Stellar performance edges Toti O35s into cup final
Stella were stunned and caught on the back foot and every time the visitors tried to catch Toti on the break.
MANAGERS, Janos Molnar and Deon Dunbar achieved South Coast football history by knocking out Stella in the semi final of the cup and to make the cup final for the first time in 22 years.
Owen Dawson and Ian Bender will remember those days while some of us were still in primary school.
There was a lot of hype leading up to this semi final match and what an awe-inspiring game of soccer to watch – the passing, skill and team work was of the best quality I have ever seen from the 035’s. Not even the post summer rains could dampen the spirit and if anything, moistened the appetite for a very juicy encounter that had the spectators enthralled from start to finish.
It was a thrilling game to watch as Toti were amped and after a couple of exchanges in the midfield, Craig Shaka Zulu broke down the right flank and looped in a superb cross for Mark Bingham to head home with eloquent execution and open the score within the first minute.
Stella were stunned and caught on the back foot and every time the visitors tried to catch Toti on the break, birthday boy Dale Studinski was ever-present like a towering beacon of hope to dominate everything in the air and clear the danger area with his headers. Vishnu Naidoo settled in comfortably in that newfound sweeper role, while wing backs Roderick Sass and Shaun Holmes stuck on the Stella strikers. Craig Shaka Zulu was instrumental in putting Stella under pressure with his attacking flair and passing in the midfield, along with Mark Bingham, Colin Dunnet and Mathew ‘tyre dude’ Powell. Three yellow cards were dished out to Toti, which was indicative of the physicality of this match and the will to win.
Strikers, Marc Shepard and Michael Chapman grafted hard to get into position, keep the momentum going forward, support Toti on the front foot and hold the advantage of play in favour of the home side. Marc had two great efforts during each half that whistled over the crossbar and caught Stella unawares with his deceptive and blinding pace upfront.
The game swung back in forth but Toti looked in command and although Stella had the firepower and mobility among their forwards, they just could not find the gear to the kick down and impress like they have done all season long. Conrad Rubino had to stretch a couple of times between the sticks and on one occasion had to advance bravely to the edge of his box to thwart a darting run from the ever-present and fleet-footed Stella striker and grapple the ball off his fluorescent orange boot. The ensuing clearance was collected from Craig Shaka Zulu on the left hand side of midfield and he manoeuvred and dribbled his way laterally across the field just outside the box, trying to find an opening in front of the goals while all the Stella defenders kept backing off. Craig saw the gap from 20 yards out and drove a fireball low and hard into the bottom left hand corner, giving the Stella goalkeeper no chance and to put Toti surprisingly 2-0 into the lead.
Toti had a two goal lead cushion and almost succumbed to complacency when a momentary lapse of concentration saw Stella sneak in behind their defence and pull a goal back. It was a wake-up call and time to bring on veteran, Gary ‘Robben’ Hutchison, to unsettle and rattle the visitor’s defenders. Gary is a seasoned campaigner and has an uncanny knack of riling up opposing players to his benefit and he did just that with a darting run down the left wing. He whipped in a sublime cross with his left foot that was met by ‘tyre dude’ Mathew Powell to slot home a perfectly angled header to make it 3-1. Stella replied late in the game with a controversial penalty but it was too late to stage a comeback and Toti walked off the rugby field victorious to thunderous applause from the packed terraces at Toti Rugby Club last Wednesday night. Even the phantom mole made an appearance for the first time this season after the match and poked his snout out the sand to find out what all the commotion was about. I am relieved that he did not feature in this all-important match where catastrophe could have ensued.
Man of the match went to Stuart Macqueen for his vocal support. Final score 3-2 to Toti.
Toti will face Juventus in the cup final at Crusaders in Durban North on Friday, 12 September.
