COFFS United Lions defeated Port United 2-1 to maintain their winning streak of four wins from four matches in the men’s Coastal Premier League.

Port United took the game to last year’s premiers and had the Lions on the back foot for large periods of the first half.

Port’s possession and intensity paid off as Matt Bale was the first to react to a loose ball in the penalty box to open the scoring with a tap-in from six yards.

The Lions roared back ten minutes later after Martin Kelleher was tripped in the penalty area and Joel Hampson stepped up to equalise.

After 60 minutes of end to end football the game was finely poised at 1-1 as both teams poured forwards in search of a winner.

Both teams went close to taking the lead and as Port United committed men forwards the Lions struck on the counter attack when Chris Dooley penetrated down the left wing and struck the ball into the bottom corner.

Dooley couldn’t hold back his emotion as he celebrated with a backward somersault.

Lions coach Glen Williams praised the opposition and spoke about having to find solutions at half time.

“It was a good battle, the first half we didn’t come out with intensity, we spoke about that at half-time, just trying to lift our intensity and get back into the game.

“We played at their pace and that didn’t work for us, half time was a blessing and we came out better in the second half and played how we wanted to play.”

Coach Williams shared the message he gave the players in the half-time team talk.

“It was about increasing the intensity, be first to the ball, we were on the back foot in the first half.

“We changed a couple of things and got back into the game, we adapted to the situation which I am proud of the lads for,” he said.

Goalscorer Chris Dooley praised the quality of the opposition.

“Very tough match, they are the best team we have faced so far.

“In the second half we started stretching the game out wide,not to just play one way, to get more organised, to gel better and play the ball around them which we did in the second half and it worked out well for us.”

Dooley recalled the winning goal and the peer pressure behind the somersault celebration.

“The ball came through to me, I can’t remember how and through my peripheral vision I saw the goalkeeper step into the middle so I hit it with the left foot away from him.

“I scored two last week and one of the boys asked for a better celebration so I gave it to him tonight,” laughed Chris.

 

By David WIGLEY