Armadale’s tenure in the All Flags State Premier League might just be secured, but they had to rely on results elsewhere rather than forcing the issue themselves as they were beaten in their final home game of the season by NTC 3-2.

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Report by James Wragg

 

All the goals were scored in a sensational second half as an own goal to Nathan Costello and a stunning long range goal by Storm Roux left Armadale 2-0 down with 25 minutes to go. Darren Francis got Armadale back in the game with a great strike on 70 minutes but substitute Mohamed Beyan wrapped up the win for the visitors in injury time before Francis’s second added nothing more than a bit of respectability to the score line.

 

In a lacklustre first half which NTC dominated possession wise chances were very hard to come by and it took a mistake from NTC’s goalkeeper Jordan Franken for the first meaningful effort on goal to be registered.

 

A long ball straight up the middle saw Franken race out of his box to clear the danger but his sliced clearance hit defender Storm Roux and landed kindly for Ravi Kuppusamy who snapped at the effort and saw the ball roll wide of the gaping goal.

 

Borbor Sambindi was proving to be a real menace down the right flank for the Training Centre. On three occasions he used his lightning pace to beat his marker Mitch Castrili but failed to capitalise on his good work and couldn’t pick out any yellow shirt in the box.

 

But against the run of play it was Armadale who nearly snatched the lead as a great surging run down the left by Rhys Loxley found Kuppusamy in acres of space but again he wasted the opportunity firing first time against the bar.

 

NTC though were first to register on the scoresheet after half time and fittingly it was Sambindi who was the architect, as again he got round the outside of Castrili and fired a low cross into the box which took a telling deflection off Nathan Costello beyond Cyril Sharrock and into the back of the net.

 

Armadale nearly responded in the best possible manner as Alan Darlington’s cross found Kuppusamy who for the second time hit the crossbar with his header.

 

They then had a strong penalty claim waved away by referee Trent Fleskens when Wilf Dinsdale was felled inside the area and from the resulting break NTC doubled their lead as Storm Roux’s cross come shot flew straight over Sharrock and arrowed into the far corner.

 

With Armadale staring down the barrel of a significant defeat they needed a spark to get them back in the game and Darren Francis provided it as he strode forward after receiving Kuppusamy’s layoff and unleashed an unstoppable shot past Jordan Franken.

 

Armadale pressed for an equaliser and Chris Holland nearly provided it after Mitch Castrili’s long throw in caused panic in the NTC defence but the substitute fired just over on the turn.

 

Then entering injury time another substitute effectively killed off Armadale’s resistance as Mohamed Beyan was sent clear by Sahr Musa one on one with Cyril Sharrock and after the keeper saved his initial effort Beyan was able to squeeze home the rebound.

 

Darren Francis reduced the deficit a minute later with his second, a superb shot from just inside the area after another Castrili throw wasn’t dealt with properly but it was too little too late for Armadale as NTC held out for a very pleasing victory through coach Kenny Lowe’s eyes.

 

“Throughout the year we have played very well between the boxes but i thought today what we have done is play very well in both boxes and I think today’s result has been coming for a while,” he said.

 

“We have been close to winning quite a few games this year but as the years gone on the lads have coped a little bit more physically and from a football perspective I think we’ve always been up there in most games.”

 

“It’s been an unbelievable year for everybody concerned. We had a look at the first team squad the other day, seven of our boys have signed professional contracts so I can say we’ve had a successful year.”

 

Armadale 2 (Francis 71’, 90+4’)

NTC 3 (Costello OG 56’, Roux 65’, Beyan 90+2)

Alfred Skeet Oval, Saturday September 1st, 3.00pm

Attendance: 150 approx

Referee: Trent Fleskens

 

ARMADALE: GK. Cyril SHARROCK, 13. Sean NICHOLLS (15. Chris HOLLAND 67’), 5. Nick VIAGGIO, 6. Nathan COSTELLO, 14. Mitch CASTRILI, 10. Alan DARLINGTON, 4. Wilf DINSDALE (17. Brandon CATCHPOLE 81’), 8. Dale WINGELL (3. Mark MCCLEMENTS 59’), 9. Darren FRANCIS, 12. Rhys LOXLEY, 19. Ravi KUPPUSAMY

 

Subs Not Used: 18. Jackson BEALEY, 20. Jack ADAMS

Yellow Cards: None

Red Cards: None

 

NTC: GK. Jordan FRANKEN, 2. Joshua TUCKER (12. Kieron COLWELL 22’), 3. Storm ROUX, 4. Jacob COLLARD, 5. Moses KALAU, 6. Shazalee RAMLEE, 7. Borbor SAMBINDI, 8. Lawrence SHURUMA, 9. Jordan DODD (14. Ali GHOLAMI 76’), 10. Slobodan VULIN (13. Mohamed BEYAN 62’’) ,11. Sahr MUSA

 

Subs Not Used: None

Yellow Cards: None

Red Cards: None