What a gripping account of a truly memorable derby!
That match had everything – history, drama, passion, and a touch of controversy.
The rescinded red card for Lachlan Drinkeld had the crowd buzzing, especially with speculation about VAR-like intervention.
And the electric atmosphere, complete with “Spirit in the Sky” blaring as the teams entered, sounds like something out of a football epic.
I refer of course to the Ipswich Derby played at Kippen Park, Goodna on July 11 between Western Spirit and Ripley Valley United.
Western Spirit’s 20-year milestone is a testament to the enduring legacy of grassroots football in Ipswich.
From Roy Coulter’s DIY pitch-building days to the modern-day Spirit FC Training Complex, it’s clear the club has come a long way.
Even though Ripley Valley edged out the win, the spirit (pun intended) of the occasion seems to have transcended the scoreboard.
The match attracted a huge crowd which included an “Old Boys” gathering. Local Councillor Pye Augustine was also in attendance and met with several football fans from both clubs.
The game was competitive and both teams gave a very good performance as was evident by the crowd involvement. Just 20 minutes into the game, young Lachlan Drinkeld of Ripley was tackled by Daniel Conway of Western Spirit and, apparently, he lashed out at Conway.
The referee immediately showed Drinkeld the red card and sent him from the pitch for an early shower, only to recall him to the pitch.
He rescinded the red card and instead issued the youngster a yellow card, permitting him to continue playing.
Many in attendance thought that the Referee had access to a Video Assistant Referee (VAR) technology used extensively overseas in the high-end professional leagues.
Western Spirit opened up the scoring just moments before half-time through Alphonse Kite, and prolific goal scorer James Holden levelled the score for Ripley just eight minutes after the halftime break.
A total of nine yellow cards and a red card were dished out to players from both sides by the match referee, who became the focus of the game, especially when Lloyd Baker, the Western Spirit playmaker, was shown a red card to the amazement of the crowd, and the players from both sides.
Ripley took full advantage of the send-off and went ahead when James Holden scored again to make it 2-1 to the visitors in the 75th minute.
Too often players are told that referee calls tend to even up over a season – Western Spirit surely must be due for a share of the luck now.
