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Sunday 4 June: Uncle Toby’s Knockout Cup v Onehunga-Mangere (division two)
In 2005, the ladies’ team entered the women’s version of the Chatham Cup for the first time in several seasons.
We came up against division one side Papakura, who were on their way to the Premier League, and were beaten 6-0.
But once the side adjusted to the step up in pace, the Maroons conceded just one goal in the second half and began to cause a few problems for the Papakura defense.
Encouraging signs for next season the coach thought as the final whistle went.
Fast forward a year to Sunday 4 June and a meeting with division two Onehunga-Mangere at Mangere Domain, or as it was re-named for the day – Mangere Mudpit.
After a pre-match trip down memory lane reminded the Maroons they could foot it with opponents from higher divisions, the ladies took the field.
What unfolded over the course of the next 90 minutes was as fine a dissection of an entity I’ve seen since sixth form biology.
We passed our way through and around the Onehunga side with such surgical precision that once the match was over I thought a trip to the near-by Middlemore recovery ward wasn’t out of order for the home side.
The final score was 3-0 with Nikki scoring her third and fourth goals in two games while Niecy added the third.
In truth, and this is no exaggeration, it could have been 10-0.
All this accomplished on a pitch resembling more a mud-wrestling pit than a football field with “Whippet” leaving the park mid-way through the first half after having trouble breathing.
By the end of the match she was smiling though, as was her coach as he told the team that a home tie with Premier League Eastern Suburbs awaited in the second round.
Result: 3-0 (Nicola Birch 2, Denise Edmonds)
Player of the day: Leanne Dodd. I would happily pay money to watch the skipper play. Doddy won everything that came her way and, despite operating in the worst parts of the field, was the starting point for much of our passing play. The best performance, by any player, of the entire season.
Sunday 11 June: v Onehunga Sports
Hangovers can last a week.
Anyone who has been in football long enough knows that the game following a ‘big’ match is the toughest.
Having just obliterated higher-level opposition and beaten Onehunga Sports 3-1 in their first encounter, the Maroons predictably laid a rather large egg at Bledisloe that Sunday.
Nikki grabbed our only goal, her fifth in three games, as we slept-walked through the rest of the match.
Not the best result, but not unforeseen either. At least they learnt something:
Never give a sucker an even break.
Result: 1-1 (Nicola Birch)
Player of the day: Lana Morris. In yet another strong outing for the defensive anchor, Morris halted several Onehunga attacks that could have won it for the visitors. In a word – quality.
Sunday 18 June: Uncle Toby’s Knockout Cup v Eastern Suburbs (Premier League)
Simply put, this was the biggest game the club had all season. Men’s or women’s.
The intensity in training in the week prior showed that.
What also showed it was the turnout.
Young, old, fathers, brothers, sisters, mothers, friends, grandparents, flatmates, next-door neighbours, uncles, boyfriends, cousins, aunties, pet dogs…you get the picture.
The coach has been involved with the club in most seasons at senior level since 1997 and in that time a Pukekohe side has never faced a Premier League level team.
That itself is a huge accomplishment not fully understood by the Maroon squad.
So as the Maroons opened their individual pre-match cheat-sheets, the players were blissfully unaware they were preparing for the biggest match the club had seen in a decade.
That’s not to say there weren’t nervous bodies in the dressing room.
Quote of the week (text message received on Thursday before the game):
“Steve, you’d better bring a port-a-loo to the game and put it on the sideline.”
That’s how Nicole felt beforehand.
But it didn’t show in the amazing display Nicole and her team mates put in during the first 45 minutes.
The hustle, fight, grit, sweat, pride, determination, will, strength, smarts, communication and effort put into the first half was the sort of showing that reminded the coach of the reasons he got involved in the first place.
And the reward for that tremendous display?
A 1-0 halftime deficit.
That’s how GOOD their opponents were.
The best thing about the huddle at the break wasn’t the “do this, do that” instructions from the coach or the bucketloads of water being taken on by the players – though I’m sure they were thankful for the water!
It was the look on their faces.
You could see they were beginning to understand they are capable of doing MUCH more than just running around in division three of the women’s league every Sunday.
That 45 minutes did more for their confidence than a year and half of the coach telling them, in every training session, game or text message - THEY ARE GOOD ENOUGH.
Some things you have to learn for yourself I guess…
But it also left the team more physically and emotionally drained than half a season’s worth of games in division three combined.
In the second spell, because they were forced to, Suburbs pushed players forward and their INTERNATIONAL players pulled finger and put nine more away.
To highlight the size of the task they were up against, Suburbs were beaten finalists in the 2005 Uncle Toby’s Knockout Cup and had accounted for sides WITHIN the Premier League by similar scorelines this year.
Result: 0-10
Player of the day: The entire team. Enough said.
Sunday 25 June: v Bay Olympic
Sometimes hangovers last a week.
Result: 0-1
Player of the day: Emily Stichbury. “Stitches,” after being brilliant against Suburbs, was again spectacular as she kept the final score respectable. Iker Casillas would be proud.
Sunday 2 July: v Lynn Avon
Sometimes hangovers last two weeks.
Result: 0-2
Player of the day: Sonja Abbott. The type of never stop, hustling display that everyone expects of Phillip Cocu. There is no bigger compliment than that.
Sunday 9 July: v Clendon
The coach has had his car stolen…twice.
But he has never felt as robbed as he did two days after his birthday.
With two league losses in a row, a re-jigged midfield and Maria stepping in for her first action in over a month, the ladies could be forgiven for thinking they’d get a battering from the league’s best side.
Best side my arse.
The Maroons executed a carve-up job on the league leaders that, in a rational world, would have resulted in at least a 5-1 win.
The Sky Blues had no answer for wave after wave of co-ordinated attacking play and the Maroons created a stream of chances that either; hit the woodwork, flew inches wide, produced a stunning save from the visitor’s keeper or rebounded off the lid that was covering the goal.
But that’s what is at once endearing and infuriatingly frustrating about football - you can play the other team off the park and still lose.
Result: 0-1
Player of the day: Maria Shearer. With Holmes moved up front, Maria replaced “Whippet” in the hole and orchestrated much of our stylish attacking play. A performance made more impressive by the fact that she had been out of action for so long, Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s display was a perfect example of why this team is good: Grit and skill in equal parts.
Still to come: Ladies’ first team season review – Part 3: Streaking to the finish