CCL - Selwyn 1 Nomads 0; Parklands 3 Burwood 1
Nomads number 15 scored the goal with a top strike and finished the game seeing Red [2 yellow cards] for gobbing it.
Nomads had six players out from what I've seen in other games. Case of job done well before this game.
Selwyn good for the 3 points on the day looked the better team and played some good football.
Both sides had chances and each clipping the bar. Nomads edged the more clear chances with a couple of scrambles by Selwyn keeper keeping the ball out.
The game got a bit scrap happy late on and the ref didn't help himself keep a lid on it, needed to be more vocal in some instances and just lost the flow it had in the first half. Would have been a good game for Iian Glover to have watched and noted.
A vast amount for Nomads to do before the start of next seasons MPL.
Dug outs could move to the other side as the wind was blowing strong down the side thay are on and well sheltered on the tree side.
In terms of the dugouts have no idea. Don't go over the side of the trees sorry.
Back to the game I think Nomads do have lots to do before the MPL next yr. The comment by their players during the game was get through the 1st half and then they will 'have the wind' which will make their hoofball style easier. For a team with players who can all play, some of the directness used was eye opening. Especially with no pressure from Selwyn.
I know Selwyn took on board comments from their coach last time when he let us know he instructed Nomads to play 'hard' against us. Well he got a team of 9 of the players aged 19 or under playing hard against him and it wasn't liked. The nomads captain lost his shark and got himself a 2nd yellow for backchat to the ref. The number 11 also got carded for constant backchat infringements. This is against a team of kids. Got to be better against the 'big boys'.
Looking objectively I think the ref did ok. I think he missed a yellow card for a Selwyn player kicking the ball away after an offside whistle, but overall didn't get involved with any chat. Just refereed the game in front of him. Plain ignored the heated comments he was getting from the nomads bench too.
Can't comment on nomads missing several players. Didn't see our hungry Irish friend out there bit recognised most others. I think at this time of the season most teams run into niggles etc. Selwyn had 12.5 fit players for this game and lost one of them 10 minutes in. We may not normally have so many young players in the squad but it is how it fell.
Looking forward to seeing Nomads again in 2 weeks time