QUARRIERS RAMPANT IN

14 – 0 THRASHING

 

The Kiama Quarriers were in stunning form last Saturday afternoon at the leisure Centre when they thrashed Illawarra Soccer First Division cellar dwellers Illawarra United 14 – 0. 

 

The game was a total mismatch and United were hopelessly outgunned by the young Quarriers who led 5 – 0 at half time before finishing the job with nine second half goals.  This was a good sign for the Quarriers and highlighted the their more aggressive attitude.  In the past Kiama have been guilty of letting up on opponents after gaining commanding leads but this version of the Quarriers has a streak of mongrel in them that has been missing in the past.

 

Coach Brod Creighton continued his squad rotation and left a few regular First Graders in Reserve Grade and on the bench.  As has been the case all season, he has enough depth in the squad to fill the gaps with quality players while at the same time ensuring that all players are competing for their spots in the top grade.

 

The match was a bit of a shambles and was very lop sided from the kick off.  The only positive thing to be said about United’s play was that they held the Quarriers at bay for the first seven minutes before succumbing to a flood of goals.

 

Six Quarriers got onto the score sheet with strikers Luke Bedford and Jimmy Berry grabbing four a piece.  Midfielder Dave Jovanov got two while Mick Gillespie, Jody Beringer and goalkeeper Josh Tidswell all got one each with Tidswell’s coming from a penalty.  United also chimed in an own goal.

 

There is not a lot that can be said after watching such a one sided game and it was little more than a training run for the Quarriers.  The win keeps them at the top of the table and unbeaten so far in the season.  The goals scored by the Quarriers also keeps them looking very healthy with the goals for and against and Kiama have scored the most, forty one, and conceded the least, nine, in the competition.

 

Kiama’s man of the match was very hard to pick in such an uneven game.  After much consideration the officials came up with four-goal hero Luke Bedford as the Man of the Match.  To be fair, there was not a player who didn’t play well but not too many were really tested.

 

The Quarriers were hit with a body blow earlier in the week when the appeared before the Illawarra Soccer Appeals Tribunal over a washed out match against the Warilla Wanderers.  The Quarriers declined to play the deferred game after only being advised of the match 22 hours before it was to be played.  The matter was heard by the full ISA Board, who ruled in favour of Kiama and agreed that the match should be rescheduled and played at a later date.  Warilla appealed the decision and the matter was heard by the Appeals Tribunal.

 

Kiama were stunned to hear that the Appeals Tribunal had up-held Warilla’s appeal and ordered that the match be ruled a forfeit and the points awarded to Warilla.  Kiama President Bob McDougall stated, “We are very disappointed at this decision and are taking legal advice on where we can take this matter from here.  The fact is that Kiama never received notification of the re-scheduled match and to have to play a game with less than 22 hours notice is grossly unfair to the Club, players and supporters.  We are sportsmen, and believe that this matter should be sorted out on a soccer field, not in a boardroom.  All we want to do is play the game.”

 

The Quarriers have a right to appeal to the New South Wales Soccer Federation and have the matter dealt with there but the club is baulking at a $1,000.00 appeal fee.  “We are not sure if the money will be refunded if our appeal is successful and we must weigh up our financial responsibilities and decide if we want to risk the $1000.00.  It is a lot of money and there is no guarantee that we will win the appeal.  We thought we had a strong case at the previous two hearings but obviously the Appeals Tribunal disagreed,” said Bob McDougall.  “We are getting some legal advice and the situation should be a bit clearer later this week.” 

 

The Quarriers have fourteen days to lodge an appeal but it is clearly an unusual situation.  Kiama are presently leading the First Division Conference with Warilla in fourth place.  The three points from the forfeit would catapult Warilla into first place and push Kiama into second place with five games to go.  For the sake of sport and fair play, the Quarriers hope the matter can be sorted out on the playing field.

 

Next week there are no games scheduled in the First Division will all sides having a break.  The Quarriers next game is against Berkeley at the Berkeley Sports Ground on Friday the 13 July.  First Grade kick off at 8.00pm and all supporters are welcome.