On Friday night it was a balmy 7 degrees at kick-off at Monbulk Regional Soccer Facility as Barkers (5th) had their 7th attempt at getting an away point this year, as they travelled to cellar-dwellers Monbulk Rangers. Surely tonight would be the night they would sing the song away from home? Just for a change, Barkers were unchanged, fielding the same side that downed Knox City 2-0 last week.
Barkers’ first chance came when captain Geordie Scott volleyed over after 5 minutes, but we didn’t have to wait long for the opener. Three minutes later, Paul McEvoy hit a long ball forward, which the home defence could only help on into the path of Scott. The ball sat up nicely for Scott and with his first touch he guided an accurate lob beyond Beau Newman into the corner of the net to give Barkers an early lead. Surely the floodgates would now open?
No – that isn’t the Mooroolbark way. Despite Monbulk giving Barkers all the time in the world on the ball, and Barkers occasionally ripping through the home defence like a knife through butter, the goals did not rain down. Indeed, on 25 minutes, the home side had the temerity to mount an attack, but a clean tackle from Ahren Angulo just inside the Barkers penalty area saved the day.
On the half hour, a Monbulk clearance dropped kindly for Maxim Solovyev, but his low shot went wide. Four minutes later, Sam Klepac had the ball near the right corner flag and laid the ball back to be crossed, which saw Solovyev head wide. Half-time: Monbulk Rangers 0-1 Mooroolbark, with the visitors failing to take full advantage of their superiority.
Six minutes into the second half, Monbulk hit a curling shot which the underemployed Mark Naumowicz got safely behind, in a warning to Barkers. The next Barkers attack saw a cross from the left cleared out to Scott, whose shot was blocked. Finally it was Jack Buglass who took the bull by the horns – he ran down the right before cutting inside and unleashing what was actually quite a gentle shot. It was, however, accurate enough to elude Newman and find the corner of the net to make it 2-0 to Barkers. Buglass then tried his luck again, but this time Newman saved with his feet.
Six minutes later, the unthinkable happened. Having barely created a chance all night, Monbulk won a corner on the right. The ball came in, and through the glare of the lights in the strawberry patch behind the goal, we could just make out that ex-Barker Seth Runje found the net from close range to halve the deficit to 2-1. This seemed to galvanise Monbulk but Barkers stood firm under pressure.
On 68 minutes McEvoy released Buglass on the right, but the youngster rushed his shot and it went wide. Then a Barkers cross from the left found Liam Seaye. He brought the bouncing ball under control and laid off for Steve Nittoli to shoot, but he was slightly off balance and the shot went narrowly over. Then Nittoli almost released Scott, but Newman rushed out to claim as Barkers piled on the pressure.
With less than 15 minutes left, a shot from Scott bounced awkwardly in front of Newman, who managed to tip the ball wide. This was the beginning of a series of at least half a dozen corners for Barkers, but Monbulk were hanging on grimly. Finally, with only 4 minutes left, Sean Perrin hit a dangerous corner in from the right, and a thumping header from Dan Higgins was almost stopped on the line, but the pace was too much for Newman and Higgins had his first goal for the club. Full time: Monbulk Rangers 1-3 Mooroolbark.
As we have almost come to expect, Barkers made very heavy weather of dispatching a lower-placed side. The game should have been dead and buried by half time, but at one stage in the second half Monbulk were looking like they might steal a point. Nevertheless Barkers got the job done, and move up one spot to 4th. Next Saturday they travel to fellow top-half side Skye United.
The men’s reserves resulted in a narrow but comfortable win by 2-1, with goals from Van Thawng either side of half time. Barkers were helped by an inspired display from stand-in goalkeeper George Aratzis.
The Barker’s women’s side had a bye, and next Friday host Swinburne, in what is expected to be striker Amy D’Ortenzio’s 200th game.
