A second-half Lachlan Burt penalty earned Clarence United their first points of the season against a frustrated Riverside Olympic on Easter Monday at Wentworth Park.
The bottom two were meeting for the first time this season, presenting a great opportunity for either side to grab some rare points for themselves.
The match certainly started the way in which you might expect two teams struggling for form, extremely cagey with neither team able to take the match by the scruff of the neck.
It took until the 15th minute for the first real effort on goal which fell to Riverside. Rhys Kinslow tried a shot from range which deflected fortunately into the path of Jasper King to put him through one on one, but his effort was saved well by Dyson.
Riverside seemed to be the team with more of the ball, but defender Tom Prince almost gifted Clarence a goal in the 19th minute when his back-pass back to his goalkeeper was short. Cody Snell latched onto the ball, but he couldn’t get the ball out of his feet in the one on one and Reef Murfet gathered in goal.
Despite Riverside’s control Clarence seemed solid in defence with Odaine Demar and Samuel Reibel making numerous tackles and blocks in the last line of defence, which set Clarence up for some dangerous counter-attacks.
The closest either team came in the first half through Harrison Lange’s effort at the back-post. The youngster’s volleyed effort looked goal-bound until Riverside Skipper Ethan Olner made an acrobatic goal-line clearance.
Into the second-half and despite the coach’s words neither team seemed more inspired than before the break, but in the 54th it looked as though Riverside had taken the lead through Kinslow.
The Riverside front-man was slipped in behind by Campbell’s well-weighted pass and he made no mistake one on one, although the celebrations were cut short by the linesman’s flag.
Nine minutes later and it got worse for Riverside when Jonathon O’Neill clipped the heels of Lachlan Burt inside the box. Referee Monty Piesse had no option but to point to the spot and issue a slice of cheese to O’Neill for his clumsy challenge.
Burt stepped up to the spot after the Clarence players sorted out who should take it, and he made no mistake smashing it toward the top-left corner to put the Reds ahead.
As the second-half wore on Riverside continued to push but could not manage to break down a stubborn Clarence who seemed determine to earn their first points and win of the season.
The closest Riverside would come to equalising was through Liam Gilmore in the 90th minute when he managed to find himself on the end of a cross about twelve yards from goal, but his strike was closed down and blocked.
Lachlan Burt was shown a slice of cheese for time-wasting in the 93rd minute when he booted the ball away after a free-kick was given. But neither Burt or his teammates wouldn’t have cared too much because one minute later the referee blew his whistle and Clarence would put their first points on the board in 2019.
https://youtu.be/dTxlasJ7K5E