Match Reports
Metro 5 KPR v Southside Eagles 04/07/10
Result: KPR 2 Southside Eagles 1
Date: Sunday 04/07/10
Kick Off: 15:00
Conditions: Plantar Fasciitis
The KPR absentee list read like the cast of Titanic for this must win fixture against a tricky Southside Eagles outfit. Keeper Grant Preston was once again sidelined, and he was joined in the treatment room by top goal scorer Danny Zumaeta. Coach Graham Cameron & Fitz were south of the border on a stag do (that’s bucks night in Australian), Des Ward was on ressies duty and midfielder Niall Clancy was still missing in action.
However, with the Kiwi flyer Brent Compton once again donning the vacant keepers gloves, and the likes of Frank Lopez, Joshy Cameron & Marcus Chamo stepping up into the starting 11, the Rovers were still able to field a strong side.
First blood went to KPR, with the visitors losing the toss and being forced to play into the glaring winter sun. Unfortunately, the Rovers were unable to use this to their advantage, as the evenly matched sides fought out a war of attrition for much of the first half.
Tommo Ishiguro, playing in an unfamiliar central midfield role alongside Neil Gibson, was a standout for KPR as he combined skill and aggression to good effect. Likewise Chris Duffy, playing wide right, caused the Southside defence all sorts of problems as they struggled to contain his direct style.
As KPR got the second half underway from the centre spot, with the game still goalless, no one could have guessed what was about to unfold. When possession fell to Chris Rojek near the half way line, his options looked limited. As the ball bounced up in front of him, he sent a looping volley towards goal which had the Eagles stopper scrambling frantically to get back into position. There was a collective hush around the ground, as the ball kept a true path and dropped perfectly over the line.
Undeterred by this wonder strike, the visitors kept the pressure on, and a route one ball over the top soon afterwards saw them draw level. Their diminutive striker beat the off side trap and ran on to bury one in the bottom corner, giving the plucky Kiwi understudy no chance.
Seemingly stunned by this quick fire equaliser, the KPR boys lost their shape & composure for a good 15 minutes, handing the Eagles their best opportunity to steal the lead. Some spirited defensive work, however, kept the scores level, and the visitors were left rueing missed opportunities when Chris Duffy once again produced a bit of magic from distance. His second screamer in as many weeks wrestled the momentum back in favour of the home side, and looked to have set up a hard fought victory.
The dying minutes of the game, however, were to produce several moments of high drama. Tommo Ishiguro was gang tackled and caught with a stray elbow, leaving him dazed and needing expert medical attention (i.e a bottle of water squirted in his face!). And the Eagles goal scorer was prevented from grabbing a late equaliser by a Jet Li style sliding tackle from the KPR centre back, who was left nursing a multicoloured ankle for his efforts. The most pivotal play of the game, however, was still to come. When KPR’s talismanic stand in keeper found himself one on one with the flying Eagles striker, the odds looked to be stacked heavily against him. Here he is describing that season defining moment in his own words...
Excerpt from ‘Nine Lives’. An autobiography by Brent Compton (available at Dymocks & all good book stores). RRP $3.99:
'The setting winter sun was sinking low in the sky and lighting up the eyes of the cat like keeper, as he patrolled the penalty area like a caged panther. There was a sudden break through the usually water tight defence of the earnest Kangaroo Point Rovers Met 5 backline. It looked like the Kiwi keeper, with the score poised at 2-1 to KPR in the dying minutes of the game, was in more trouble than a packet of marshmallows near a Boy Scout camp fire. The Eagles striker thought he had plenty of time, but before you could say fush & chups, the crafty Kiwi cat pounced off his line to confront his mortal enemy. The striker, suddenly finding himself in more trouble than a glow stick at a blue light disco, had to move fast - he hit an absolute screamer from point blank range, which looked for all money as if it would break the hearts of the KPR faithful!
Out of nowhere, the rookie substitute Kiwi keeper made a wonderful save as he hit the full face of the ball with the full face of his face, to deflect what would have been a crushing equaliser. Moments later, top cat was back on his feet, and the bag in the change rooms was vibrating like a Gillette Mac 3 Turbo. Frantic messages were left by Ricky Herbert and Mark Paston, neither of whom has been called back! The black cat is loyal to the core and was born to play for the mighty black & gold (once again, that’s KPR FC, not the cheap, corner shop margarine!). This immeasurable act of bravery was immediately immortalised as the face of God incident!'.
