Catriona Bennett posted on July 30, 2007 10:56
By T Wisnewski
The pre match talk focused on a couple of points. Enjoy the game, as any chance of winning the title again had long passed. Play ball to feet as the opposition are big and like the ball in the air. Mark up at corners- don't get caught by their height.
Well, it looked as though they had forgotten all 3 points within the first ten minutes.
5 or 6 offsides against us (rightfully too) in the first ten saw us unable to create chances through impatient running through, and failure to mark at corners (i'm sure that was point 3 of the pre-match chat?) saw us go 2 goals down in the same period.
We pulled one back through a neat finish by Garry Abbott off a well timed pass by Jamie Pegg, which started with actually defending well and stealing the ball. Looked like we would be in the game after all.
But with 5 minutes left in the half the Puke defenders switched off as a Papatoetoe striker miss-hit a cross from the right. Another Papatoetoe player practically walked through the defenders to get the ball and slotted neatly into the left corner past a stranded Nekoda Croft in goal.
Half time chat- much the same as the pre-match chat. Keep the ball, we can't score without it and nor can they was the main jist of it.
It looked again as if they hadn't listened to a word the coach said, when from the kick off they lumped it down to the Papatoetoe keeper. Keep the ball?
Pukekohe pulled one goal back when a passing move started in the Puke half ended up with Vaughan Rhind tapping in from a goalmouth scramble to score his first of the season.
The equaliser came with 10 minutes to go, with Jamie volleying home from just inside the box after a free kick was crossed in.
Then it was heart stopper stuff for coach and supporters. Captain Jamie Pegg broke clear through and struck it over the bar with 5 mins left.
Pegg wasn't going to leave that as how the game finished though, when 2 mins later, with another strong run he broke into the Papatoetoe box again. Just as he was about to shoot though, he was brought down from behind, but being the sportsman that he is, he realised that he could still get the ball and got up and kept going. Pegg hit the ball at the keeper and the ball bounced back to Abbott who slotted home the winner.
What a finish. It has been a long wait to see the team play with the heart and determination they showed on Saturday. Well done lads.