Paul Roos and Grey High in an eight-goal thriller
The stage was set, the atmosphere was electric, the parents flocked to the Maties AstroTurf, and a sea of maroon and light blue surrounded the field when Paul Roos Gimnasium (PRG) hosted Grey High School in Stellenbosch on Friday night.
A highly entertaining Hyundai Friday Nite Lights clash had it all: A drama-filled rollercoaster ride featuring outstanding skills, fast-paced action, and late goals, as the sides played out a thrilling 4-4 draw.
Heading into the match, PRG and Grey had already chalked up some outstanding results against top opposition. During the school holiday, the hosts dominated the field at the Coastal Cup, in Durban, while Grey recorded three wins against tough competition on their international tour of The Netherlands.
Past results, however, mattered very little on Friday evening.
The contest got off to a frantic start, with PRG bossing the early exchanges and just three minutes in, they were awarded a penalty corner. Logan Lackay‘s shot went wide, but the PC was re-awarded, and the second time around they made no mistake.
Instead of going to Lackay again, though, they executed a variation, with Reuben Gouws slapping the ball towards goal where Tylor Carter deflected it high and handsome into the net just before it reached Grey goalkeeper Kaino Broadhurst‘s outstretched right leg.
Playing under heavy pressure, Grey High looked uncomfortable on the ball after conceding and made some sloppy defensive errors. However, they sounded a warning with a length-of-the-field breakaway which put their skipper Luke Tait through.
He didn’t score but won a penalty corner and James Chree made no mistake with the chance, flashing a drag flick to the ‘keeper’s left to level matters after 15 minutes.
Paul Roos edged ahead once more in the second chukka when Matty Cardoza gratefully latched onto a ball that sat up nicely for him to score and give the home team a 2-1 advantage at the break.
In the third chukka, the complexion of the game changed. Both teams were firing on all cylinders.
Grey started it brightly and was awarded a PC after a cynical play by Carter. There was no question who the ball was going to and Chree gladly took on the responsibility to draw the visitors level with another pinpoint, sizzling drag flick.
It was blow-for-blow from there on, and coach Michael Baker’s Paul Roos regained the lead with a strike from captain Christo Swanepoel after he was played in on goal by Cardoza.
The drama was far from over, though. Athi Voigt was involved on a couple of occasions in one movement, which began on the right, before he finished it from in front of the net, to make it 3-3.
Then, with just 55 seconds left in the third chukka, Lackay finally got his name onto the score sheet to make it 4-3 to the hosts with one to go.
Coach Andrew Beynon‘s Grey boys were chasing the game in the last 15 minutes and they desperately took the attack to PRG, forcing the home team onto the back foot.
It took 13 minutes for the Gqeberha school to be rewarded, and their fourth goal, again, came from a short corner.
Chree, for a third time, did what he does best and fired a thunderbolt into the back of the net. Thanks to his hat-trick, Grey had evened the scores at 4-4.
There was some late drama when PRG thought they had snatched a win with 10 seconds remaining. However, Callum van Oudtshoorn‘s goal was correctly disallowed because, just before he steered the ball into the Grey High goal, it had come off Cardoza’s foot.
That was it! The final whistle sounded and the spectators warmly applauded a splendid performance from both teams who will surely continue to impress this season.
SCORERS
Paul Roos (4): Tylor Carter, Matty Cardoza, Logan Lackay, Christo Swanepoel. Grey High School (4): James Chree (3), Athi Voigt.
