by Greg Blake
In the end Heidelberg got home against St Albans, but very much in the fashion of the best man on the grog early at the wedding reception. First on the dance floor, but in need of sobering up in time for the speeches.
Alexander played an imperious first half at Knights Stadium on Sunday, dominating the Saints thoroughly and always threatening to extend a 2-0 lead going into half time.
But a slick St Albans breakaway within the final minute before the break was capped by Emmanuel Peters and what should have been game over became game on.
Heidelberg’s clinical possession game, the dash and dare of Jamal Ali, the skills of Sabit Igor, Asahi Yokawowa, Anthony Lesiotis and the likes threatened to overwhelm St Albans early on.
Alexander went ahead just ten minutes in with Ben Collins providing a precise through ball for Ngor, whose cross from the right was on the money for Bul Juach to score from close range.
Yokakowa doubled the lead on 18 minutes, but starting with an eighth minute chance which fell to Dalibor Markovic, it’s fair to say that Heidelberg’s ten shots to St Albans’ one count at half time was not reflected on the scoreboard.
If Saints keeper Jackson Reilly had kept his side in the game, it took Peters’ goal – a perfectly timed and equally well taken strike – to make it 2-1 at the interval to revive the contest element.
Saints be praised. That goal, a shot of confidence and a couple of personal changes at half time and St Albans bounced out of the blocks for the second half and for half an hour the tide turned, with Alexander nowhere in sight.
St Albans probably lacked the polish, but for a good period they barked and bared their teeth and the Warriors, without Lesiotis – out at half time after taking a knock, had to work hard to maintain the 2-1 advantage.
The Warriors reappeared for a late game revival, but Max Bisetto was foiled by Reilly and Fletcher Fulton fired wide to complete a game in which St Albans might have been cleaved open, but ended the day only requiring a BandAid.
