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Partizan make it 2 in a row as they douse the CLG Flames.
Mike Hunt:
Goals from Joe Sansbury, Mark Sabino and Jon Reynolds helped Partizan Richmond secure a second successive 1st Division victory at the expense of CLG FLames.
The visitors took the lead when Green’s flick on was converted by Sansbury on 17 minutes. CLG equalized with a superb strike from 25-yards nine minutes from half-time. Mark Sabino started the second half off brightly and bagged the second for Partizan when he scored a fluke from a cross 4 minutes into the second half and Reynolds scored the final and desicive goal with a cool controlled finish from Roach’s cross with 10 minutes left.
The victory ensured that Partizan maintain their position in the top 3 of the League.
Partizan boss John Roach kept faith with the core of the starting XI for the third successive league match, once again opting to leave Travis Campbell on the bench due to tardy time keeping. Other notable changes were in goals , Mark Barnett replacing last weeks Man of the Match: Geoff Hunt and Milorad Djordjic coming in for the missing Joe Felton, Billy Gammel started for the missing Lindsay Hunt. Steve Talbot made his first appearance of the season for Partizan after his loan move from Lions 80 was approved on Friday night.
CLG had started their season brightly and with a wealth of numbers looked like a team hungry for success. Indeed the speed at which they started the game signaled their intent and after a few brisk forays it was clear that they came to attack. Starting the game in a 4-3-3 formation it would not be easy for the Partizan back four.
The passing was slick as both sides attempted to control the relentless tempo amid glorious sunshine at Bryan Park.
And it was Partizan who took the lead for the first time on 17 minutes, again from another Ryan Green Flicked through ball.
A quick ball from pollack found Green in the midfield and his deft first touch found the on running Sansbury who beat the keeper and the back four to the ball and fired into the empty net.
Partizan could have had a two-goal cushion at half-time, when after some good work down the right touchline, Sansbury found Talbot in the box, but Talbot’s failed to connect wit the cut back and the chance went a begging.
That miss proved to galvanize CLG's resolve and the home side were level within ten minutes when, from distance, no one closed down the central midfielder who raced forward and hammered one over the back four and past the helpless Barnett. Half time brought some respite for the Partizan back four and a chance to re-organize.
On the whole the second half was a slightly more sedate affair compared with the first, with both teams beginning to slow down as the hot sun took its toll.
But that’s not the way it started. Mark Sabino collected a ball from Gammel on the right touchline and proceeded to run at the CLG left fullback, as the Partizan players flooded forward to support, Sabino drove in a cross from the touchline which not only deceived the Partizan forwards but also the CLG keeper as the ball sailed over his head and into the far right top corner. Partizan had regained the lead and in spectacular fashion.
With Reynolds, uncharacteristically subdued on the flanks for most of the game, he eventually made his impact in the 80th minute when his right-foot strike from 6 yards found the back of the net and finished the game for CLG. After a sustained bout of pressure, Partizan broke on the right when Djordjic found Roach on the left channel, Roach cut back inside and found the feet of the unmarked Reynolds who took a great first touch before side footing the ball home past the onrushing CLG keeper.
The response for CLG was immediate and they flooded forward in search of a response, only to find Mark Barnett in inspired form. Barnett first made a great save from 6 yards out smothering from an onrushing striker who had picked up a ball missed by the Partizan defense and then cutting out a fantastic cross which looked destined to find the unmarked left winger who would have been presented with the easiest of finishes. Indeed Barnett made more than a few outstanding saves in what was a torrid second half as the midfield and striker struggled again to maintain possession for any extended period.
With time running out, and CLG pushing forward, gaps began to appear at the back and on a couple of occasions Jon Coccaro found himself free of the last defender on the far right touchline. On both occasions he delivered great crosses with both Sansbury and Roach proving wasteful of some great work by Coccaro and Partizan in general.
In all the last fifteen minutes saw both Partizan and CLG running at each others back four pressing both defenses with sustained periods of attack, but for Partizan the admirable Jeremy Corazzini and centre-back partner Peter Kane confidently dealt with any potential goal-scoring threat. After coming on 15 minutes into the game Travis Campbell had an exceptional game both and right back and center of defense where he won every head ball and on more than a couple of occasions broke up the attacking flow of CLG team. As games go on Mr. Campbell is proving to be more than a shrewd acquisition for Partizan with his performances getting better with every passing game.
Next weeks game see Partizan take on old rivals BWR in what is a top of the table clash. Both teams are unbeaten and within touching distance of current leaders Richmond City. The game will be played at St Catherine’s school and is looking like a real cracker.
Partizan boss John Roach:
"For all our decent play and good possession, particularly in the second half, we didn't test the keeper enough.”
"Again for the second week in a row we made it count on the counter attack. We are taking our chance when presented with them and that is very pleasing."
Partizan:Barnett, Pollack, Corazzini, Djordjic, Gammel, Green, Sabino, StJohn, Dunville, Sansbury, Farrell, Roach, Talbot, Campbell, Cocarro, Kane
Goals: Sansbury (Green) 17 mins, Sabino (Gammel) 49 mins, Reynolds (Roach) 80 mins.
Man of the match: Partizan's Mark Barnett
