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The Ospreys were on the board after just 26 seconds and according to coach Jonathon Newman they dominated the opening sorties.
However, central defender Mason Moore had a recurrence of an injury and had to be substituted at around 20 minutes into the match.
"We were missing nine players from the squad, including our top goal scorer Lachie France, another strike weapon in Jake Camilleri and some of the players we'd normally use as fresh substitutes for defenders,'' Newman said.
"So I had to put Ashton Drinkwater on and he had just finished a tough 80 minutes in reserve grade.
"We definitely rode our luck in the first half, with Rhys Dawes saving a penalty and then them having a goal disallowed.''
Newman said Southern's second goal was as incisive as the first.
"We looked like we were absorbing the threat reasonably well,'' he said.
"Unfortunately a healthy slice of luck for them saw the ball bounce to one of their strikers in the 10th minute of time added on at the end of the first half, and he finished well to send them into the sheds in a buoyant mood.''
Newman said his side appeared to be flat early in the second half.
"But were looking solid enough, until they equalised with 18 minutes gone in the second half,'' Newman said, adding video footage indicated there could have been an offside play in the lead up.
Momentum shift
Croatia took the lead just minutes after that and all the momentum shifted in their favour.
"We gradually began to claw that back, and definitely had a couple of chances to equalise, with Blake Barnes-Riddell hitting the post with the keeper beaten being the best of them,'' Newman said.
"I think we also had a reasonable shout for a penalty denied when Brock Gutherson looked to have been fouled while attempting a header at goal.
"Perhaps a lack of fitness hurt us for their fourth, which began with a turnover of possession by us at the top of their penalty area, and we didn't recover quick enough to stop the counter attack.''
Newman said a lack of fresh substitutes hurt his side.
"We started the match with a shift in formation from what we usually do, which certainly gave us more threat up front as our early lead indicates,'' he said.
"But made it difficult to cover certain areas of the pitch. After half time I asked the players to adjust again, but in hindsight I could have opted for a different strategy, gone more defensive and tried to sit on our lead, but that isn't really how we want to play.
"I have to say that the opposition included several players with quite a lot of high level experience, much more than what our guys have, and that experience maybe proved the difference.''
Rhys Dawes in goals was strong with Mark Mallia heavily involved in both goals. Ethan Perry and Roan Whiteman definitely worried their defence throughout the first half.
Obliterated
Southern United obliterated Croatia's third grade side 6-1 with a Jed Stark masterclass in goal scoring, with four high quality finishes. The Ospreys are now second to Cooks Hill in that grade.
Southern's reserve grade lost narrowly to a high quality side 0-1 and arguably deserved a share of the points in that grade.
"We are very competitive across all three grades,'' Newman said
Southern United makes the trip to Newcastle on Saturday to play Cooks Hill. Newman hopes the first grade side will be closer to full strength for what will be a crucial encounter.