Managed to catch the final. It really was a game of boys vs men. Hobson-Mcveigh was bossing the midfield, and you could see frustration from the Huttsy boys towards him in the second half, with HV drawing a few fouls. It's an interesting position for him- whenever he gets the ball those watching expect great things, and gave him a bit of stick from the stands when he stuffed up. Still, he was quality. Milne didn't do anything too flash, I was expecting more. Birkenhead also had a quality left-mid with longer curly hair- number 8 possibly?
Wasn't a great game of footy, I'd say on another day Birkenhead would've won by more.
Top effort by Lower Hutt to make it to the final, I wasn't particularly following the tourny but would have to say I wasn't expecting them to be there at the end of it, so fantastic to see. Pretty tough for them when their tall striker went off injured, he seemed to be the target for the first half.
Also- looking at the size of the subs when they were warming up at halftime- the Hutt lads were tiny- so seems they'll have a solid team in years to come.
I think boys v men is a bit wide of the mark with all the facts known.
In the opening 15 minutes either side could have been 2 up but unfortunately for LH thats where they started to run out of gas and players. The big lad up front was a passenger. He went to hospital at Ht with a heamotoa (sic) on his leg so probably shouldn't have started. When fit he can be unplayable.
I'm sure BH had their issues too but it was a great achievment for LH to stiill be in the comp never mind still in the final up untill HT. They went from the final group games to the final with midfielders deputising at centre back and a keeper unable to take goal kicks in the final.
Had LH scored first who knows what the adrenalin might have achieved. However BH looked like they had done their homework on closing down the wide threats from LH and were well worthy of their win. Conceding the opener right on HT for LH was a killer and the second was too big an ask to chase in that heat, sapping surface (Why did they have it so long?) and 15 yr olds coming off the bech v quality opposition.
It's easier to play keep ball in those circumstances at 2-0 up and look like the men for sure.
Would be nice to have been able to have a second leg in a couple of weeks but no complaints about the result. Birkenhead are good Champs.
LH also lost their physio before the semi due to a family problem. I hear a physio from the same practice with another Hutt club was willing to, but not allowed to stand in by them even though they were out come Saturday evening. Any one any ideas who that class outfit were?
K Ruption2010-10-27 12:48:56