Mud bath victory breaks Apollo’s Inter drought

Caleb Casey, Harry Wilson Crop Dsc 489020190602  TBW Newsgroup
MUDDY: International's Caleb Casey and Apollo's Harry Wilson chase down the ball during their muddy encounter at Casadio Park on Sunday. Picture: THOMAS MILES

Caleb Casey, Harry Wilson Crop Dsc 489020190602  TBW Newsgroup
MUDDY: International’s Caleb Casey and Apollo’s Harry Wilson chase down the ball during their muddy encounter at Casadio Park on Sunday. Picture: THOMAS MILES

AN almost three-year curse was lifted on Sunday when Apollo’s A Grade side triumphed over International with a 2-1 victory in round four of the Limestone Coast Football Association’s premiership season.

The weather was fitting for the drought-breaking occasion as torrential rain preceded the clash and the four minor-grade games saw the usually pristine pitch at Casadio Park churned into a mud bath by the final match.

Conditions were so bad referee Peter Van Dijk reassessed the pitch every minute and had he deemed players to be in danger, was prepared to abandon the match.

The going was tough and both teams were forced to adjust from their preferred fast-paced playing styles, as they battled through the gruelling conditions for 90 minutes.

And it was Apollo which came out on top, for its first win over the black and blue since June 19, 2016.

Intensity was high for the duration of the match, as to be expected between the traditional rivals, with both sides firing out of the gates.

“Inter attacked very hard straight off the first kick off,” Apollo co-coach Bruno Vadori said.

“They put a lot of pressure on straight away, but I was quite happy our lads really stepped up to the occasion and were not caught napping.”

Due to injuries Inter fielded a younger side, with junior talent taking to the ground to back up their Under 17 matches.

Two big outs for the hosts were captain Christian Cella and Nick Morony, whose absences left large holes for the Inter youth to fill.

But that did not take away from the closeness of the match and the game hung in the balance heading into the second term.

At half time the scores were locked at one-all, with Inter first to hit the board after a mishap in the slippery goal square, which saw Apollo youngster Adam Walker slip during his attempt to clear the ball and boot it into the top of his team’s goal.

But rather than dwelling on the incident, Apollo returned fire for the remainder of the term, earning a penalty which was converted by Stewart Wallace to level the scores.

Wallace opened the second half with another goal and that was the game.

Despite best efforts further goals were elusive and Apollo held on for an unforgettable win.

Vadori was most impressed with his team and gave credit to the work rate from every player.

“It was a solid team performance from all the lads,” he said.

“It was hard to even use our substitutions – it was a matter of trying to see who was the most worn out to choose who came off.”

There were some standouts on the day and Walker was a “highlight”, with his performance more than making up for his mishap in the goal square.

His defensive efforts were first class and provided a brick wall alongside captain Tom Inglis.

“Adam basically stopped the old laser boot Matt Bueti from scoring all day,” Vadori said.

“He really dug in deep and had an outstanding game.

“Tom Inglis had an awesome game again – he is captain courageous in the back-line and is really getting spurred on by young Adam as he teaches him the ropes.

“They are really gelling well together and are both complimenting each other.”

Tobbei Kennett was also in fine form and tore up the midfield, receiving recognition from Van Dijk for his efforts, a close second-best to Inter keeper Brayden May in his books.

“He was all over the park and has really become a bit of a commander in the middle there,” Vadori said.

“His voice and his presence has really lifted the squad this season.”

For Inter, Vadori gave credit to the usual threats of Dan Bronca and Bueti, along with Ricky McRobert who continues to patrol the back-line and provide a challenge for attackers.

The win not only presents a club achievement which has eluded Apollo for some time, but adds another positive to what is shaping up to be a rewarding season.

Last round’s one-goal loss to Gambier Centrals and Sunday’s result against the reigning premiers shows a big improvement from last year and shines some light on Vadori’s three-year plan for the team.

The clash at Casadio Park was by far the closest of the round, as Centrals claimed a 9-1 victory over Blue Lake at Malseed Park.

The Lions wasted no time setting up a lead and held a five-goal advantage at the break, before finishing off just as strong.

Rhyleigh Hollands, Adrian Hurst and captain Cameron Saint led the way with two goals each, while Nathan Fleetwood, Tom Renzi and an own goal rounded out the scoring.

The final match of the round saw Naracoorte travel to Portland for a 5-1 win.

Daniel Sribar top scored with three goals, while Mulugata Abirha and Dave Clifford also hit the scoreboard for the guests and Stephen Von Tunk found the back of the net for Portland.

This weekend sees a bye for the SAJSA State Championships in Adelaide, with the next games to be played on Sunday, June 16.