ANZACs action for Hawks

Sun Jul 19, 2009 : 18:36

In the first of 13 pre-season friendlies, the young Hawks Academy including several first team trialists faced the Australia/New Zealand (ANZAC) Under 23 touring side on Saturday on the 3G all-weather surface at Cowplain, and notched up an impressive 6 - 0 victory.

The ANZAC’s were tired after a gruelling 7 match/11 day schedule and this showed as they rarely troubled the formidable Nathan Ashmore in the Hawks goal; Nathan appearing to give Shaun Gale a chance to look at other possible goalkeeping cover at the Sutton game. However, the tiredness of the visitors should not undermine the way the Hawks Academy went about their business with their usual mix of hungry tenacity and a flair passing game.

Academy Manager Stu Page elected to use all 24 players at his disposal during the match which was played in 3 x 30minute thirds. In slightly bizarre circumstances, Pagey was able to play all his 22 outfield players for his team whilst lending his 2 spare keepers to the opposition, when the ANZAC keeper was forced to leave the field on 20mins after injuring himself diving at the feet of George Lopez, only to give away a penalty. Hawks Academy keeper Cameron Scott went in goal for the ANZACs to face the penalty but failed to stop Mark Cotton calmly placing the spot kick home. From then on the Hawks gathered momentum as their opposition wilted.1st year academy keeper, Pete Snook, took over from Scott for the final 30 minutes as the Hawks ran home a very comfortable 5-0 victors.

’Pagey’ rolled players on throughout the game and as the gap in superiority widened so the goals raided in. George (Boateng) Lopez - who is looking to try and secure a 1st team contract - was man of the match and clearly used this game to show what a ‘real’ potential he is with an ‘on-fire’ performance that saw him score 2 goals (one an overhead kick from an impossible angle) and set up 2 others. Other outstanding performances came from Tom Redwood at right back who was exceptionally cool and very calm at right back especially for someone so young and captain for the day, Conor Geoghegan who was absolutely rock steady at centre back and will again give Galey some food for thought for this season’s summer intake. The match was played in great spirit and was a fitting end to the ANZAC’s busy tour. Equally pleasing was the introduction of two of the new young Academy assistant referees, Jacob Wright and Michael Ryan, who should both be congratulated on their fine performance as too should that of Mike Desborough in the middle. Michael and Jacob’s performances gave great hope that the new Academy referee course being run in parallel with the Hawks Academy at South Downs College might produce some very good refs for the future.

Hawks Line Up & Substitutions

Nathan Ashmore, Joe Waller (Tom Redwood 45) (Whyte 70), Liam Crosswell (Liam Flannigan 45), Danny Mackney (Ajay 45), Connor Geoghegan (Capt) (Josh Brewster 55), Ryan Gadd (Kieron Howard 55), Bremford (Dao 55), Michael (Samuel 50), Lopez (Bradey Norton 60), Ralph (Sam Knight 60), Cotton (Alex Lowley 40) (Gilbert 70)

The next action for the Hawks Academy will also feature a mixture of first team trialists when the side take on Horndean next Friday 24th July - 7.45pm at Horndean FC

Report by Stu Page


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