This Saturday Pukekohe took on Waiuku in another top of the table, local derby clash. This was supposed to be a Pukekohe home game but for some reason the venue was changed to Waiuku, seeming to give them an unfair home advantage.
The game was played at the home of Waiuku College and the pitch used was one of the better pitches we are likely to play on this season. Pukekohe won the toss and elected to play the first half into the wind which would hopefully give us some sort of advantage in the 2nd.
As we kicked off, yet again we were a little bit slow out of the starting blocks and within the first few minutes Waiuku went onto produce their first clear cut chance of the game, after some neat play in the midfield, their attacker shot from the edge of the box and 5 yards out the other Waiuku attacker neatly dummied it but luckliy for us went narrowly wide. (Sure the keeper had it covered!!)
This must have been one of the strongest winds we have ever encountered and if you could reach 30 metres from a goal kick it was a good effort. This really didn't help either teams to play attractive football.
After some neat play in the middle of the park, Davy Barnard played a neat 1 - 2 with Andy Davey and knocked a great ball across the box but there was no-one quick enough to get on the end of it and the danger was cleared.
We battled well and fought hard and this first half was just going to be a tough ask, 0 - 0 at half-time would be a tremendous effort but an achievement we were looking for. Waiuku played some neat short football and used the wind well to put players into space on such a huge pitch.
Mark Harvey, along with Roysa and Mark Edwards kept us in the game in that initial half-hour with some great defensive work especially on the left, great challenges expected from a local derby. Martin Mercer played a good holding role in the midfield and did a good job of keeping one their main playmakers quiet. Russell Evans and Davy Barnard gave us some great energy in the midfield as there was a hell of a lot of pitch to cover and I thought made some very vital challenges, retiring to help the defence.
Waiuku had some quick strikers but with the speed of Mark Harvey and some excellent work from the Puke keeper kept the opposition at bay.
Roysa and Robbie Leonard combined well on the right and some quick thinking from Robbie Leonard put Andy Davey through but the pass was about a metre too long and the Waiuku keeper managed to dive at Andy Davey's feet to make a good save.
The refs whistle blew for half-time and to go into the break 0 - 0 was a great feat.
Now with the wind behind us it was time to show them what we could do. Unlike the first half, the second showed a lot of action. Puke started the stronger some good work down the left between Graham and Peter Clark, put Robbie Leonard through to force a good save from the Waiuku keeper.
The start to the 2nd half was much better, we had much more possession and created several chances early on which earnt us 3 corners on the trott but the Wauiku side were strong at the back and we weren't able to penetrate as much as we should.
Our first chance came when Russell Evans put Robbie Leonard through and with Andy Davey alongside looked like Puke were going to take the lead, but the first touch took the ball several inches to far in-front of Robbie could only manage to get a toe poke and hit the post to rebound for a goal kick, unlucky lads!
Then some good work down the left flank from Pete Clark earnt us a free-kick 35 yards out. With the wind behind, the ball was driven in at pace and with all the confusion in the box, the Waiuku defender could only manage to get a toe on it but couldn't keep it out and it rocketed into the top corner, 1 - 0 Puke.
Waiuku regrouped, brought on a couple of quicker players who gave us some grief down the wings and managed to get some neat crosses in troubling the Pukekohe defence.
They earnt about 3 corners on the trot and the last ended in a mid 18 yard box scramble with a great block in-front of goal from Marty Mercer, another block in the midriff by myself and with the keeper beaten, a brilliant clearance off the line from Mark Harvey.
Waiuku threw everything they could at us but with some brilliant keeping, excellent defending from Roysa and the Harveymeister, we managed to keep them at bay and thus ended 1- 0 Puke.
Brilliant effort lads, it was a gutsy performance and 3 points was the key. We fought hard, battled well but need to more clinical with out passing and start taking simpler options. I know a lot of you don't agree, but we moved a lot of the ball today as we rode challenges and thus the end product often didn't always reach its target. The energy we had in midfield was superb and I just think if we could be more accurate all that energy would be channelled into playing with the ball rather than with out it.
You may not necessarily agree, but its my job to get us all working on the same page and when we are, we will be a formidable outfit. Non-the-less a great performance!
I'd like to take this chance to thank TD for volunteering to ref, but as we had an official appointed, ran the line for us, your help much appreciated in making this such a fair encounter.
Player of the day today Mark Edwards, some great tackling, showing good pace, committed the space when needed and managed to get an accurate pass away. You've put some in some good performances over the last few weeks and deservedly our best player today, keep it going as we'll need it over the next coming weeks. Well done Mark!
POD: Mark Edwards
Goals: Jon Waller
Goal Scorers to date: Andy Davey 9, Jon Waller 9, Robbie Leonard 4, Pete Clark 2, Graham Spinks 1 , John Mclaughlan 1, Nick Rowe 1, Dave Bernard 1 and Marty Mercer 1.
Training 6.30 Wednesday (weather permitting) and next week there is no game.