Line Up:

GK: Arty "Fish" Raptis

Def: Lucas, Hawke, Poli, Richie

Mid: Steve, Logan, Keet, Watts, Tomo

Att: Padraic

Bench: Togers, Noonan, Desler

It was a beautiful day down at raymond park, with Bayside coming down for the last final hitout of the pre-season before 1st Grade played Bayside in the Second round of the Canale Cup.

In what is close to a full strength lineup, KPR were expecting a solid hitout, against a side they matched previously in the pre-season only to lose 3-1 late on. But that plan was ruined as early as one minute into the game. I'm not sure we had even touched the ball at this point, but it was 1-0 down after "Fish" misread a cross which left a Bayside player on his own at the back post for a simple header.

When KPR finally got to touch the ball, and settle into the game, it was far more even, with KPR definitly taking control and passing the ball around smoothly, across the bowling green like conditions. Logan managed a couple of shots which on a better day might have gone in, including a header off the top of the bar, and a mis hit shot when he was trying to turn the keeper, but signs were good.

So good in fact, that when KPR were awarded a free kick just outside the box, Coach Silvester stood over the ball confidently, noticing the keeper out of position, sweetly struck the ball with the outside of his foot, straight to the bottom corner. A small bobble saw the ball deviate slightly, but it rocketed off the post and into the net. 1-1 at half time.

Again, KPR came out in the second half, and had the best of the play, and were unlucky not to take the lead, with a sharp header by the illustrious El Presidente Tom O'Hawke well saved by the keeper, Padraic having a couple of attempts closed down or well saved, or just missed, and Logan again just shy of the posts. However, errors started creeping into the game, and I think less than 50% of passes were completed by KPR in the final 20mins of the game, which consistantly saw players well out of position, and Bayside quickly used this to spring the offside trap and take the lead 2-1 with a well placed shot past "Fish".

A late chance by Padraic saw the ball agonisingly go only just high and wide, but the 2-1 loss probably represents what we deserved out of that game. In order to win some games in the season proper, the team needs to be focused right from the whistle, needs to ensure that passes hit the mark, and needs to make sure the right decisions are made when passing the ball, because losing the ball in transition is the easiest way to concede a goal.

The season proper starts this week, against Bayside again, for the 3rd time in 6wks, so everybody needs to lift to make sure the club gets off to a good start in 2010.