What a performance: Instead of scoring goals Roar’s Tarkyn Hyde was stopping them late in the thrilling win over Melrose. Picture: Christine Osborne
Photo by
Christine Osborne
Cobram Roar men’s coach Vince Iannucci described his side’s win over Melrose at the weekend as “odd” and “strange” as the Roar clinched a dramatic comeback victory.
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The game, which was a round 22 contest brought forward, was tied 0-0 up until the 70th minute and what came next was a “bizarre” set of circumstances that had the Roar mentor still processing the events on Tuesday morning.
Melrose found the back of the net three times and led 3-1 with minutes left on the clock but it wasn’t until a switch in tactics that the momentum swung back in favour of Roar at Apex Reserve.
Club stalwart Nathan Thomas was shifted out of goals and it was former Goulburn Valley Suns junior Tarkyn Hyde who put on the gloves.
Iannucci said “it was as if someone flicked a switch” when the swap was made.
And it’s hard to disagree with the gaffer’s words.
Cobram went on to score five goals and went 4-3 up in the 90th minute before Iannucci’s charges beat the Melrose keeper twice more to record an incredible 6-3 result in front of their home fans.
Gun talent Keiran O’Donnell scored another hat-trick while Anthony Corso, Bill Puckett and Thomas found the back of the net.
“It was a really strange game,” the Roar coach said.
“In the last 25 minutes there was nine goals scored. I haven’t seen anything like that for more than 20 years.”
Although Iannucci was pleased to grab the points and maintain the pressure on table leading Albury United, he didn’t mince his words when summing up the first 70-odd minutes of the match.
“I thought we were atrocious and I told the group as much at half time,” he said.
“We were very poor; we couldn’t hit targets, our passes were poor, we were just off. It felt like the loss to Albury United the week before had carried across into this game.”
Three rounds remain in the regular season and Roar is one point off the pace of claiming the league title.
They face an away trip to take on third-ranked Boomers this weekend.
“We’ll look at keeping the pressure on Albury. We just need to keep scoring and keep winning. It’s as simple as that,” Iannucci said.
Division one women’s
Wins don’t come much bigger than this.
The Roarettes faced up against second-place Melrose in the division one women’s competition at Apex Reserve and after three previous meetings this season, all at Melrose’s home ground, it was the Roarettes who had the chance to finally have that home ground advantage.
What a performance: Laydah Samani scored a brace at the weekend.
Photo by
Christine Osborne
And after three attempts this season, consisting of a 5-0, 2-1 and 2-2 draw, it was fourth time a charm for the hosts as a brace to Laydah Samani showed her class on the field to help the Roarettes come away with a 2-1 victory.
The outfit was very unlucky to not score more goals throughout the game.
It was a high fast pace game with a lot of physicality throughout, the Roarettes displayed some great football and were a clear stand out on the field over Melrose.
Roar created a ton of chances in both halves but were unable to convert with the opposition goalie a brick wall between the posts.
Roarettes labelled that as their most gutsiest win of the season to date in what was a great team performance.
Roar keeper Em Ryan was a clear standout with some exceptional saves throughout the game to help her side come away with the Win.
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