Following on from a record breaking side, in a record setting year, is invariably difficult. Our 2013 St Pius X 1st XI Football team were faced with exactly this challenge and may I say from the outset they made a wonderful attempt at doing just this.
As ever we started early, very early. Our first trial match took place on February 10th less than two weeks after our return in Term one. For the next six Sundays we played an array of sides from both club and school backgrounds.
We played ten trials in all before the end of Term One. Notable victories included a 2-1 win against Riverview, a 5-3 goal fest against Northbridge U18’s and a 3-1 win over St Augustine’s who no longer play ISA football. Other tests included a 2-2 draw against a strong CAS side down at Knox and a full blooded 5-5 draw with the SPX Old Boys team. Our only defeat in Term 1 was a surprise 0-2 reverse to St Aloysius on a quagmire pitch at Tyneside. For the punters amongst us, SPX don’t go so well when the centre circle is muddy!
As in previous years we participated in the two day St Andrew’s Cup competition down at Oakhill College. In a tournament which included twelve of the top Independent School sides we placed 5th despite only suffering one reverse. This placed us in the Plate final where we defeated Barker 1-0. We had beaten GPS opponents Shore and High while winning a 4-3 thriller against hosts Oakhill.
Our return after the break saw us defeat the Kings School 4-2 on their historic ‘Wanderers Oval’ which was the acknowledged site of the first ever football match played in Sydney in 1880. Measuring ourselves against GPS and CAS opponents is always a good test.
These 16 trial matches played by SPX 1st XI set us up well for the ISA season. Regular competition wins were recorded against Redlands 3-0; Chevalier 3-0; St Andrew’s 4-1; Redlands again 5-0, Chevalier again 3-0 only being punctuated by a hard fought 1-1 at home to St Patrick’s College. Before the end of Term Two we also managed a 5-0 victory against Hills Grammar in the CIS Cup Competition where we were current holders.
As we came to the half-way point of the year we headed off up to Brisbane to participate in the annual Southern Skies Tournament. Four staff, Simon Yue, Leisa Proc, Richard Lacey, Steve Quilty and sixteen students made the journey and we spent a week away playing sides from Sydney, Brisbane, Country Queensland and for the first time opponents from French Caledonia. The whole week format enabled us to play 8 matches in all. In the opening round robin we downed Sydney Grammar 2-0; Shore 2-0; Barker College 1-0; Scots College 2-0; and previous year’s winners St Peter Claver 5-0, with our single loss coming against the French Caledonians by 1-0. This was a great match allowing our players to experience a style of opponent who was quick, skilled and tricky. As things emerged later, these South Pacific boys won the whole thing with their energetic play that won the hearts of everyone who saw them. Unfortunately for us, progress was not to extend beyond the semi-final stage because although we had comprehensively accounted for them earlier on, we were thwarted by Scots College in the semi-final, the game finishing 0-0. In the ensuing penalty shootout we were beaten missing out on a chance to play a final against the French Caledonians. We finished 3rd overall beating CAS based Barker 4-2. Captain Nicholas Morabito and Lachlan Pollett were named in the Team of the Tournament.
In spite of our disappointment at falling over at the penultimate stage we returned to Sydney ready and prepared for the second half of the ISA season.
Once again we produced some fine performances. Wins over Oakhill 3-1; St Andrew’s 10-0 and Oakhill 2-1 were again punctuated by a 2-2 away draw with St Patrick’s College.
St Pius 1st XI were again thwarted in a penalty shoot-out when drawing 2-2 with Knox Grammar. Oh what might have been! We led here until virtually the last minute and good opportunity to retain the CIS Cup was gone.
As is the way in football we were soon made to refocus because we were also in the semi-finals of the ISA Competition. Oxford Falls the venue and a comprehensive 3-0 victory over St Andrew’s saw us reach the ISA final for third year in a row.
As are the vagaries of Finals football as ISA Minor Premiers we were actually required to play our ISA Final against Oakhill out at their facility! This had indeed been the situation in 2012 when we won the Premiership the previous season.
On a warm afternoon the Grand Final was played at the unusual time of 3.00 O’clock in the afternoon. Several hundred supporters were on hand to witness a tense affair. After twenty minutes of tight chanceless football striker Claudio Rosano announced his entry into the match with a cracking strike from his first touch of the ball! Just when St Pius X looked likely to add to this score Oakhill pounced on a hesitative defence to equalise just before the half time break.
In a stop start second half tension seemed to be influencing the flow of the game until Rosano snuck in with a deft touch to put St Pius X back in front, 2-1. Oakhill were now down a man and were wilting on the big pitch. Vice-captain Luke Capra soon put the game beyond down with an unstoppable drive from 20 yards. At last St Pius X were beginning to play their confident possession based game and could have extended their lead but for some brave keeping from the Oakhill custodian.
Relief was the most tangible emotion for everyone at the end of the ISA Grand Final. In a season that had involved 38 matches we had secured a major trophy, the ISA Shield was ours for the second successive season, the first time we had achieved this. Captain Nicholas Morabito was Player of the Season, while Claudio Rosano was named the ‘Shahab Kargarian’ most valuable player in the game by the final by match officials.
Another great season alongside fellow coach Mr Simon Yue in season 2013. It is brilliant working with him.
Goalscorers:
Rosano 21; Esposito 15; Olivieri 14; Morabito, Bersee 8; Desa, Drake 7; Capra 5 ; Richardson 4
The team : Lachlan Pollet (goalkeeper), Greg Bayer (right back), John Chapman (centre midfield), Adrian Prieto (centre back), Will Richardson (left back), Nicholas Morabito (centre back), Joel Olivari (attacking midfielder), Luke Capera (right midfield), Jayden Milat (centre midfield), Alex Drake (right midfield), Nick Bersee (attacking midfield), Claudio Rosano (forward), Joe Esposito (forward), Tom Higham (left midfield), Chris Desa (left midfield) and Ben John (centre back).
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