Steve Cox posted on August 28, 2007 15:06
The semi-final draw for team 3 wasn’t kind. We were pitched away to last season’s league and cup winners Manurewa. Furthermore, they had just won the Open red division, the league above us. This could be the cup upset, there’s always one.
Great conditions at Memorial park presented the prospect of a tense and challenging match. The team knew we had to play much better than the previous week at Eastern Suburbs and our pre-match talk was much of the same. “Do we want one more game of the season? We’ve come this far how much do we want the cup?”.
Right from the start Manurewa were direct, controlled and calm it was obvious that here was a team who had played a long time together. We held our shape and knew we had a battle on our hands. Early exchanges were tense and hard fought and some swift play from Manurewa brought the first chances and some good keeping from Colin Pegg. We responded and created our own chances and pressured a couple of early corners. We started to find a rhythm and settle down to playing short, simple passing football. A spell of good pressure after 30 minutes provided another corner. The ball was whipped in from Jon Waller and after a typical 6 yard box scramble the ball popped out to Dave Wright just off the penalty spot, who slotted home into the bottom left hand corner of the net. With his left foot!! We had grabbed the early goal and we started to believe. Just before half time, some excellent persistence from Craig Morgan down the left wing provided a nice cut-back for Andy Evans, whose sweet first time shot fired agonisingly just over the bar.
After another positive rally of the troops at half time, we knew we and to battle for the victory, we were only 45 minutes from the final.
A tightly contested second half produced some fine football and some fine efforts either end. Colin Pegg kept us in the game with another great display. Jamie Pegg flashed a couple of efforts just wide and even a right back popped up with two fine efforts which were just tipped over the bar by the keeper. “I didn’t know you could shoot Coxy!” shouted the team.
With 2 minutes remaining, Manurewa were awarded a free kick just to the right hand side of the penalty area. The referee instructed for the whistle, the free kick was taken and nodded home by the Manurewa striker unmarked at the far post. Our hearts sank. Then to our surprise the referee blew his whistle, disallowed the goal and instructed the free kick be re-taken. This time after the ref had blown the whistle. Out it went for a corner along with the final whistle. What a let off!
We had survived the Manurewa onslaught and made it to the final. We had answered the call and won the battle. Well done to all the team and once again great support from the sidelines. Saturday the 1st September now brings two cup finals for Pukekohe. Team 3 are facing Manurewa Open White at Bledisloe Park for a 1.00 o’clock final and then on to our 1st team against Waiuku.
Good luck to all and here’s to two cups for the club.