Reserves Return to Glory

With Waiuku fielding a new look side, it was clear that the time off was not spent doing nothing. With a new formation which mirrors the first team and the fresh combinations proved the importance of still training hard even with no games scheduled. Elliot Crean and Rob Hatton now anchoring the team at centre back and a 3 man centre midfield consisting of Evan Crean, Phil Donovan and Charlie Heather meant the core of the team had been strengthened.

Only three minutes into the game this became clear when a surge through the middle ended in a Waiuku free kick. The keeper fumbled the resulting shot from set piece specialist Heather and lone striker Luke Sutton very nearly capitalized on the loose ball. Waiuku kept the early pressure going and  were rewarded when a failed clearance from Birkenhead fell to Heather who delivered the ball straight back into the danger area. Sutton rose well to meet the cross and put the home side into a well deserved lead. Waiuku clearly wanted to keep pushing and proved this when Rob Hatton got onto a deep cross, narrowly heading it wide and Charlie Heather latched onto a falling ball which he volleyed with power but was denied by the post. Then against the run of play Birkenhead got the equalizer they sorely needed. A moment of rare confusion in the middle of the park saw a Birkenhead attacked go clear on goal with only the keeper to beat. Elliot Crean made up the ground to close in on the striker but only managed to bring him down and the Ref awarded the penalty. The spot kick was neatly put away and the teams went into the break level.

The second half started in much the same way as the first half finished, with Waiuku pressing high and were it not for some very confident goalkeeping from the Birkenhead stopper things would have been different for the visitors. Luck also played its part with long range efforts from youngsters Madison Ewing-Reid and Dom Winter just missing the target and Charlie Heather once again hitting the woodwork. The pace of the game was beginning to show and Birkenhead were slowly getting back into the game but never really threatened Phil Van Den Broek in the Waiuku goal. Caine Robbie and Evan Crean were then replaced by Coach Jason Heather with the fresh legs of Dion Potter and Dale Oliver. Then on the hour mark Waiuku finally managed to re-take the lead when Luke Sutton found himself free in the box with the ball at his feet and was brought down heavily by both a defender and the keeper. The Referee had no hesitation awarding the penalty and up stepped Charlie Heather to take the spot kick, sending the keeper the wrong way and securing the win for the home side. With 10 minutes remaining Scott Petersen was put on to shore up the defense and close the game out and things ended that way.

After the game coach Jason Heather said “it’s good to get the boys back on the pitch after so long but they’ve been training very hard and responding well to the new formation and combinations. They proved themselves against a tough opposition today and will be taking that into next week’s game. Man of the match today goes to Charlie Heather.”

Team – Phil Van Den Broek, Mitch Thomasen, Rob Hatton, Elliot Crean, Caine Robbie (Dion Potter 55), Madison Ewing-Reid, Phil Donovan, Evan Crean (Dale Oliver 55), Dom Winter (Scott Petersen 80), Charlie Heather, Luke Sutton. Subs Not Used – Michael Coster & Stu Ruddell.