Mare at Eastdale...

When the two sides met at Bledisloe Park in May, Pukekohe won 2 – 0 and the difference that day was Liam who had a blinder. The difference this time round was the collection of walking wounded which effectively reduced the Old boys to 10 in the final third.

Pukekohe got off to a perfect start, good play by Clive and Pete C forced a corner. Clive took the inswinger and it evaded everyone before going in off the goalkeepers foot. 1 – 0 and less than 2 minutes played.

The next 20 minutes were evenly matched as Johnny M, Pete C and Ants kept the defence on their toes whilst Roy, Clive and Pete W held their own in midfield. At the back Mike T, Liam, TD and Marty R had their strikers in check and John Mc in goal was a spectator.

All that changed after 25 minutes as some good passing by Western Springs midfield created an opening for their striker to shoot from just outside the box, the shot seemed harmless enough until Liam tried to head it clear and succeeded only in diverting it expertly just inside the post giving poor John Mc no chance at all.

5 minutes later it got worse for Pukekohe as the Western Springs left winger crossed low and hard into the box and the right winger and Marty R ran into each other as they came at the ball from different directions. Somehow this resulted in an indirect free kick inside the box ??? (lucky for us that an indirect free kick inside the box is not a penalty at Eastdale). Unfortunately it was tapped to the centre half who blasted a rocket into the top corner from 12 yards.

The last 15 minutes were all Pukekohe as Clive and Roy pushed the team on and Marty R and Pete C created a couple of good chances on the left flank but the Western Springs keeper saved well. John M was giving the centre backs a hard time by dropping back and then feeding the flanks but crosses from Clive, Ants and then Mike T went begging as the ball went across the face of goal just crying out for someone to tap it in. Coxy brought his young legs into the fray and kept up the momentum and created a couple of half chances up the left flank.

Half time arrives 2 – 1 down.

Pukekohe started the second half with Marty M on the right flank and within minutes were rewarded. After some fine link up play with Coxy, he outpaced three defenders before crossing low and hard into the six yard box where Pete C tucked it away nicely. It was anyone’s game now but then the tide began to turn in Western Springs favour as Pukekohe lost Roy to a groin strain, TD was the victim of one of the numerous late challenges and his Achilles went again. {Considering how slow TD moves, how anyone can be late on a challenge with him is a mystery}. Marty R tweaked his hamstring and carried on on one leg, whilst Liam was feeling the effects of not playing for 6 weeks due to a calf injury and was arguing with anyone in a green & white shirt or the referee or the referees Labrador – someone said after the game they swore they saw him arguing with himself twice !!

15 minutes from time Western Springs got the winner as a long ball over the top put their left winger clear, he crossed to the middle where the centre forward lobbed John Mc. In a remarkable display of agility John turned on a dustbin lid and raced back to knock the ball away just as it reached the line. Unfortunately he knocked it upwards against the bar and the rebound hit the Western Springs centre forward on the chest and bounced in.

As in the first half Pukekohe spent the last 10 minutes on the attack leaving a centre back pairing of John M and Liam which at a combined age of 111 just pipped the record of Arsenals Martin Keown and Tony Adams by 2 years. Despite the best efforts of Ants, Clive and Pete W , the equaliser wouldn’t come.

Strong displays by Clive, Ants and Marty M, however, player of the day honours to the agile Mr Peter Wild.

Well played all, a tough battle to the end and thank you to Western Springs for their hospitality (off the field!)

Next game - home to Mangere Utd Taxi Boys 2.45ko