By Peter Stephenson
A new season began at the Kennel at the tail end of a cruel summer, with the mercury reading 36 degrees at kick-off.
A handful of players decided they were never ever getting back together with Knox over the close season and joined Barkers, so there was bound to be some bad blood between the sides. In fact, I don’t know about you, but I’m feeling 22 players on the pitch at the end would be an achievement.
Sure enough, just 53 seconds had elapsed before Clark and ex-Barker Sam Bircham tangled. The ref showed he wasn’t going to tolerate it and, after handbags at 10 paces, booked Bircham. It was Favor Jentzen who put his mark on the game early, as on two minutes he had a shot held by Naumowicz, then three minutes later, cut in from the left and had a shot blocked. The cards continued on 10 minutes, when something coach Burrows said offended the referee, and he found himself booked.
Knox’s supremacy paid off after 12 minutes when an under-hit pass from Naumowicz was cut out by the lurking Nardella, who hit a simple shot into the empty net for 1-0 Knox. On the quarter hour, Jentzen went down in the penalty area, but the ref waved play on and Barkers could breathe again.
Knox almost doubled the lead with their next attack, as Jentzen sprayed a ball out to the right to find Peter Koskos, whose cross just eluded a forward’s head. Barkers were very careless when, from their own free kick they gave the ball away. Jentzen broke clear, the AR missed the offside, and the shot hit the bar. Then Mateusz Kurzeja hit a snap shot before Scott laid a great tackle but was booked – a decision that would have consequences later.
Just after the half hour, the momentum changed as Aye was chopped down and won a free-kick. The kick was floated to Markley, who stuck a low shot into the corner of the net for 1-1. Barkers had woken up, and then forced a good low block from Knox keeper Matthew Krstina. Barkers’ tails were up and next, Scott rode a challenge before placing the ball past Krstina to give Barkers a 2-1 lead, and you felt that everything had changed.
Six minutes before the break, Nardella had a shot blocked, and Barkers replied with Clark and Scott combining to set up Aye, who forced a low save from Krstina. However, right on half time, disaster struck for the home side. Knox attacked, and Aye, in attempting to clear, kicked an opponent with his foot high. The ref had no option but to tell Aye it’s time to go, and the red card was compounded by a penalty to Knox. It was Nicholas D’Angelo who put the ball low to Naumowicz’s right to make the half-time score Mooroolbark 2-2 Knox City.
Four minutes into the second half, Nittoli hit a through ball for Scott, who had only the keeper to beat but Krstina got to the ball first. Barkers were made to pay for this two minutes later when Knox won a corner on the left. The ball was swung in and a glancing header from Daniel Bailey found the far corner of the net for 3-2 Knox. Then Knox hit a long ball over the top for Nardella, who skied his shot clean into the stratosphere.
Naumowicz was working overtime to keep Knox at bay as Bailey and Jentzen had shots saved, but it was a football legend who drew next blood. Barkers won a corner on the right, which was delivered by Cooper. Tronconi headed across the box to Perrin, whose point-blank header was brilliantly tipped over by Krstina for another corner. When it came in, Tronconi rose like a salmon to head the ball home for 3-3. The crowd went wild as our hero became surely our oldest-ever scorer – I don’t know about you, but he’s feeling (nearly) 42.
Four minutes later, the good work was undone as a Knox cross came in from the right and was turned into his own net by a defender for 4-3 Knox. However, Knox weren’t out of the woods and with five minutes to go, substitute C.Porcaro stole in at the near post to tap the ball home for 4-4. Naumowicz made a superb double save in stoppage time to take the game to extra time. Full time Mooroolbark 4-4 Knox City.
In the first minute of extra time, the ref decided that Knox needed a sporting chance as they had only a one-man advantage. Scott was carded for an innocuous challenge, but with the crowd wanting him to stay stay stay, the ref, who seemingly had a blank space between his ears, had to send off the Barkers captain for two yellows. Barkers, now down to nine men, were under siege, but held out until half-time in extra-time with the scores still level at 4-4.
However, the heat and fatigue finally told on the brave Barkers as Jentzen scored twice in the first eight minutes after the break to finally put daylight between Knox and Barkers at 6-4. Jentzen now turned anti-hero as he ripped his shirt off, earned a second yellow and his marching orders, but as for any disappointment, he will surely shake it off.
Ten goals and three red cards made for a ripper of a game for the neutral fan. Knox progresses to round 4 of the cup, while Barkers regroup to focus on the league campaign, which begins on March 23 with the visit of Hampton East Brighton. Meanwhile, the Barkerettes kick off their Nike FC Cup campaign next week with a home tie against Williamstown – kick-off Sunday 3pm at Esther Park. See you down the Kennel!
