By Josip Zilic
After an impressive start to the 2018 NPL2 campaign, North Geelong Warriors experienced its first loss of the season at the hands of a well-disciplined Moreland Zebras, going down 1-0 last weekend.
The Warriors’ attention quickly turns to the visit of St Albans this Saturday at Elcho Park.
St Albans has had some free scoring weeks after a thumping 7-0 win over Sunshine then a dramatic come from behind 4-4 draw with Melbourne Victory.
The goals have been coming from a range of sources but there’s no denying Roddy Covarrubias and Michael Grgic are in fine form with seven between them in recent weeks.
The Warriors will look to get their scoring going again after having their first scoreless afternoon for the year last week.
In the first half against Moreland the pace was taken out of the match when the Zebras held possession and limited opportunities themselves, resorting to shooting from range to apply pressure.
In the second half Madison looked the most likely to open the scoring and almost got there when he beat three defenders to approach goal, trying to toe poke it past Andre Janesse but he was up to it and comfortably gathered the ball.
The deadlock was broken in the 77th minute when Beau Summers received a through-ball from a contentious tackle that caught the Warriors out of position and allowed Summers to slot past an isolated Hamish Flavell.
True to form, the Warriors then staged a lift in tempo.
Thomas Hidic came on, almost bagging his third of the year when he received a sharp cross in the box from Madison only to see his chested ball slide over the top of goal.
Coach Luciano Trani was glowing of keeper Flavell post-match but disappointed that the team was unable to adjust to the slower tempo of the match, which unsettled the Warriors’ flow.
