Anything can happen in a four hour game (guest post)

This piece originally appeared on Manny's blog

As I made my way to Lakeside I had to face a delayed train, missed tram and buckets of rain. Despite these annoyances, I remained hopeful for tonight’s Australia Cup match against Olympic FC. South was coming off of a full week of rest, and Olympic was not of the same caliber as Wellington. It was sure to be a straight forward night, right?

First Half: Part I

I managed to get to the game just after kick off where I was welcomed by a vocal Olympic FC contingent. A small group of them were chanting behind a banner and dotting the white grand stand with their red tracksuits. As I made my way to Clarendon Corner I also noticed that the crowd was much smaller than that of the Wellington fixture. This only solidified my expectations of an easy win as the night felt very similar to the Sorrento game in 2017 – back then South won comfortably and progressed to the next round of the Cup.

On the pitch things were looking good. South had started the game well, and looked generally composed on the ball despite a lot of intensity and pressure from Olympic. Not long after I arrived, South even managed to score from long throw and took a deserved lead. The opening goal seemed to relax South, whereas  Olympic remained unchanged in their intensity. This allowed the game’s momentum to shift to the visitors – not that anyone was paying attention.

Much of the crowd was distracted by the black clouds slowly making their way from the city, whilst many others were closely tracking the final moments of the Carlton vs St Kilda game on their phones. It was only when Olympic scored an equaliser that the crowd really re-engaged with the game, however, by then the weather had deteriorated significantly and the officials soon made the call to delay the game. The players reluctantly hit the sheds, fan huddled under the grandstand roof and some spectators decided to leave the stadium early rather than wait out the forced delay.

First Half: Part II

I decided to kill time by doing the unthinkable – ordering food from the Social Club. To my surprise though, my order was ready almost instantly, the gyros was very tasty and the portion size was huge! I spent the rest of the break enjoying my dinner in the grandstand and watching the lightning strikes, as the stadium DJ exhausted their rain themed playlist.

Although songs like ‘Umbrella’ and ‘Thunderstruck’ helped keep the mood relatively light, the overall delay experience wasn’t the most pleasant. The weather was so bad that one of the outer bays was evacuated, we were informed by the emergency PA system not to leave the venue, and worse still – no one knew for sure if the game would even resume. Forty minutes after the initial delay, we were finally told the game would resume. ‘I can see clearly now the rain has gone’ played over the speakers.

The rest of the first half frustratingly went on to mirror the game dynamic present before the delay. South again controlled the ball, but Olympic again managed to score against the run of play. The crowd reacted poorly to this. Not just in regards to the lost lead but also to the fact that the goal seemed to come from an offside attack. When half time arrived, South were trailing and – worse still for me – St Kilda managed to beat Carlton. This left me backing two losing teams and facing a cold late public transport trip home.

Second Half

Except for the occasional attack from Olympic, South completely dominated the second half. Right from the start, South held the ball well and showed restraint in their attacking plays, often opting to knock the ball around the back rather than hit it up forward quickly. This demonstration of patience though was perceived by fans as a lack urgency and as time passed there was a sense of growing frustration throughout the grandstand. I was also frustrated at the team, especially at their inability to shoot more liberally in the wet conditions. On reflection though, the possession heavy approach did have an impact on Olympic which eventually worked in South’s favour.

Olympic were ultimately forced into an endless series of exhausting defensive runs on the extremely water logged Lakeside pitch. They sat deep with ten behind the ball which limited their attacking plays to isolated and direct efforts which were easily cleared by the South defence. Tired legs and deep set structures also meant Olympic were ineffective when attempting to win loose balls in the midfield, this often gave South second chances in their build up play. Eventually though even the Olympic defensive efforts would fail when late in the game they gave away a penalty.

Astoundingly though, even this wasn’t enough for South. Sawyer’s penalty was saved and the team still had nothing to show for an entire half of dominance. The team though, to their credit, didn’t put their heads down. South continued to pepper the Olympic box with crosses and shots. Finally, a beautifully timed overlap on the left wing saw the ball crossed to an unmarked Archibald. Archibald slammed the ball into the back of the net to equalise at the 90th minute – sending the crowd wild and the game into extra time.

Extra Time

I took the pause in play to introduce myself to Paul Mavroudis. Having read his work for over a decade, and attending South games for longer, the introduction was definitely a tad late. How late you ask? About three minutes. How can I be so exact in this calculation? Well in the brief moment we chatted not only did we miss the extra time kick off, but we also missed the Puskas Award worthy goal which put South back in the lead. Jankovic had converted a free kick from half way after noticing that the Olympic keeper was off his line. Somehow he not only chipped the keeper, but he also managed to keep the shot on target!

The rest of the extra time was a blur. Clarendon erupted into almost non-stop chanting and sang away the remaining time, after being nervously quiet for much of the game. The game remained a relatively open affair and could have easily gone to penalties, but South held on and secured passage to the next round of the cup. For me, things managed to get even better. ‘Never Tear Us Apart’ had found its way onto the speakers a little earlier – confirming the Power’s defeat of Fremantle and consequently Carlton’s passage to the AFL Finals. The rain had also managed to clear up, meaning my trip home was looking a lot better.

I eventually left the ground at 9.30, two hours after the match’s scheduled completion but knowing that both my teams were through to the next round of competition, and that I wasn’t going to be drenched on the way home.

Jimmy Armstrong

It’s also worth noting that the great Jimmy Armstrong had passed away earlier in the month. At the game, a number of memorials were conducted, including a video package that was played at half time, a fantastic banner hung up at Clarendon Corner, and a commemorative shirt which was placed by the South bench during the game. I believe there was a memorial pre-game as well but I arrived too late to catch it. Jimmy was an SMFC great that I never had the privilege of watching play, but I still managed to see him around Lakeside over the years.

One odd moment I had regarding Jimmy was after a game at the Limerick Arms. It was St Patrick’s day and my group was the only ones in the pub wearing Blue in a sea of Green. Speaking to some of the Irish expats and even the bar staff though was a bit of cultural exchange, and Jimmy proved to be the bridge between both worlds when we found out the bar tender was related to him. Moments like these emphasised how important Jimmy was for South, but also how respected he was by everyone that met him. Rest in Peace Jimmy.

Finals

South will next face Hume City in the NPLVIC finals on Friday the 30th of August with the winner progressing to the Grand Final. The week after the Grand Final, South will play their Australia Cup quarter final. The natch will be played away to either Melbouren Srbija – or possibly Hume City. For now the team will pause and recover but these will be a huge few weeks ahead! 

Third time’s the charm for South Melbourne vs A-League opposition (guest post)

South Melbourne vs Wellington Phoenix. It was a game that I had been looking forward to since it was announced, and one that was scheduled just a few days after my return from holiday. In terms of cultural whiplash, I’m not sure the experience could have been any more surreal.

Instead of relaxing on a Greek beach (as I was just a week ago), my day consisted of a return to the office, a deluge of emails and then a mid-week football game between South and an A-League opponent. The whole thing felt like a dream, and considering the final result, I’m still not entirely sure that the experience was reality.

Getting to the game

I made my way down to Southern Cross after work where I grabbed a pregame meal and caught up with a mate. From there, we grabbed a tram destined for Lakeside, where the first signs of the game’s significance were present. Blue South Melbourne beanies and Yellow Wellington scarves adorned other passengers on the trams. Many of which were undoubtedly first time visitors to Lakeside, as they were noticeably tracking their journeys on Google Maps.

Although tonight was surely going to be bigger than a usual Lakeside escapade, I was still pessimistic about the game and experience to come. As we approached the stadium, the grandstand only appeared sparsely occupied, and as we entered through Gate Two my heart sunk as I realised that most of the ground was in fact closed up… yes, despite playing A-League opposition, only one stand was open.

Before the game

We made our way to the packed Social Club to kill some time in the merch store, before heading back out to snag seats next to Clarendon Corner. Pleasingly the atmosphere was picking up at an accelerating pace. I guess I shouldn’t have been surprised. Most people tend to arrive just before kick-off especially on a cold weeknight, but even then, I was surprised as to how large the crowd eventually became.

Amongst the many South fans were a strong contingent of Wellington faithful, as well as a good showing from associate clubs – I noticed quite a few Yarraville and Malvern scarves sprinkled throughout the ground. The grandstand felt warm, both thanks to our undercover seats and also thanks to the excited pre-game chatter around us. Lakeside was looking picturesque and despite the cold, the minimal wind and beautifully lit stadium had me looking forward to a wonderful night of football.

The first half

Fireworks blasting at the end of the player tunnel were a novel way to usher the players onto the field, but the most pleasant surprise was South’s aggressive opening play. After just five minutes a beautiful through ball from Zak Spiteri was wonderfully hit into the back of the net by Harrison Sawyer. The goal put South in the lead and made the crowd go wild.

Just moments later though, South narrowly avoided a quick retaliation. Wellington managed to carve out a one on one opportunity, only to hit the final shot over the bar. This wasn’t their only chance of the half but it was certainly their best. For the remainder of the half Wellington held possession and seemed particularly dangerous down the right wing, however despite numerous plays into the box the Nix lacked the strike power to equalise.

South defended well and defended aggressively to the delight of the fans. South frequently pressured Wellington into losing the ball up the field and prevented the Nix from establishing much fluidity in their possession. The crowd cheered every major slide tackle and clearance, more so when they realised each turnover could quickly be turned into an attacking opportunity.

South were content on playing a quick and direct style with Sawyer offering the main target up front. Midfield turnovers were quickly taken by sprinting South wingers but despite the frantic attacking play at the end of the half the score remained 1-0. It was a near perfect half for the club, and the players enjoyed a standing ovation as they returned to the change rooms.

However as is always the case with unusually large games at Lakeside minor issues can on occasion pop up. This time round was a farcical attempt from security to remove the trumpet from Clarendon Corner. Thankfully the issue was laughed away by the fans and security allowed reason to prevail, but having seen this before I can’t help but wonder how this isn’t mentioned in the pre-game security briefings. Clarendon Corner should not have to argue for their right to support the team as they have been for decades!

The second half

The second half was a different beast. Save for a couple of counter attacking chances and an inexplicably impressive run from Sawyer, South were largely on the back foot. It was clear from the onset that the team was rapidly fatiguing, and would not be able to approach the game as aggressively as they had in the first half.

South responded to the changing dynamic by subbing off Harry Sawyer for Andy Brennan. It was a clever move which allowed South to concentrate on their defensive structure whilst retaining an attacking threat through Brennan’s pace, which kept Wellington on their toes. Despite the isolated role and team fatigue, Brennan even managed to carve out a few chances behind the high Wellington defensive line.

Wellington on the other hand looked energised and composed. The Nix comfortably retained the lion’s share of possession but failed to break the South defence with their young strike force. Eventually the team was forced to introduce some attacking experience, subbing on both Barbarousness and Rojas later in the game.

During the second half I decided to go for a quick walk and soak in the atmosphere. Although only one stand was open for the game it should be noted that the grandstand in question is huge and it is no surprised that over 4,000 people were in attendance on the night. The corporate areas were packed and there was barely any room along the fence line for those looking to get close to the action.

On the far end I was surprised to find a couple of hundred Wellington fans in attendance. After chatting to a few of them it turns out they have a very established presence in Melbourne and generally fill out their away allocations in their A-League games here. They were understandably impressed by the Lakeside set up, particularly the views of the city and the Albert Park surrounds.

Injury time

Meanwhile at the social club end, Clarendon Corner managed to create a noisy atmosphere throughout the whole game. As they do for most big games, flags, drums and tickertape featured and on more than one occasion the surrounding crowds got involved in chants. As the game slowly reached its conclusion though, the noise and anxiety of the crowd palpably grew.

In injury time, the whistles from the crowd were ear piercing, every South tackle was cheered and every Wellington attack received the scorn of the masses. When the actual final whistle finally arrived the players fell to the floor exhausted and the crowds rose in jubilation. South had done it.

The PA system pumped ‘Another One Bites The Dust’ to farewell the Kiwi opponents and Clarendon Corner led the crowd with chants for the team. The overall experience was equal parts pride and surprise that the team, the club, had actually managed to defeat an A-League team.

One final note

I’m grateful for nights like this. Nights where over 4,000 people come to a mid-week match to watch South win in a National Competition. This upcoming weekend South face Avondale in a park by a freeway. The contrast in some ways is sad but it also reveals something quite important. Despite the many years in the football wilderness South, and many other clubs, have not given up on their ambition for something bigger.

The big nights can only happen after many nights of hard work. South has worked hard to remain successful in football at the highest level it has been allowed to reach. It has worked hard to maintain a strong fan base, it has worked hard to retain a strong team, it has worked hard to occupy a world class facility, and it will continue to work hard to excel elsewhere – whether that be the junior program, women’s program, powerchair football, community work, or helping to deliver a second division.

This weekend’s game might be played in front of fewer people but it also could deliver South a Premiership. No matter the level, doing your best matters, and for as long as I’ve known South, that’s what they’ve tried to do themselves, and inspire others to do to. Sometimes your best isn’t enough, thankfully for South against Wellington, it was.

New segment - Social Club Artefact Wednesdays - 1966 West Adelaide pennant

Back during the early part of 2010, I (along with Mr Valkanis, Steve from Broady, and a couple of other people) packed away (in a bit of a hurry I might add, and look how that worked out, sigh) stuff that was in the social club. A lot of this stuff will be familiar to you, my South Melbourne audience, but a lot of it won't. That's because it was often hidden or kept inside small office spaces or alcove rooms.

While the camera I used to document some of these items is not really up to the task, as is my skill as a photographer, I thought I may as well release an image or so a week, just for the sake of it. Hopefully by the time I run out of usable or interesting photos, we'll have our social club up and running, and we can all share in their glory. Over to you Ministers Delahunty and Guy.

For the most part, if the item itself is self-explanatory, I won't be adding too much in the way of elaboration. Chances are that I won't know much about a lot the objects anyway. Some times it won't even be social club objects, but stuff that was lying around all over the place, maybe even stuff that other people have posted on the net, so if you have a weird or unusual object you'd like to show off to the great South Melbourne public, give us a buzz.

I was going to start off with another artefact, but in honour of West Adelaide Hellas' trip across to Victoria for the 3XY Cup, I've decided to go with this one instead.

In a box in one of the back rooms there was a lot of stuff, including a lot of pennants, usually as part of the custom of exchanging pennants after friendly or other matches.

Quite why we have a 1966 South Australian state league championship pennant (see above photo) I'm not sure, and I hope that it wasn't left behind by accident and that the West Adelaide people still have their own copy. 1966 was the year of West Adelaide's first state championship.

As an aside, the material and design bears at least some similarity to the pennant on the left, which I got from one Pave Jusup, a Melbourne Croatia committeeman, who put this up on his twitter feed. The provenance of it was unknown until one helpful West Adelaide person noted that it was from the Australia Cup (a tournament that we always seemed to underachieve in) - the tournament apparently being held at Hindmarsh stadium that year. Croatia probably qualified for the tournament by finishing as runner up in the Dockerty Cup that year to Slavia. But what was the score from this Australia Cup tie?

Update - West Adelaide - Croatia pennant mystery solved, properly this time.
This is where it pays off to do your due diligence in these matters, and for that I apologise. At least one of our regular readers was able to do the hard yards and set the record straight, and we thanks MelbCro for supplying the correct information as to the provenance of this article's second pennant.