Pukekohe   0   Western Springs Steamboats  1 (Half-time:  0 - 0)

Team: Jamie Clarke, Matt Stewart, Matt Green, Karl Straker, Geoff Dodd, Chris Mahoney, Seksit Techo, Eddie Bignell, Jimmy Peckett, Adam Moorhouse, Tony Wisnewski.

Subs: (Both used): Graham Spinks, Marcus*   (* Sorry Marcus, I'm terrible with names!)

Ah well, here goes. After being totally thunderstruck by last week’s dismal performance, the Reserves were back in business at home this weekend against a team who had comfortably beaten us 5 – 1 earlier in the season.

In the pre-match chat there was no beating around the bush, the boys were told that last week’s efforts were unacceptable and that, even though I might have come across as a cold hearted man for saying so, I reminded some of our players that unless they picked up their game they were living on borrowed time as far as future selection was concerned. It was time for the team to stand up and be counted. I had asked them "Are You Ready?" and they answered in no uncertain terms.

Thankfully, the boys responded and raised their game considerably from the previous week. The lethargic, lacklustre effort from last week was replaced with a far more high voltage performance and it was obvious early on that there was little chance of Western Springs repeating their previous landslide victory.

From the off, we took the game Western Springs and although we had loads of possession, we just lacked that bit of composure going forward which would have allowed us to draw first blood and take the lead so both sides went into half-time without troubling the scorers, although the Maroons had looked the more likely

At half-time, a fly on the wall would have heard me tell the team that the game was very much there for the taking. We had played well in the first half and as long as we didn’t go into meltdown in the second half, and kept on the way we were going, we could ride on into the sunset  with the 3 points tucked safely away.

The second half continued as the first had, I felt we dominated the game but without really threatening to break the deadlock. While the score was 0 – 0, there was always the danger that Springs could nick a goal and so it proved after around 75 minutes.

Just when it looked as if we had said goodbye and good riddance to bad luck, our hopes were shot down in flames. Jamie did well to punch out a corner, despite appearing to be impeded by an opponent, and the ball was met on the edge of the box by an unmarked Springs player who lobbed it over everybody and into the back of the net. From a defensive point of view, I was very disappointed with the goal. The WS player had just a touch too much time to get his shot away. Instead of attacking the ball as it was cleared, we stood spellbound and the WS player was the only one who made the effort to come and get it, and was rewarded with a goal for doing so. A cruel reminder to the boys that we can’t stand still in those situations.

I must confess that it’s hard to keep a stiff upper lip in those situations and I admit to shouting "Hell’s Bells", or words to that effect, and hurling my trusty baseball cap into the turf in frustration. To be looking as if we would comfortably take a point, at least, from the game only to give it up felt like being kicked in the teeth. That’s football I suppose, it’s dog eat dog, and on this occasion we were the ones who were bitten.

To be honest, apart from the goal, I can’t criticise the lads for their efforts. The improvement from last week was enormous and to turn around a 5 – 1 defeat to go go down to an undeserved 1 goal loss says a huge amount about the effort they put in. Our back four were solid, with Karl and Matt as hard as a rock in the centre of defence. Matt Stewart put in a Man of the Match performance and Geoff Dodd had another great game. Our midfield and strikers worked hard, and we welcomed new boy Marcus into the fold. Marcus looks like he’ll be an asset to the team. He showed a bit of a mean streak and was more than happy to be the player to inject the venom in the middle of the park. Hopefully he’ll stick around for the remainder of the season.

Despite the loss, Saturday’s performance should give us huge confidence for week’s visit to the badlands of Manukau where we’ll be facing a side who we downed 5 – 0 earlier in the season. Come hell or high water, we’ll be going all out for a repeat victory this time round.

  Man Of The Match: Matt Stewart