Hard fought draw

In a match that promised to be the toughest of the season so far, Pukekohe reserves not only gained a draw but may feel they were unlucky not to get the win.

Each week the team has seemed to gel a little better and the pattern and shape improve and this week was no exception. Ellerslie, currently lying second in the league, had won every game except their defeat by Fencibles and it suggested that a strong start by Puke would be needed. That was exactly what happened. The first 20 minutes saw some excellent play from the home team with nice inter-passing and a couple of half chances being created. At the other end Ellerslie rarely threatened and were probably a little taken aback in terms of the team they were facing.

Unfortunately at around the 20 minute mark that was to all change when an under hit back pass saw Trent sold short and fail to make the ground, and the grateful Ellerslie striker fired the ball into the unguarded net. At this point the goal had come against the run of play and the next 10 or so minutes saw Puke’s confidence undermined a little. Gradually the home side started to come back into the game with the midfield quartet closing down well and getting their foot in.

At half time the talk was really all about how the game was still there for the taking, certainly the much vaunted opposition really were not any better than us and we knew that chances would eventually come.

The game seemed to drift a little for the first 20 minutes of the second half with neither side creating more than half chances and both working hard to cancel the other out. With about 20 to go the catalyst that raised the Puke game was what I will call a crunching run. Those who were not there will probably raise an eyebrow, surely he means maisey run or crunching tackle. Well when Marty Bennett set off up field it was indeed a crunching run. Picking up the ball about 15m inside our half the ball squirted away from Marty slightly and became a 50:50 with their striker, with a deafening thud Marty made the ball his, or at least the striker was no longer upright. The ball broke loose some 10m forward and became a 50:50 with one of their midfielders. Another thud, same result. With the ball breaking ever closer to their goal Marty went in for his 3rd 50:50 which bearing in mind what had happened to his 2 team mates was pretty game of the Ellerslie centre back. Marty obviously won the challenge but the ball squirted away from the ever hopeful Wiz. Great effort Marty but 50:50 doesn’t seem fair on them really.

The tone was set and Puke started to lift. Shortly after Wiz and Aydhan combined, and as he was challenged, the Ellerslie defender went very close to scoring an own goal, the ball only inches wide of the upright. Just reward was soon to come however, I won the ball in the centre circle and passed left footed (true!) to Wiz who exchanged passes with Joe and sent over a great cross for Aydhan to head home his 5th of the season.

In the remaining minutes Puke went close to wrapping up all 3 points but failed to convert 2 good chances.

It was another sound performance by the back four with Jez and Andy continuing to form a very strong partnership and Mike and Marty both doing their job superbly. Marco and Joe both put in another solid 90 minutes of graft and laid the platform for the performance, but this week’s man of the match was Josh. Apparently Josh had suffered a touch of food poisoning and was not 100%, but you would never have known. He was all quality down the left side and got through a huge amount of work. Well done Josh and good result lads, bring on Onehunga!