KIDS / BERKELEY

The Kiama Gordon Macdonald Electrical Youth grade side took on Berkeley who were one place ahead of them on the table. The game was a very even one for most of the match with both sides battling to get the upper hand. The tall physical defenders from Berkeley gave Andy Hungerford and Craig Costello a real belting but the referee saw it differently and the Kiama boys couldn't get a free kick for most of the match.

 
The Quarriers took these decisions on the chin and set about getting on top by stretching the opposition wide. Scott Schofield and Matt Gallagher did this well and their crosses had Berkeley in trouble but the boys couldn't get that vital touch to get a goal. A terrific run down the right by Hungerford set Costello up in front of goal but he couldn't stretch to meet what would have been a certain goal.
 
Defenders Craig Lord, Paul Thayer and Michael Broad didn't give their opposite numbers an inch to move and were solid for the whole game. This caused Berkeley to use their defenders to surge forward and try to find a way through. One run split the Kiama midfield but brilliant goalkeeper by last minute replacement Dean Lee smothered the move and kept his goal intact. Such was the strength of the Kiama defence this was the only clear shot on goal for the first half.
 
The second half started in absolutely pouring rain which had the spectators scrambling for cover. This half was end to end stuff with Kiama slowly getting more of the ball and putting more pressure on the opposition. A rare free kick to Kiama was struck with great power by Matt Gallagher but missed by the barest of margins with the keeper well beaten.
 
Another powerful game by Danny Pridham in the middle of the park gave Jai Cartwright, Dave Kay and Chris Hughes the room to set Hungerford, Costello and Ryan Omrod towards goal. A thundering strike on goal from 30m out by Pridham had the crowd on their feet. The ball rocketed past the keeper, hit the underside of the bar only to bounce back into the field of play.
 
This was a strong game by the whole team and with more concentration in front of goal they will win these close matches. The Kiama Centre Point Pizza Man of the Match in a great team performance was striker Craig Costello