By Peter Stephenson
The wind howled at Narre Warren’s Jack Thomas Reserve on Saturday, as Barkers (third) were going for five wins in a row, but now had to face Berwick (fifth), whom they had not beaten away from home for 15 years.
Coincidentally, Mark Naumowicz became the second keeper in under 24 hours to play his 100th game. As it happened, Naumowicz would be one of the busiest players on the park. Well park is being a bit generous – the heavy surface was as much a challenge to the players as the wind.
On four minutes a Berwick shot from the edge of the box saw Naumowicz tip the ball wide. Then five minutes later, the dangerous Favor Jentzen beat two men before a shot forced the Barkers keeper into a diving save. Barkers’ first threat came on 10 minutes when Paul McEvoy found Sean Perrin, who brought the ball down nicely before shooting just beyond the far post. Shortly afterwards, the wind blew so hard that the Veo recording equipment blew onto the pitch and had to be tethered to a nearby light pole – it was that sort of day.
Just before the half hour, Barkers captain Geordie Scott found space for a shot, but he slightly misjudged the wind and the ball headed straight for the corner flag. From this, Berwick broke upfield and the ball fell kindly for Shane Tagliaferro, whose cracking shot produced a flying two-handed parry from Naumowicz.
Ten minutes before the break a long ball from Jack Buglass found Perrin. He floated a ball in from the left, which the wind carried almost over the keeper’s head, and with a Barker forward in close attendance, the referee gave a foul on home keeper Con Papageorgiou.
Before half-time Berwick tested the Barkers keeper twice more. First Nathan Credlin passed to Jarod Blackbourn on the right wing. His cross was overhit (it had the wind behind it) but when it came back into the box a shot was rifled towards goal. Then just before the break, Naumowicz had to dive at a forward’s feet to save. Half-time 0-0, with both sides providing reasonable entertainment in awful conditions. Barkers actually played quite well, but could have been dead and buried if not for their keeper.
Berwick finally broke through just before the hour when Blackbourn hit a deceptive shot which fell inside the far post to make it 1-0 for Berwick – definitely an assist for the wind which, if anything, had become even stronger.
Never fear – this is a Barkers side which doesn’t know when it’s beaten. Eight minutes later, Barkers won a corner on the right. Perrin sent it into the middle where a thumping header from McEvoy sent the ball into the net for 1-1. Then another corner saw veteran Brett Tronconi hit the bar with a header.
With 10 minutes left, Berwick attacked dangerously and Naumowicz had to tackle his opponent to save the day. Then Barkers replied with McEvoy shimmying past a defender before hitting a shot over. Back came Berwick, who attacked three against two, and they hit the bar. Then two minutes into stoppage time, a dubious Berwick free-kick was floated into the penalty area and Naumowicz made a superb point-blank save, but Berwick were ruled offside in any case.
Cometh the hour, cometh the Max. A cross from Maxim Solovyev on the right saw Max Burrows steam in and head home the winner and Barkers had the points!
My initial thought was that Barkers had played well enough for the win. Truth be told, they were saved time and again by Naumowicz (and in one case, the woodwork), but Barkers took their chances. It was a horrible day for football and both sides can take credit for some good entertainment. Next for Barkers is a home clash against league leaders Collingwood City.
