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Central Park winless streak continues as they went down 3-5 against Barbarians at Bowen Secondary School on Sunday. Barbarians were off to a good start and were two goals up after just 15 minutes before Heng Li narrowed the gap to 1-2. However, poor goalkeeping and defending allowed the opposition to regain their two goal advantage to go into the break 1-3. Sharks however came back strongly with Graeme scoring inside five minutes of the restart before Isaac finished off from close range after a sweeping move by Mohan from right back. Their good work was undone after some indifferent goalkeeping and defending as Barbarians ran out 3-5 winners.
Sharks started the game in an unfamiliar position as they looked to gain some ground in the league standings with only a solitary victory to show after 6 games. The two week break didn't do Sharks any favour as Barbarians took the early initiative with their sweeping display in the middle of the park and they were duly rewarded when they were awarded a freekick just outside the box with the resulting freekick headed in with the slightest of touch which some rooted Michael to his spot. Shortly afterwards, Nigel conceded a penalty and the opposition made no mistake from the spot. Nonetheless, Sharks kept going forward and they narrowed the gap when Heng Li's superlative shot outside the area somehow deflected in the opposite direction with the opposition custodian well beaten.
Barbarians however continued going forward and were yet again rewarded as Sharks failed to clear their lines with Michael caught in no man's land, the custodian possibly having one of his worst game in a Sharks shirt as the team went into the break 1-3 down.
Second half was a better showing from Sharks as they made a couple of position to control the middle of the park with Brendan brought in the middle and it paid instant dividends as the opposition were cut off their supply lines. Graeme close the gap to 2-3 with a tremendous effort which found the top right hand corner of the net, capping one of his better performances with the goal. Shortly afterwards, Barbarians were rocked when a sweeping move by Mohan were finished off by Isaac to level the score to 3-3. Sharks were probably the rub of the green when the opposition defender handled the ball in the penalty box and shortly afterwards, Heng Li could have given his team the lead when the opposition were caught on the break. It was a surprise when the custodian only escaped with a booking after handling the ball outside the area.
Barbarians were on the backfoot wondering what hit them but alas, events on the other hand somewhat summed up what kind of season the defenders and goalkeeper is having. An innocuous ball and some bad or non-existent communication between Michael and Charlson allowed the opposition to regain the lead and they ensured the victory when Michael was beaten on his near post from an obscure angle.
The furious manager commented, 'It was a team forte to come back from behind but today, it was just disappointing to see how we are conceding goals at the back. It was just appaling to see that at this level, we are conceding goals like a Division 10 team. We do not have any problems in finding the net but the way we are conceding them, it was just too easy. Records don't lie and the number of goals we have been conceding, the backline and goalkeeper has to buck up their performances.
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