Taroona turn it on weatherwise and football-wise for the visiting cameras

Photo:  Taroona's Toby Dove (right) gets away from Metro's Brodie Holmes [PlessPix]

(Lakoseljac Cup, Round-of-16, Kelvedon Park, Saturday, 20 April 2019)

Taroona 2 (W Darling 20, 29)

Metro 0

HT:  2-0   Att: 100   Ref:  T Peart

Taroona:  Siedler  -  Marsh, Johnson, Stevens, Tubb  -  Carter, Hamaguchi, Young  -  Abbott, Darling, Dove  (Subs:  D Carey, Cherry, Iokose, Oh, Wright)

Metro:  Connors;  Garth, Harris, Holmes, Hudson, Kent, Newell, A Robb, M Robb, S Robb, Woodward  (Subs:  Hopson, McGuinness, McQueen, Medhurst, Wiggins)

Photo:  Fox Sports Benjamin Coonan at work at Kelevdon Park [PlessPix]

Taroona are through to the quarterfinals of the Lakoseljac Cup after beating visitors Metro 2-0 on a perfect day weatherwise at home at Kelvedon Park.

Fox Sports were there to film a documentary about Taroona and their scenic ground of Kelvedon Park and, given the weather and Taroona’s victory, things could not have gone better.  I’ve seen some of the ‘rushes’ and it looks impressive, especially the drone footage.

Metro looked as if they might spoil the party in the opening stages, but they just couldn’t finish their promising moves.

Photo:  Taroona keeper Keiron Siedler cuts out a pass [PlessPix]

Taroona gradually got back into the game and with Kanato Hamaguchi orchestrating play in midfield and with David Abbot and William Darling the willing runners in attack, the tide began to turn.

Taroona hit the front in the 20^th minute when a free-kick by Jeremy Stevens saw Darling win an aerial challenge with Metro goalkeeper Colby Connors and head home.

Nine minutes later, Darling netted a superb and clever goal.  He ran onto a through-ball to the edge of the box and, seeing the keeper off his line, chipped the ball into the net to make it 2-0.

Taroona missed some good chances after that and had to settled for a 2-0 lead at the interval.

Photo:  Metro keeper Colby Connors snatches the ball ahead of Taroona's Jackson Marsh (left) [PlessPix]

Metro got back into the game in the second half, but once again, they were poor in front of goal and never really tested Taroona keeper Kieran Siedler.

Taroona's centre-backs, Jeremy Stevens and Sam Joshnson, were in control and this allowed fullbacks Jackson Marsh and Llewyn Tubb to venture forward at times and help the attack.

Metro’s appeal for a penalty for handball late in the game fell on deaf ears, Mr Peart waving play on.

Time eventually ran out for the visitors and it will be Taroona who live to fight another day.

Photo:  Taroona's Kanato Hamaguchi in attack [PlessPix]

Taroona coach, Anton Rohner, said:

“I think we played well and got a good win against some pretty tough opposition.  Metro, as always, came all guns blazing ready to challenge for everything and we stood up and played football and that’s how we won.

“We don’t have any preferences for the next round.  Bring it on.”

Photo:  Taroona keeper Kieran Siedler saves at the feet of Metro's Andrew Robb [PlessPix]

Metro coach, Jayden Wiggins, said:

“We pretty much gave it away in the first half.  Our passing from the back wasn’t hitting feet and we only had two guys in the eleven working really hard for us.  We missed Wade [Hawkins] in the midfield, but we’ve got coverage who should be able to do the job.

“Credit to Taroona.  They really pushed us in the first half and we left our run too late in the second half, when we palyed really well.  I thought we outplayed them in the second half, but Taroona played really good soccer so they deserved the win.”

Photo:  The sun sets on Metro's cup hopes at Kelvedon Park [PlessPix]

Photo:  Fox Sports Benjamin Coonan moves to another vantage point at Kelvedon Park [PlessPix]