MPFC 3 – 1 Elwood City SC
When the draw is done for the 2013 Victorian State Cup competition, you can bet that Elwood City will be praying to avoid Middle Park. For the second consecutive year, the two clubs were drawn together in the first round of the knock out competition. For the second straight year, the Parkers sent Elwood City packing.
Middle Park’s starting line up saw the return of two ex-players, in Jason Hart and Barry Dolan, both coming back into the fold after a few years playing in the State leagues. Stephen Gibson also made his return for the Parkers, having had a very brief spell with the club in 2007. John Stewart made his debut for the Parkers against the club he represented last year. Gavin Cremming, Ally Cook, Neil Mullen, Nathan Meade, Mickey Furness, Kevin Hogan, and Miles Tidd rounded out the starting eleven for MPFC.
Good managers don't celebrate
The Parkers took the game to Elwood from the opening kickoff of the match, played Saturday afternoon at the State Football Centre in Thornbury. Yet despite dominating the game from a posession and territorial perspective, Middle Park failed to find the breakthrough in the first 25 minutes of the match. It wasn’t until just after Elwood had their first spell of meaningful posession in the Parkers’ half that the opening goal came.
After a decent move by Elwood ended with a shot falling disappointingly easily into MPFC goalkeeper, Gibson’s hands, he started the Parkers on an upfield move that ended with Mullen beating the Elwood ‘keeper with delightful chip from about 20 yards out. It was no less than Middle Park deserved after dominating so much of the match to that point.
The lead should have been doubled just a few minutes later. After a deft pass from Tidd sent Meade down the left wing, he swung in a fantastic cross into the Elwood box. A hard-charging Hart should have scored, but his powerful header came crashing back off the crossbar. Middle Park would have to make due with 1-goal half-time lead.
The second half continued in much the same fashion as the first. Middle Park carried most of the posession and threat, with only brief flashes of danger from Elwood. MPFC finally scored the goal that should have put the game beyond doubt in about the 70th minute. Tidd created panic in the Elwood backline by putting pressure on their center back. This lead to a turnover, allowing Tidd to unselfishly slide a pass across the front of goal for Meade to slot into a half-empy net.
Elwood made sure that it wouldn’t be such an easy finish for the Parkers. Some slack defending and poor communication between the Gibson and the defenders in front of him allowed Elwood to quickly pull a goal back. They were back in the game, perhaps undeservedly.
The Parkers did eventually find the goal that put the game out of reach with about five minutes remaining. Mullen finished past the Elwood ‘keeper from what looked like an impossible angle to the right of the goal. It was Nanny’s first brace for Middle Park and capped off his Man of the Match performance.
Middle Park will now take its place in Tuesday’s draw for the second round of the Cup. The Parkers will face one of Collingwood City, South Yarra, Melbourne University, Malvern City, St Kilda SC, Yarraville, or Clifton Hill next Saturday.
MPFC – Stephen Gibson, John Stewart, Ally Cook, Barry Dolan, Gavin Cremming, Jason Hart, Neil Mullen (Ally Barron), Kevin Hogan (Chris Stevenson), Nathan Meade, Mickey Furness, Miles Tidd (Esteban Pinto) Unused Substitute – Alexander Xynas