Alberton stun Old Bens at Currin Park
They scored three goals in the second half after Trevor Podile's first half strike to run out 4-1 winners.
The Alberton senior soccer team stunned Old Bens by outplaying the hosts at Currin Park, clinching a hard-fought 4-1 victory in their Eastern Super League clash on Women’s Day (August 9).
While Alberton deserved the victory after their second-half blitz, the defeat further dampened Old Bens’ league campaign as the Benonians picked up their second straight loss.
It was a game of two halves after a tight first 45 minutes saw both teams go into the break tied 1-1 before the visitors powered away with three unanswered goals in a scintillating second-half performance.
This result lifted Alberton to 28 points on the log, while Old Bens suffered their 12th loss of the season to remain on 28 points from 22 games.
Neither side could gain an advantage over the other in a dull first half. It was scoreless in the first 30 minutes. Both sides had chances in the opposition half, but each time the attackers advanced, the defences came out on top.
Alberton opened the scoring just past the half-hour mark through Trevor Podile.
The attacker was put through from the middle. He outran his marker before beating Bens’ keeper, Neil Bouwer, on his near side, as the ball ricocheted off the foot of the post before going in.
The hosts’ enterprising football paid off on the stroke of half-time when Spiros Avgoustis tapped in an inviting cross from Keenan Davids on the left.
The second half belonged to Alberton as they scored three unanswered goals to secure the three points.
Captain Evans Appraku headed in Ntsakiso Shiburi’s cross early in the second stanza, and keeper Keagan Wentzel made it three with a long ball that caught Bouwer, who was miles off his line, off guard.
Despite trailing by two goals, Old Bens stuck to their fluid play, and it almost paid off when Davids – with the goal at his mercy – misjudged Josh Hurst’s powerful low cross. The forward could only watch in disbelief as the ball flew past the goal and out for a throw-in.
Old Bens kept pressing forward, but a swift counter saw Appraku bag his brace and seal his side’s fourth late in the game.
In the reserves match, Alberton crushed Old Bens 5-0.
