The Yass Think Technology/Royal Hotel Redbacks took on top of the table ANU at Walker Park at the weekend and, despite it being the side’s best performance of the season, it was not enough to prevent a 4-2 loss.
ANU came out strongly and took an early lead, but to the Redbacks’ credit they kept to a game plan and 15 minutes later were level thanks to a goal from Mitchell Darmody.
The rest of the first half was a fairly even and the score should have been at 1-1 at the break but ANU was gifted a second goal due to a lack of communication in the Yass goal area.
Yass’ ball control improved in the second half and about 15 minutes in Ryan Wing took a corner which he placed at the feet of Darmody who made no mistake, bagging his second and levelling the score.
Unfortunately ANU took the lead again to make it 3-2 with 20 minutes left to play. For most of the second half, Yass had the better of possession but did not create scoring opportunities. It still felt as if the Redbacks would snatch a draw at any moment but it was the visitors who managed another goal, with only a couple of minutes left on the clock.
Darmody was man of the match and Andy McLean and Ryan Wing also had solid games.
Yass will need to take it up another level as they play another side at the top of the ladder, Tuggeranong this weekend.
The Yass Royal Hotel Redbacks division 11 side lost another narrow game at the weekend, this time against the high-flying Tuggeranong side.
Still missing regulars Griffin, Jackson, Barrett and Murphy the side turned in what Yass FC head coach Grant Taylor described as the “best display by the side this year or last”.
In the first half Yass started strongly and made several inroads into Tuggeranong territory, with McEachern featuring strongly on the left hand side and Tim Gailer combining with Jim Burleigh on the right. However, it was 0-0 at the break.
Yass was unlucky and had to finish the game with 10 men due to an injury, but they still managed several sweeping runs into the Tuggeranong half and a neat left foot shot from Steve McEachern struck the crossbar denying Yass the opening goal.
Just a few minutes later Gailer had a another chance when, with just the keeper to beat, was denied by a piece of great goal keeping. But, in 34th minute a free Tuggeranong player launched a screamer that roared past Cover from 35 metres out for Tuggeranong to take a 1-0 lead.
Yass tried hard for the last 10 minutes, sending every spare man forward but it wasn’t enough. For Yass, James Alley was outstanding and the captaincy seems to agree with him, gaining his second Redbacks MVP of the season. Gailer and Gary Lennon also played well.
This weekend the side takes on Belnorth at Kaleen.
Yass’ women made it three from three for Yass on Sunday as they too went down in their match. The women had top-of-the-table Gungahlin to deal with away, and were simply outplayed. The final score was 3-1.
The women currently sit seventh on the ladder but are back at Walker Park on Sunday. They will come up against the struggling Woden Valley.
