Ross Musso wrote: ]Zeljko Babic has been called into the Socceroo squad this evening after Mark ]Viduka was a late withdrawal due to injury for tomorrow's International ]against Brazil. ] ]Zeljko celebrated his scoring of the lone and deciding goal tonight with the ]call up;
Timely recognition for Sean.
I thought when Prince Harry decided to go to Barbados that Babic would get the call before Maloney.
He is certainly a great "touch" player, whose only fault (if he indeed DOES have one) is that because of his speed/touch play, he is not as strong on the ball as say a Mark Viduka....completely different types of strikers in my view.
Just on last night's game...John Taylor of the Terror must have been to a different match than I judging by his report...claiming the winning goal was "bizarre" and had a "huge element of luck"
Maybe John's view from the press box was hampered, as I didn't see it that way at all....
A free kick was defelected by a Spirit defender, and Sean Babic did what strikers are paid to do...get on the end of half chances in the box and propel them goalwards...react before defenders .....make the most of opportunities etc....
I stood up from my customary spot behind the goals and shouted "goal" the moment the ball left his head and looped in the air...Perosh was caught in no man's land...and the ball was headed for the net...
Marconi really should have finished the contest in the first half, and seemed to have put so much effort into that first half, that they were running out of legs in the second.
Marconi and Spirit both had chancess in the second half, and all I can say is that I am glad that Remo convinced David Seal to sign for the Spirit!!!
One of the main reasons Marconi didn't lose an equaliser was because Seal was playing against them!!
We were celebrating Marconi's clincher in the last minute, only to be disappointed as it was chalked off for offside.
The fourth official told me after the game that it was offside, even though I disagreed, and told him that from my better vantage point way at the other end of the ground, it looked definitely ON side to me!
Marconi without Kim, Maloney, Longo (M) and Awaritefe did enough to win without it being one of their best performances.
Smith played well, with a couple of critical tackles, and young Michael Turnbull in goals should be signed to a long term contract NOW!
Brendan Renaud is probably the most under rated player in the leauge, and Chad Gibson improves every week.
Sean Babic was, well...Sean Babic, and interesting to see that Michael Cockerill has echoed my comments that Babic has scored more goals this season than Northern Spirit.
I liked Perosh in goals for Spirit, and thought Bingley served them well, but Shaggy seemed a bit quieter than normal....
I'll leave Spirit fans to provide most of the comment on their shortcomings, but obviously a scoring machine they ain't.
And I thought that they, as Marconi did, tended to be a bit too elaborate on their build up....a couple of times two Spirit players were free coming into the box at the far post and I thought "UH-OH" or words to that effect, only to feel relieved when instead of a telling diagonal ball, the ball was played either across or back.
A lovely night for fitba.
And also a wonderful scheme Marconi have whereby if you travel on any of their supporters buses (plural) your complete fare is refunded to you in the form of vouchers redeemable within the club.
The Newcastle bus fares were put to good use in after match celebrations...