3rds on the home stretch

Pukekohe 7 Ellerslie AFC 0

 

After having not played since the 19^th of July, and no training due to the weather cancelling out the use of the training pitches, it was nice to finally get a game going. However, unfortunately not all of us got to have one. Our coach and solid midfield player Paul Coles was away in New Plymouth for the weekend and his inspiration team talk was missed.

 

On arriving at Michaels Ave and looking at the pitches I and many of the others were surprised to see that there were games being played at all. The pitch for those that do not know it is in a basin so water from the surrounding houses drains to the pitches which we were due to play on. The “good” pitch which is full size when viewed from up at the changing rooms looked more like a very badly chewed up cow paddock and yet there was still a game on it and one due to start straight afterwards. Our pitch unfortunately was the number two pitch which was visibly not as bad looking from afar but turned out to be much worse. As we walked down to the filed past the “fields closed” sign and through the moat around the pitch we knew it would not hold up to much traffic. By the end of the match it was so trashed that standing in the middle of the park we were literally up to our ankles in mud.

 

So to the game … like everyone when warming up you take a look across to the opposition, except in this case there were not too many players to look across too. With only 8 men on the side line it was decided that perhaps I would be best served volunteering to ref the first half so they had a chance to let the rest of their team arrive. Come kick off they managed to gather up 10 and quickly found another not much later.

 

The next 45 was a blur, Matt Nugent who was playing along side John Waller (due to Pauls absence) again put his name on the score card with the first goal. Matt has improved week by week and Saturday was no different.  The team bombarded the Ellerslie goal from all quarters for the rest of the half with Andy Evans scoring twice and Jamie Pegg also slamming one home. The only concern 1^st half was Andy taking a blow and crashing to the ground which led to the speedster Colin Case coming on to further upset the defence.

 

Half time and with no more Ellersile players on the horizon it fell to me to continue. The boys continued to rip through the opposition scoring three more through Nick Rowe, Andy Evans and Niel Skerry with a lovely left footed volley. Nick Brunger was unlucky not to get on the score sheet after the ref denied a great run into the box. The goal keeper did exceptionally well to keep out a great deal more shots including a cracker by Colin Case late into the peace.