On Saturday May 30, the Atlanta Kookaburras took on the Austin Crows as part of the Dallas Magpies Tournament.
On a hot Dallas summer day, the Austin Crows pulled on their guernseys and took to the magnificent Celebration Park in Allen, TX for a doubleheader versus the Atlanta Kookaburras and the Dallas Magpies.
In the first game, the Crows started slowly kicking into the wind. First gamer Eddie Kiel was working hard through the middle to pump the ball long to forwards Wilcox and Campbell who were getting some early looks on goal. Rucks Ryan Minnick and Jon Samuelson were controlling the ruck contests and getting the ball down to speedsters Jehangir, Herrera, and Dawson. Mat King was doing a superb job shutting down dangerous Kookaburra forward Kraska, who just got the one goal. The Crows defense really stood strong in the first half through King, Chad Benninghoff, Chi Rodrigues, Andres Campo, and Joe Long was also doing some great work down back. After a close first half the Crows went into the break up by 8 points.
In the second half the Crows took over. Clever Phil Brereton kicked 2 goals, Ford Shanley and Eric Lixey also added early goals and before long the Crows had put the game away and began to rest midfielders for the second game of the day.
There wasn't too much good news for the Kookas, but Head Coach Jim Batten saw some bright spots. "We found a good new ruckman in Russell Barner. He's only played one or two games for the Kookas and this was his first run in the ruck. He did well, adjusting to the different styles of the opposition ruckmen. However, Austin are young, fast, strong and too many of them. We were always under pressure getting our kicks."
Atlanta 1.2 (8)
Austin 6.3 (39)
GOALKICKERS
Atlanta: Wayne Kraska 1.
Austin: Phil Brereton 2, Grant Campbell 1, Ford Shanley 1, Eric Lixey 1, Deren Wilcox 1.
BEST PLAYERS
Atlanta: Russ Barner, Ross Larosa, Simon Davis, Brent Kewley, Shane Wamsley.
Austin: Eddie Kiel, Ryan Minnick, Mat King, Noor Jehangir , Joe Long.
