Miramar 2- 0 up after 20 minutes looked as though it was going to be a walk in the (Memorial) Park but in a reversal of the fixture between these two teams last week it was Grant Plumbing Petone who came back from the dead thanks to a Paul Whitmarsh hattrick.
Graeme Little must be thinking of getting his boots out as he watches, week after week, as Petone's Peter Pan continues to come off the bench to score with monotonous regularity. A couple of defensive shockers presented a goal eachway but in the end Petone seemed to have the majority of the play in the second half. A few meaty tackles and a few yellows including two for Mason-Smith. I dont think the result is going to damage Miramars title hopes but it will lift a Petone team that has missed regulars, Richie McLay and Michael Pickering for large parts of the season plus a couple of Blairs from last year. Replacements have obviously come in and showed their worth though, and with games against the other two Hutt Valley teams, both struggling below Petone in the league, Petone should close the gap on those cutting each others throats above.
The weekend was capped off with the two Tall Poppy Petone Women's teams winning promotion on Sunday. The club had earlier recognised the 60 + years of contribution to the club by John Bradbury when they named the lounge , The John Bradbury Lounge at a function held for him on Friday night.
What a shame about West Ham.