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Sunday 11th September |
 The
opening game in the European Trophy in Rome saw Wales take maximum
points. From the off Wales pushed the Russians back but could not
connect to their forwards. However after 16 minutes Ollie Cooper
got on the end of a high ball from Simon Organ that the Russians
failed to pick up. |After beating two defenders he committed the
keeper then rounded him and finishing the ball onto the backboard
for his first goal of the day. However a defensive error gave the
Russians a short corner, on which they capitalised. After two saves
by George Harris everyone was mesmerised as a looping ball that
looked to be going wide, edged into the top left corner from a wide
angle. With the first half coming to a close Wales got their third
short corner of the day but the resultant Simon Organ strike was
well defended but in the melee that followed Wales were somewhat
aggrieved by the umpires decision to play on. This was further compounded
by the success of the Russian counter attack and in the following
discussion over the umpires decision Ollie Cooper was yellow carded.
For the rest of the half it looked as if Russia could actually succeed
and they finished 2 - 1 ahead. |
|
Tomorrow (12/09/05) sees them take on Ireland. Having twice drawn with them in the Celtic Cup in successive years it is almost certainly the game of this half on the draw. |
Wales
started the second half in aggressive form and put Russia under
sever pressure. Only the odd counter attack saw them stray across
the halfway line. In the 42nd minute Matthew Ruxton found himself
alone in the D and in a position to push the ball past the Russian
keeper to level the game. The next five minutes saw Russia completely
under attack. Wales first short corner of this period saw an Ollie
Cooper flick stopped on the line by the hand of the postman and
they were unhappy not to get a penalty flick. However the resultant
short corner was similarly dispatched and just a minute later another
short corner was converted for Ollie Cooper to take his second international
hat trick this year and three vital points in this opening game.
All photography by Magic Moments
