Triple over the Green
Southbank signed off on the home fixtures with
a impressive 3-1 victory over a battling but
likely to be relegated Emmer Green at Coley
Park. Yet again the ‘fortress’ Coley has
bought just 1 league defeat this season in the
League and formed the basis of another
successful season and debut in the Senior.
Overall in the past 3 years, Southbank have
lost just 3 home games (1 each season) and
this really has proved the bed-rock on which
the teams’ success is built.
Sunday saw a strong and settled Southbank side
take on Emmer Green looking to record a triple
over their opponents, to follow the 2-1
victory at Emmer Green and the never to be
forgotten 3-0 win from the Majeski semi-final.
Players were missing as Hightower rotated this
squad again and rested players nursing slight
niggles and injuries. So today saw Adey,
Marshall, Wagner and Denne cornerstones of the
team miss out. However, the squad is strong
and a full compliment of 14 players was
available for selection. However the bank
still finished the game with 10 men as a
injuries hit, Cooper, Bradbury and Froude and
were all withdrawn immediately to avoid any
serious injuries.
Southbank won the game 3-1 with 2 goals for
Luka Kasonda and Neil Healy to cement the
team’s place in the top 4 and ensure that only
Dee Road stopped the Bank scoring at Coley and
took all 3 points away from them.
Southbank actually fell behind to a Emmer
Green free-kick 20 yards out following a cheap
foul by Bradbury. Charlie Cook returning to
the team in place of Marshall was helpless to
stop the freekick wizzing off the greasy
surface and into the net. However, the changes
made to personnel and the goal behind didn’t
deter the Bank as Will Strang made impressive
runs down the left and played a important part
in both Bank goals in the 1st half
to turn the game around. Firstly, the
returning Healy, AWOL the previous weekend due
to a heavy night spun 12 yards out to slot
home and then Kasonda and Healy combined well
to enable Luka to slot home the second just
before half-time to edge the Bank in the lead.
Southbank opened the 2nd half and
scored the 3rd and crucial goal on
the hour to secure the 3 points. Kasanda was
then replaced by Razzak as the squad was
rotate to the full. However with 15 minutes to
go Froude’s hamstring gave way again and the
Bank had to settle for 10 men. However, Green
in all honestly looked beaten long before that
and the game ended like most end of season
games do, quietly and without event.
All attention now turns to preparation to that
Majeski Cup final….go on the boys.