Second Half Capitulation Adds to Guantanamo Woes

Wednesday, 1st September 2010

After a promising start to the season with victory in the first round the mighty Guantanamo side was up against a tidy and hardened Pearl Coast Pirates outfit. A game which if won would stamp Racing's authority on the B-Liga and make the other teams quake and pray for help.  It seemed everyone was asleep when this epiphany happened and Racing capitulated in the last 10 minutes of doom.

The game was competitive through the first half and Racing were looking the goods and came close a couple of times through Joel Hamling and Nicky Anear. But the Orange brigade were left wanting as the ball flew wide and over, a couple of defensive lapses saw the Pirates come close also, but were denied by the efforts of Andy Chapman who now is arguably the best goal keeper in the Kimberley. Chances came and went and it was the Pirates who drew first blood. They grew in confidence and Racing slacked off and lack of cohesion and talk infected the team. Guantanamo battled hard and it was another goal by Pearl Coast that sent shivers down the spine of the orange followers. Injures to Rob Viskovich and Terry Ragoonanan did not help the Orange cause. At half-time Racing was 2-0 down and looking unsteady.

Captain Blood demanded his troops find more grunt, growl and dog,  more physical pressure in the air and at ground level. This seemed to perk up the team and Racing headed out with a smell of a comeback. A chance by Gareth Vickery from a free kick into the goal mouth was the only prospect of coming close to a goal. Ryan Platten battled hard in defense. Racing's lack of cohesion and hardiness in the defense/midfield was beginning to show again. Counter attacking by the Pirates gave them the advantage with another 2 goals in quick succession. Then it was the 10 minutes of pain that saw the score double. The final whistle could not come quick enough. Racing was at the hands of a demoralizing defeat 8-0.

Captain Andy Smyth was scathing at full time giving the team a blood curdling spray, the players should have bent over and the skipper swung the boot hard. May the Orange blood boil for next week and blood spill by our enemy. Go Racing.       

Final Score
Racing Guantanamo 0 - 8 Pearl Coast Pirates

Racing Guantanamo Matchday Squad
Andy SMYTH, Ryan PLATTEN, Andy CHAPMAN, Chris HINGSTON, Gaz VICKERY, Ben JONES, Rob VISKOVICH,  Archie CARD, Martin KESSLER, Jackson CORDINGLEY, Nicky ANEAR, Joel HAMLING, Roland SMETHURST, Martin WHITTAKER, Terry RAGOONANAN, Selwyn TAYLOR, Tim GRAY

League Table Snapshot