SWANS HOLD OFF FAST FINISHING KNIGHTS
Peter Simcox
Swan IC held off a fast finishing Western Knights to win 3-2 in round 17 of the Football West Premier League at Francis Street on Saturday.
The black and whites were cruising at half time, 3-0 up, with goals from debutant Chris Marshall, Damian Scali and Dejan Djukanovic. In the second half however the Knights hit back with goals from skipper Daniel Trim and Rory Grant, but it was too little too late for Ronnie Campbell’s side.
The home side started the better and had the first opportunity on four minutes; Djukanovic was brought down on the edge of the box by Stuart Ferguson and Dom Ando’s powerful free kick was saved well by Kevin Miller.
Moments later Michael Tronchin found Brendan Knox in the box but the midfielders shot flew over the bar. The Swans pressure finally paid off with the lead on 17 minutes, Knox’s corner from the left was met by Scali, his header was cleared off the line by David Micevski, but the rebound fell to Marshall and the defender fired home from five-yards.
With Wednesday’s Soccer Pools Cup semi-final on their minds the Knights looked flat and Scali’s header from Cory Hugo’s free kick almost made it 2-0 on 20 minutes, Lucky for them Miller was alert to save.
The Knights first opportunity came in the 23rd minute, Micevski found Michael de Souza 20-yards from goal, but his low shot through a crowded penalty area was well saved by Cory Hugo.
It was the home side that was making all the running and it came as no surprise when they doubled their lead in the 28th minute. Ando charged down Ferguson’s attempted clearance and it fell kindly to Djukanovic. His shot was cleared off the line, even though it looked like it had crossed the line, Scali made sure turning and firing home from close-range.
The Swans continued to press and in the 34th minute a great run and shot from Justin Hugo flashed inches wide. The Knights then went close to reducing the margin moments later, former Swans defender Jonathon Mathers found Grant on the edge of the box, but he also shot wide.
It was the visitors who were lifting late in the half and from the right De Souza’s cross on 40 minutes, Josip Peran headed wide. Then on the stroke of half time the Swans made it 3-0, another great run down the right from Justin Hugo, he cut inside and beat three Knights’ defenders, his shot was blocked by Miller but Djukanovic was quickest to the rebound to again fire home for the Swans from close-range.
It was a different Knights team in the second half and they had a strong penalty claim turned down by referee John Taran in the opening sixty seconds, when Trim’s shot hit the arm of Justin Hugo, and Mathers’ follow up effort went wide.
Then Micevski tried his luck from long-range on the hour, but it was straight at Cory Hugo. The former Perth Glory midfielder was everywhere and he came within inches off reducing the deficit five minutes later, his shot from 25-yards crashed off the crossbar as the Knights continued to dominate.
It was only a matter of time before the Knights scored and they had their reward in the 78th minute. Micevski’s free kick took a deflection off Trim, and although Cory Hugo got a hand to it he couldn’t stop it going in to the net.
The goal lifted the Knights, but it was the Swans who almost hit back immediately, Tronchin found Ando 25-yards out, but his shot flashed inches wide.
With Trim and Micevski dominating the middle of the park the Knights pressed and they were back in the game on 84 minutes, Grant heading home to set up an intriguing last six minutes.
The Knights pushed forward in search of the equaliser but with Aaron Cole and David McNally outstanding at the back, the Swans hung on and Coach Paul Lincoln was happy with the victory.
“I’m happy with the win but disappointed with our second half performance. We lost our way a little bit and I think the guys thought they had the game won and were cruising. The Knights fought it out and when they scored late to make it 3-2 I thought it was going to be one those days, but we held on which is great for us,” said Lincoln.
Knights Coach Ronnie Campbell was disappointed with his side’s first half but happy with the second half performance.
“We were very poor in the first half, and lost three terrible goals, and when you defend as badly as that you’re not going to win many games. We changed the formation in the second half and played better, but it wasn’t good enough,” he said.
