The business end of the grading rounds saw the Red Devilz taking on the plucky Tuakau Pumas, a team with spirit and fighting quality like a bunch of stray cats and the Gunners were up against the Bay Oly Rockets, a team slick and skilled like so many of the Big Smoke outfits.
The early season rain-postponement did nothing for either teams form or momentum; the Devilzs game looked at times as if they got stuck in second gear on a down-hill straight, lots of noise but not much gain. The Tuakau Pumas came to play, a tall attack and a feisty midfield started asking plenty of questions of the Devilzs defence early on but in patches the Devilz displayed composure and maturity, turning defence intelligently into attack, using width and slick passing to get from one end of the park to the other in no more than three moves. The game seesawed through the opening exchanges and in the first five minutes you couldnt be pursued to put a green lady either way.
Then a long goal-kick from the Muss with 5:20 on the clock was collected by Kaze who had drifted out to the right in anticipation of the kick. Smartly brushing off one on-rushing defender with a quick half-turn toward the paint, Kaze found himself in space and motored down-town, cutting inside and pushing toward goal. With impeccable timing he finished off with a low drive toward the long post and, KAAWUUUUM, Devilz 1, Pumas hurting.
In the meantime, the Gunners had their own seesaw-battle at hand. A tight end-to-end tussle in which neither team could assert dominance and goals were very hard to come by. The off-side flag went up in regular intervals, and the Gunners were accumulating a questionable amount of off-side calls against them early on in the game. Far from being dispirited the Gunners kept taking the game to the Rockets and this game too was not to be a stroll in the park for the lazy punter, looking for some quick and easy bucks.
The Pumas; wounded but far from dead, upped the ante and the Devilzs resilience was under stern examination. Time and again the Pumas prowled through the middle of the park, the midfield feeding of scraps delivered by some wayward Devilzs defensive clearances. Occasionally the Devilz would remember that they came to play football too and, when they did, the Pumas goal-keeper earned himself easily the man-of-the-match tag for his team.
With 17 mins down the Pumas had just sucked in another Devilz attack a quick break over the left and rushing Pumas through the middle saw a tidal wave of wounded big game flooding the Devilzs penalty box, the defence lost sight of the ball, the Muss was yelling KEEPER to no avail and a feral cat poked a toe at the pill, 1 all and the Pumas got their tails up.
The last eight minutes of the first half saw the Pumas growing in confidence and the Devilz had to endure a real test of stamina and ticker. It wasnt always pretty but the Devilz hung in grimly and didnt let the Pumas take ascendancy. The honours, at the half-time whistle, were evenly shared and the Pumas went into their half-time huddle with a definitive spring in their step and plenty of approving side-line purring from their plentiful supporters greeted them along with the customary oranges.
The Devilzs half-time talk was stern but not driven by panic or despair, play the football you can and play as team with and for each other was the gist of the message. Dont be wasteful or hesitant with your chances, just put them away, as you do, and tighten up in defence, clear the ball quick and send it deep, was the more subtle undertone of the message. The Devilz went out into the second 25 to deliver.
With 1:20 on the clock in the second half Kaneo won one in midfield and sent it into the box, Kaze pounced on it like a big cat, with good body position protecting ball and line and in his customary uncompromising style drilled it into the back of the net, KAAAAAAZZZZUUUM, Devilz 2, Pumas puzzled.
The game was far from over, the Pumas continued to leave their marks on a sometimes fragile Devilz defence, 15 on the clock and a throw-in, about 15 metres inside the Devilzs half, travelled untouched through a muddle of Devilz and Pumas, trundling through the penalty box and to the consternation of many rolled past a stunned Muss, nestling comfily in the back of the Devilz net.... the Ref, to his credit, upon questioning a couple of players, reversed an initial call of goal and allowed a repeat of the throw-in. The Devilz had a let-off, and they accepted it as a wake-up call.
The Defence of The Needle, Goldie and Da Man now asserted themselves, anything coming their way was dealt with in a no nonsense manner, quick and deep, the midfield and the attack were served plenty of ball and when the clock showed 21:20 of the second half, Ice, cool, accepted one of these long balls drove it into the box and, ignoring a Double-Trouble Kami and Kaze yelling concerto, turning one defender, bought himself space and time to line-up the goalie, KAAAAACHIIIIING; Devilz 3, Pumas hurting, puzzled and buried.
The Devilz finished the game composed, maybe a bit goal-shy but not seriously threatened. The next encounter will see the Devilz on the road, travelling to take on the equally unbeaten Papatoetoe Dragons in a top-of the table clash, at their inhospitable Den, Murdoch Park. This clash will almost definitely determine if the Devilz will get to play first division football this year.
The Gunners and the Rockets, in the meantime, appeared equally inseparable on the score sheet and in performance. It was the fastest Gun in town who provided the difference in the end, outpacing the Rockets to put it in the net twice and an almighty team effort of the Gunners made sure that the defence and the goalie were only beaten once, sending the Gunners to the top of the 1st Div city grading round, now with a real chance to taste some Premier Division football this year. Great Effort, Gunners!
Cheers-, W
On another note;
We wish to thank Caltex and Lynda for supporting our team on match-days again this year with plenty of goodies for the player of the day Thanks Lynda and thanks Caltex-.
The Devilz motto
the Skys the limited!