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kathryn posted on August 24, 2009 16:47
On home soil, the Waiuku ladies suffered a devastating loss in Round 2 of the Womens Knockout Cup. The Div 2 side faced Div 1 opponents, Fencibles, and dominated, with what supporters reviewed to be their best performance all season. Although the final score was 3-2, Waiukus defence claimed credit for three of the five goals, while its strike force took the other two.
At the starting whistle, the determined Waiuku side set the intense pace to which the whole game was played. Strings of crisp passes from the wide backs to the midfield and strikers immediately put the opposition on edge. The Blues varied play frequently with tidy switches across-field, always keeping Fencibles on the back foot. Against the run of play, however, Fencibles managed to make headway with a counter-attack, which the Blues appeared, at first, to have under control. But luck favoured the away side as a Waiuku defender attempted to clear the ball over the back line and instead slipped it past the keeper into the goal.
Recovering from this error, the Blues fought back with renewed vigour and were rewarded for their efforts 10 minutes from half time. Left back Teresa Thom played the ball to winger Laura Bannister, who in turn delivered it to striker Desiree Rickard. Right winger Jacqui David, pushed forward to provide support, received a prompt pass from Rickard and equalised.
In the second half, though Waiuku kept up the pressure and had plenty of goal opportunities, cracks were beginning to show, as the Blues battled to keep play out of their half. After 15 minutes, Fencibles won the ball off a Waiuku goal kick and got a shot in from inside the 18 yard box. Goalkeeper Vickilee Watson got her hands to the ball as she dived but failed to redirect it from its path to the goal.
The desperate Waiuku side tried to regain control, setting up more good chances but never managing to convert any. Then as Fencibles composed another counter attack, things turned dire for the home side when one defender had her clearance kick blocked by the sweeper, off whom the ball ricocheted into the goal. Highly dismayed, the Blues again returned to basics and threaded the ball through to their strikers. One foiled attack went out for a corner kick, so captain Sandie Ralph sent the ball speeding into the 6 yard box and Theresa Thom, now on left wing, scored from a header. Unfortunately time was not on Waiukus side and the team could not catch up in the four minutes left. Player of the Day went to Thom for her tireless efforts on the left, and one of the most memorable goals of the season.