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Steve Upfold posted on June 01, 2010 10:49
Pukekohe AFC's Lotto NRFL side broke a 23-month league winless drought when they shocked the league's top side on Saturday with a 2-1 upset victory over North Force at Bledisloe Park.
First half goals to Joe Morris and captain Marcus Bathan gave Pukekohe, who sit bottom of the 16-team league standings, the victory over the then top team in the competition. North Force's second half goal came via Keegan Baddeley.
The Whangarei-based North Force side, who entered Saturday's match on a 10-match unbeaten run, were down 2-0 at halftime after Pukekohe's Morris opened the scoring in the 10th minute with a back post header before Bathan doubled his side's lead in the 24th minute with powerful header from teenage Jamie Hampton's whipped corner kick.
The Maroons cause was also helped by a re-take penalty save from Pukekohe 'keeper Andre van Lieshout and a superb block with his legs late in the second half.
Teenage right midfielder Jack Crane was the home side's man-of-the-match after a number of telling contributions in attack and defense for the Maroons.
Pukekohe AFC player/coach Steve Upfold believes the win is a reward for a lot of hard work done by the club's players and coaches since their return to the league in 2008.
"The reaction of the players, coaches and our wonderful supporters after the final whistle shows how much it means to all the people involved," Upfold said.
"The players have been working extremely hard as a group since we've been back in the league and hopefully Saturday's result is a little reward for a number of people who, despite the frustration that comes with a long losing run in a league with profile, have remained loyal to each other and have opted to challenge themselves as individual players and as a team."
Pukekohe have two games this coming weekend with a league match-up with Onehunga Mangere United AFC at Mangere Domain followed by a Chatham Cup second round match against Birkenhead United AFC at Bledisloe Park on Monday at 2pm.
Details:
Pukekohe AFC 2-1 North Force (half: 2-0)
PUK: Joe Morris, Marcus Bathan
NOR: Keegan Baddeley
Pukekohe AFC: Andre van Lieshout, Liam McDonald, Marcus Bathan (capt), Ticiano Costa, Jamie Hampton, Jethro Conway (Matt Nugent 74'), Steve Upfold, Jack Crane, Joe Morris, Michel Jaminon, Eion King (Andrew Lamborn 80')
NRFL Div 1 Reserves League
The NRFL Division 1 Reserve League side were beaten 4-1 by North Froce after reaching halftime at 1-0 down.
Chris Rowe struck the Maroons goal with a spectacular left-footed effort from the edge of the North Force penalty area.
Details:
Pukekohe AFC 1-4 North Force (half: 1-1)
Pukekohe AFC: Neill Northcott, Cameron Hale (Matt Bent 71'), Rhys Biddick, Lucas Utz, Andrew Hey, Harun Ali, Adam Moorhouse, Andrew Bond, Chris Rowe, Clive Mendham (Liam O'Gorman 71'), Matt Grantham