level with Lynwood. Despite the rewards on offer it was a fairly timid first 45 minutes with Joondalup making the early running and exploiting Murdoch inability to retain control of the ball for sustained periods. Murdoch made several changes from the previous week with Anthony and Dwayne coming down from the first team and Jordan and Matt going up in the opposite direction. The changes allowed Mark Hodgson his first start of the season and he played like a man with a point to prove. Despite the inertia from the Murdoch team the first half coughed up a numbner of chances that Murdoch through a mixture of good defending, poor finishing were unable to convert. Stewart in goal was calle into action and saw his left hand upright rattled at the close of the half.

The halftime chat looked to address the passiveness of the lads and it was a far different team that began the second half. Murdoch pressed the opposition and began to play in a series of testing balls that pressured the Joondalup defence. The break through came when skipper Tim Brewer pick the ball up in the box and was crudely chopped from behind for a penalty. Flav stepped up and made amends for the prvious weeks miss by confidently dispatching the ball into the corner of the net. Murdoch maintained the intensity and the arrival of fresh legs on the flanks enusred that Joondalup were kept on the back on the back foot. One of theses changes was Vincent who saw a tremendous volley crash against the post and the follow up from Anthony also hit the crossbar. While the lead stayed at 1 goal Joondalup were always in the game and a few late attacks put Murdoch under intense pressure. From one of these attacks a clearance released Anthony who outpaced his marker to slot the ball home for a deserved goal. With the 2 goal advantage the pressure was off mUrdoch and they ran out comfortable winners.

Next weeks fixture bring last years runners up Shamrock to Len Shearer where Murdoch will be looking to improve on last years performances and cement their position at the top of the table. (more…)