Sunday, April 21, 2019

Devonport, the Lakoseljac cup-holders, qualify for quarterfinals


Photo:  Kingborough's Dominic Easton (right) wins the ball against Devonport winger Max Fitzgerald [PlessPix]

(Lakoseljac Cup, Round-of-16, Lightwood Park, Friday, 19 April 2019)

Kingborough Lions United 1 (Douce 56)
Devonport City 2 (Bidwell 46, Fitzgerald 80)

HT:  0-0   Att:  80   Ref: B Kopra

Kingborough Lions United:  Perkinson  -  Smithies-Sharples, Cuthbertson, Schuth, Sammut  -  Douce, Downes, Easton, Steele  -  Hall, Cowen  (Subs:  Kantzos, Muir, Stalker, Vivarelli, Zammit)

Devonport City:  Pitchford  -  Parke, Lazcano, Reynolds, Smith  -  Dance, Giampaoli, Hingston  -  Fitzgerald, Stone, West  (Subs:  Barnard, Bidwell. Mulraney, Syson)

Photo:  Devonport's Connor Parke and Kingborough's Danny Cowen in a tussle [PlessPix]

Kingborough Lions United should at least have taken this cup tie to extra-time, but they lost 2-1 after skipper Danny Cowen had an early penalty saved by Devonport keeper Nathan Pitchford.

In the 14th minute, Pitchford needlessly upended Cameran Steele and Mr Kopra had no hesitation in awarding Lions a spot-kick.  Cowen fired straight at Pitchford, who stood his ground and beat out the ball.

Neither side was able to score for the remainder of the half and it was goalless at the break.

Devonport had looked anything like league-leaders and cup-holders, while Kingborough stuck doggedly to their task but seldom looked dangerous.

Photo:  Devonport keeper Nathan Pitchford beats out Danny Cowen's penalty [PlessPix]

Devonport left regular starters Edward Bidwell, Kieran Mulraney and Daniel Syson on the bench, as well as their dangerous goal-scoring substitute Miles Barnard.

Devonport coach Rick Coghlan predictably rang the changes at the interval and brought on Barnard and Bidwell for Kynan West and Jack Dance.

The moves paid of immediately as within a minute of the restart Bidwell scored from Max Fitzgerald’s cross to put the visitors in front.

Fitzgerald was a live-wire on the flanks for Devonport, but he blotted his copy book when he needlessly received a yellow card for dissent.

Kingborough drew level in the 56th minute when Keenan Douce collected a long diagonal pass on the right and volleyed a magnificent shot from an acute angle across Pitchford and inside the far left-hand post.

Photo:  Devonport's Max Fitzgerald (left) and Kingborough's Joel Schuth in a fight for possession [PlessPix]

Fitzgerald, positioned wide on the left flank, showed what a nice left-foot he has when he controlled a long diagonal ball from Connor Parke on the right and advanced on goal.  He easily raced past defender Noah Smithies-Sharples before cutting inside and slotting the ball past American import keeper Kenneth Perkinson, who was making his debut, to put Devonport 2-1 ahead with 10 minutes remaining.

Kingborough gave it all they had in the closing  stages, including a substantial period of stoppage time, but they couldn’t find a second equaliser against a Devonport outfit that had grown in confidence throughout the second half.

How the thought of that missed penalty must have smarted.

It was a near thing for the cup-holders, but they live to contest the quarterfinals.

Photo:  Devonport's Connor Parke clears as Kingborough's Joel Sammut tries to intervene [PlessPix]

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Are Muir and Vivarelli Cup Tied to the Laka Cup? or are they allowed to play in the U/20 against Ulverstone even if they didn't play any minutes.

Anonymous said...

Missed chances continue to cost Boro.
Goal scoring is their archilles heel. The sooner
someone realised that the sooner they may get some results.
Their no 6 and no 12 struggle and not up to it.

Anonymous said...

I belive muir came on which means he is cup tied to senior team but if vivarelli didn’t come on he is fine to play u20’s