Last Minute Heartbreak for Reserves

On Saturday Waiuku AFC reserves welcomed Mount Albert Ponsonby Reserves to Massey Park for a top of the table clash. MAP already top but by only one point looking to retain that spot, the home team hoping to take that crown. After a week of heavy rain the number one pitch was in remarkably good condition, a credit to the ground staff. Waiuku’s starting line up looked strong with the return from injury and suspension of Robbie Leonard, Mitch Thomasen and Rob Hatton.

With a strong wind blowing across the pitch the game started as expected with neither team wanting to make any early mistakes. With the top spot at stake this was going to be a battle of wits. In a relatively uneventful first half only a few chances on goal was had by both teams. First Waiuku left back Evan Crean broke away and in a dazzling display of skill and determination took on four players and managed to get a shot off. The MAP keeper getting down well to his right to hold the ball. Then Waiuku keeper Justin Baldwin mis-kicked a clearance and the ball fell to the feet of a waiting striker. Finding himself one on one with Baldwin he waited too long to place his shot and central defender Scott Petersen got across well to take the sting out of the shot and into the hands of Baldwin. Nil all at the half time break.

 Whatever was said by both coaches at half time obviously hit a note because the game finally came to life. Attacks by both teams early on brought the respective defensive units fully into the game. Waiuku right back Caine Robbie coped well under the pressure and stood out as a key part of the Waiuku defensive structure. With fifteen minutes of the second half gone Waiuku finally broke the deadlock. Centre mid Charlie Heather received the ball in a deep position and pressed forward. Trying to put a pass through to Luke Sutton, the ball was cut out by a MAP defender only to fall into the path of the advancing Robbie Leonard. Flicking the ball sideways, Leonard managed to get a clear sight on goal and pulled the trigger, the shot going under the keeper. The celebrations were muted five minutes later when defender Petersen was adjudged to have brought down a MAP player in the box. A dubious penalty was awarded and the resulting spot kick was converted. With the stalemate holding until the 89^th minute Waiuku was dealt the killer blow. A high ball was crossed into the Waiuku penalty area and with no MAP players around, it bounced just in front of left back Crean who in an attempt to clear only managed to head it out of the reach of Baldwin and into his own net. A disaster for the home side because as soon as the game restarted the referee blew the whistle for full time. Final score, 2 – 1 to Mount Albert Ponsonby.

After the game Waiuku coach Jason Heather said “obviously that’s not how we wanted the game to end but I can take quite a few positives from this. We’ve proved we can compete with the stronger, bigger clubs in the league and not be the pushover team they were expecting. Training is important and that’s where the team puts in the hard work to give the performance they did today. Player of the day goes to Caine Robbie whose performance was outstanding at the back today and he’s only going to get better.”

Team – Justin Baldwin, Caine Robbie, Jason Oliver, Scott Petersen, Evan Crean, Mitch Thomasen (Maddison Ewing-Reid 70), Charlie Heather, Rob Hatton (Robbie Thornton 75), Dale Oliver (Dom Winter 70), Robbie Leonard, Luke Sutton.