Canham's late goal gives Gulls a point
Photos: Peter Simcox
Report by Peter Simcox
Sorrento striker Sean Canham rescued a point for his side with an injury time equaliser in their 1-1 draw against Cockburn City at Dalmatinac Park.
It was the third league goal of the season for the former Notts County and Exeter City striker and it was more than Sorrento deserved after dominating for most of the game.
It looked like they would leave with nothing after defender Alan Carroll had given the home side the lead with ten minutes remaining, but Sorrento coach Jamie Harnwell said that would have been a travesty.
“I thought we deserved more from the game,” he said.
“We created so many chances and played some great football, so it is bitter to be walking away with only one point, but to go one down late in the game we’ll take anything.”
Sorrento dominated proceedings but Harnwell was left to rue some poor finishing.
“We controlled the game and won our duels all over the park, but our finishing let us down again today,” he said.
“Curtis made a couple of good saves for them, but we should have scored four or five today. We have to get better in the final third.”
Cockburn coach Marc Anthony said his side didn’t deserve the win, but was frustrated to concede so late in the game.
“It’s always disappointing to lose one at the end of a game, but I don’t think we deserved anything from the game to be honest. We were poor today,” he said.
“We’re giving away poor goals and we have to be better than that, we were never at the races, we were poor all over the park and we let ourselves down.
“If it wasn’t for Curtis (Aspden) we would have been well beaten.”
Sorrento looked lively from the first whistle, and Jordan Dodd blazed over after only five minutes after good work on the right by Jack Salter, before Canham headed wide moments later.
Cockburn awoke from their slumber and should have taken the lead on the quarter hour. The league’s leading scorer Rory Patterson was sent one-on-one with James Morgan, but the Sorrento custodian produced a great save to deny him.
Clear-cut chances were few and far between for the rest of the half; the best fell to Canham, whose volley was saved low by former Sorrento keeper Curtis Aspden.
Both sides had chances early in the second half. Morgan saved Harry O’Brien’s shot on the run, before Jordan Dodd saw his shot saved low by Aspden.
The game was up for grabs and it was end-to-end football. Aspden saved well to thwart Brad McDonald, before Cockburn had the ball in the net on the hour, but Patterson’s goal was disallowed with the flag up for offside.
Aspden then came to his sides rescue with a stunning double save to deny Salter and McDonald, before Morgan saved well from Devon Gibson’s back post header.
But the deadlock was finally broken ten minutes from time. Second half substitute Julian Teles’ corner picked out Carroll, who headed home powerfully from four metres.
Sorrento pressed late and on 87 minutes they went close to the equaliser. Keeper Morgan even went forward, and from Jason Mirco’s corner the keepers’ header beat Aspden but crashed off the crossbar.
It looked like that was Sorrento’s last chance but in stoppage time they found a deserved equaliser. Cockburn failed to clear a free kick and Todd Harnwell’s cross was turned home by Canham to earn them a share of the spoils.
Cockburn City 1 (Carroll 80 mins)
Sorrento 1 (Canham 90 +1 mins)
Saturday 30 May 2015
Dalmatinac Park, Spearwood
Referee: Adam Fielding
Assistants: Jatin Lodhia and Alex Best
Cockburn City: GK Curtis ASPDEN, 3 Jonathan CORNESS, 5 Alan CARROLL, 8 David ARAYA (16 Julian TELES 70’), 10 Rory PATTERSON, 11 Devon GIBSON, 12 Feisal ZAW (9 Liam MURRAY 70’), 13 Blake ADAMS, 14 Conor KAVANAGH, 15 Harry O'BRIEN (7 Sam GARCES 90’), 17 Eamon McNELIS (C)
Subs not used: RGK Jack ADAMS
Yellow Cards: Teles 90’
Sorrento FC: GK James MORGAN, 5 Adam LUCA, 6 Daryl PLATTEN (C) (10 Jason MIRCO 70’), 12 Jack EADES, 14 Shaun KILKELLY, 18 Sean CANHAM, 19 Jack SALTER (11 Thomas BOSS 78’), 20 Brad MCDONALD, 21 Jordan DODD (9 Todd HARNWELL 73’), 22 Lewis HALL, 24 Scott HOYLE
Substitutes not used: RGK Jordan BLANK, 13 Steven MACDONALD
Yellow Cards: Luca 24’, Hoyle 47’
Comments
Comment Guidelines: The SportsTG Network is made up of players, families and passionate sports followers like you who have a strong opinion about sport. That's great - we want you to have your say and share your thoughts with the world. However, we have a few rules that you must follow to keep it fun for all. Please don't be rude, abusive, swear or vilify others. Apart from some pretty serious sport sanctions, we also can ban you and report you if things get out of hand. So play fair and have fun, and thanks for your contribution.