It was a tough start to the season for Leeton United as they fell in a game which started off well before lapses saw Tolland take a 5-2 victory at Rawlings Park.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
It was the Leeton side that was able to take the lead after 17 minutes when the new signing, Liam McLaughlin, was able to blast a free kick from the right-hand side of the box underneath the wall and into the bottom corner.
The lead was short-lived as Nicholas Tsipiras scored just 60 seconds after Tolland fell behind, while a double to Dawod Khalaf either side of a goal from Oscar Williams saw the Wolves take a 4-1 lead into halftime.
Leeton coach Rhys Jones felt there was plenty for his side to improve on from the first half.
"First 10-15, we started pretty well," he said.
"Once we got the lead, they were probably a bit lucky to get the equaliser because there was a foul in the build up, but it happens and sometimes things go against you. We were switched off and conceded a couple more goals.
"We had the chances to get back into the game in the second half, we were the better team by a mile. We had a couple cleared off the line, their keeper made a couple of really good saves, and Freddi (Gardiner) hit the bar."
Five minutes after the break, McLaughlin was able to get his head to a Freddi Gardiner corner at the near post to give United a chance to get back into the game.
It wasn't to be as Tsipiras scored a sealer in the third minute of injury time to see Tolland come away with 5-2 victory.
A positive for Leeton to take from the game was the performance of McLaughlin in his Pascoe Cup debut for the side.
"He is a good player, good kid and good character to have in the team," he said.
"He just gives us something else going forward, which is a bonus for us. It was a bit harder on the weekend with no Eric (Gardiner, suspended), so we had to shape the midfield a bit differently, which didn't work too well in the first half, but some adjustments were made at halftime, and it worked, better in the second, and we got him on the ball a bit more.
"When he is on the ball he is dangerous and we managed to get the ball through a lot more to Henri (Gardiner) and Gav Wylie which made us more dangerous. Having him in the side is an absolute bonus because of his quality."
One concern for the United side will be an injury to Anthony Trifogli in the dying stages of the first half, but with the bye this weekend, Jones is hoping it won't be a prolonged stint on the sideline.
"We will have to see how he goes but it didn't look good," he said.
Liam Warren
As someone with an underlying passion about sport it is a privilege to report on the sporting landscape around the MIA
As someone with an underlying passion about sport it is a privilege to report on the sporting landscape around the MIA
