ACE Demolition Crew Collapses Mustangs
Albany Creek 2 (Park 72’, Thomson 84’) Mitchelton 1 (Mitchell 35’)
HT 0-1
Played at Wolter Park
Albany Creek continued their sensational giant-killing run with an excellent victory over top four opposition, this time beating Mitchelton 2-1 at Wolter Park on a chilly Saturday evening. The Mustangs opened the scoring after a sustained period of attack when Behzad Ariayee Ravesh spilled a corner and Jake Mitchell was on hand to slide the ball home from just inside the penalty area. Mitchelton held their lead until eighteen minutes before fulltime when Chang Shin Park scored with a long range first time shot which flew into the roof of the net and it seemed inevitable the winner was due for arrival. In the 84th minute, Chom Arop went on his umpteenth damaging run and was fouled wide on the left hand corner of the box. Local hero Darren Thomson stepped up and curled a stunning free kick in off the far post, triggering wild celebrations in front of a packed grandstand - It was breathtaking stuff. ACE started the game marginally better as both teams struggled to find cohesion and put Kevin Downes under intensive pressure without being able to find a vital last touch. But Mitchelton continued to spend more time on the ball and when Ben Njie was unlucky to see his shot ricochet back off the crossbar, momentum had changed and it seemed inevitable the second-placed team would return after the break and sweep up the points. But the home side had other ideas and made the second half their own, peppering the Mustangs goal with repeated shots and rarely allowing them to advance into their own half. They were first to every challenge and could easily have won by a bigger margin. It’s no coincidence that Creek are winning at home on their short pitch because they were excellent in transition, particularly in the last half an hour. The attacking trio of Arop, Fujimoto and Riley Campbell caused all manner of problems for the highly-rated Mitchelton back line and were able to hold possession in the front third for extended periods. Over ninety minutes, possession was shared almost evenly but it was the other statistics which had the biggest impact. Nineteen shots to eight, including eleven shots to three on target, were a fair representation of a game where ACE would have won by more if not for some errant finishing. It’s not all bad news for the away team however. They remain in the top four and as dodgy as this result looks, they were up against the current form team in the league. They need to bounce back straight away or risk this slump being terminal. Next week’s game couldn’t get any more significant with Peninsula only three points behind and with goal difference marginally in their favour. Rochedale Rovers, who climbed above them on the ladder, await them at Teralba Park for undoubtedly their most important game of the season. Creek can still make the top four, but they need an unlikely run of results to go their way. They play Logan FC next up, at home once again, and will be clear favourites to beat a Lightning side which was thrashed by Peninsula at Cornubia Park. Can they make it? Probably not, but it could still come down to the last game of the year. Let’s hope it does. FB Media Player Of The Match: ST Chom Arop - Albany Creek.
It takes a special performance for a striker to be best on ground without scoring a goal. Arop taunted the Mustangs backline in the second half and provided an outlet for his side every time they were forced to clear out of defence. Team line-ups Albany Creek: Ravesh (gk), Morris, Piddick, McEvoy, Park, Thomson, AA Ismail, AR Ismail, Fujimoto, Campbell, Arop. Subs: Buhmann, Gwynn-Jones, Mehnat-Gir, Vasolo, Sekulic.
Mitchelton: Downes (gk), Carseldine, Sarasol, Shade, Willoughby, Bernardi, Mitchell, Swain, Lawson, Griebsch, Njie. Subs: Kleibo, Lloyd, Stubbins, Wilson, Kinmon. FB Media Match Stats.
Possession: 1st Half 40% - 60% / 2nd Half 56% - 44%
Overall Possession: 48% - 52%
Shots on target: 11 - 3
Shots off target: 8 - 5
Penalties 0 - 0
Free kicks: 18 - 12
Offside: 0 - 0
Corners: 5 - 3
Yellow Cards: 2 - 0
Red Cards: 0 - 0
Referee: John Vasiliadis
