By Greg Blake
Heidelberg United Alexander got off to a flyer – of sorts – in week one of the Australian Championship in front of 2083 fans, fending off Sydney’s once-feared Marconi 1-0 at Catalina Street on Sunday. But it took a ripping Anthony Theodoropoulos strike just out of half time to slap a listless game into life.
The name Anthony is of Roman origin. It means priceless or praiseworthy. Either appropriate in describing Anthony Lesiotis’ galloping loop left out of defence before hooking inside into the front half – all the while scanning for options – and spearing his pass wide right to a sprinting Anthony Theodoropoulos.
A couple of gentle touches in a dance to the top of the penalty area by Theodoropoulos is concluded with a venomous, bouncing right-footer just out of the keeper’s reach and just inside the far post. Priceless.
Save for a desperate late burst, for the most part the Stallions played like geldings. A Yaren Sozer tip around the post offered hope and when Marconi did finally flick the switch they were the width of the crossbar away once and a bouncing header which ballooned over said woodwork not long afterward from an equaliser in a desperate late rush.
The Warriors blooded three new faces – Angus Taylor, Ciaran Bramwell and Marcus Humbert – and played like a team re-familiarising itself with itself.
There were essential ingredients. Ben Collins indefatigable leadership. The boldly audacious dash of Fletcher Fulton. Another blistering showcase of Lesiotis’ poise, skill, precision, ferocity and toughness. His post-game black eye totally appropriate.
But sometimes you’ve got to trust the chain-smoker to return the gas cylinder and hope for the best. However necessary, the changes combined with just a hint of big game fatigue – after a month of semi finals and finals, huge crowds, emotional anxiety and the simple toll of the physical workload – dulled the usual Warrior sharpness.
There was actually a lot to enjoy about Alexander’s opening game of the fledgling Australia Cup series against the Stallions. Not the least of which was the day itself. Yet another gathering of the Alexander clan, with a host of former club champions – around 40 I’m told – came in for the day and that is a celebration in itself.
And wandering into Olympic Village there was a palpable vitality about the crowd, no doubt still buoyant after the adrenalin of back-to-back ten thousand-odd attendances at both grand final and the national cup finale.
Hearing a bugle serenading the robust “Alexandros” chants was just old-school and downright joyful.
The game itself probably less so. At times it just ambled and muddled its way along.
But the win to commence the group stage is a win, as required. Next Saturday it’s round two and we’re off to Collegians Sports Centre, Figtree. Sounds exotic, but Figtree is a suburb of Wollongong and the home, these days, of the once back-to-back national champions, the Wollongong Wolves.
Should be a beauty. Warrior Nation.
