Monday Morning Striker – 2008 Matchday 5

Northwest Suburban Soccer League
1st Division

Sting SC vs. Chicago Tanks FC
Unofficial Match Report
Sunday, May 18, 2008
9:45 AM
Vernon Hills, Illinois
Weather: 49, medium wind (N-S)

Starting Lineup:
F Matt Greenhalgh
F Jamelle McCreary
M Eric Manos
M Danny Carver
M Rudy Schaser
M Mike Burg
D Brian Black
D Jimmy Rosenfeld
D Ben Bartholomay
D Michael Soroosh
GK Brian Stock ©

Reserves:
M John O'Connell
F/M Brandon Caputo
M Corey Mase
D/M Kevin Sorbe

Recap:
For the first time since I can remember, I started a game on the bench. It was a nice break after a rough game last week, not much free time to get a run or bike ride in, and then having a little too much booze at the Gongola wedding on Saturday night. To be honest, if this was a couple of years ago I probably wouldn’t have even made it to the game. Maybe I’ve gotten more responsible in my old age. Before I stepped on the field we got a quick goal. A shot from distance by Rudy Schaser that looked as though it should have been a routine save popped free and Mike Burg beat the keeper to the loose ball and knocked it home. The Tanks responded fairly quickly with a goal of their own and that’s when I entered the game for the first time.

About fifteen minutes later we traded penalty kicks on two horrific calls by the referee. The first went our way on a handball that may or may not have been intentional, which Matt Greenhalgh calmly converted for his team leading fifth goal of the season. One of the defenders was complaining pretty heavily about the call, I probably would have been too, but I just told him to relax; “What goes around comes around.” Sure enough, the Tanks got a penalty kick of their own about a minute later on what could only be described as a make-up call. The Tanks forward entered the penalty area near the goal line, an impossible angle to score from. He lost his balance and went down near our biggest and strongest defender, Jimmy Rosenfeld. Even though he went down on his own power, the penalty kick was awarded and the Tanks tied the score up at two.

About ten minutes later we got a throw in deep in the Tanks end and Jimmy came up from his sweeper position to take the throw. His throws are like corner kicks and this one traveled perfectly to Danny Carver’s head as he made a near post run. Danny beat his defender to the ball and flicked it past the goalkeeper and just inside the back post for what would eventually be the game winning goal, but at the time was merely a 3-2 halftime lead.

I started the second half in my old spot at right midfield, where I’d made my home for the two previous seasons in the league, and immediately made a few plays. The left midfielder for Tanks was a step or two slower than me, which allowed me to take advantage of a couple of his mental lapses and create some chances on the wing. I quickly ran out of gas, as there is much more fitness required to play on the wing than there is up top, but not before I beat him to a cross that had been broken up near the top of the penalty box. I knocked it down and found my new favorite strike partner, Jamelle McCreary, who was standing all alone near the penalty spot. He tapped it around the goalkeeper and into the net for a 4-2 lead. About twenty minutes later our favorite over-40 player, John O’Connell, blasted home a weak clearance attempt for the final tally in a 5-2 win.

Man of the Match: Dan Carver

Match Day 5 Goals:
Mike Burg (unassisted)
Matt Greenhalgh (PK)
Dan Carver (Jimmy Rosenfeld)
Jamelle McCreary (Brandon Caputo)
John O'Connell (unassisted)

Record: 1-1-2
5 pts. – 2nd Place
GF: 15
GA: 14

2008 Season Totals
Goals:
5 – Matt Greenhalgh
4 – Danny Carver
2 – Jamelle McCreary
1 – Ben Bartholomay
1 – Brandon Caputo
1 – Mike Burg
1 – John O'Connell

Assists:
3 – Rudy Schaser
2 – Brandon Caputo
1 – Jimmy Rosenfeld