Park Life: 2008

 

Correction;

 

Woody (classy free kick), Potter 2

 

You stuck in the airport Feverish?

Mirimar on top as expected and all those chasing are waiting for the Mar to slip up, will be facing a lot of big games where teams will play for a draw..

Petone, now winning ugly after yesterdays results, but still winning. After winning so many games in the league below, these guys have the right mentality, regardless of the position they are in or the team they are playing, they expect to win..

Wests, who knows what is going on there but only sit two wins away from the mix, so can not be written off...

Olympic, capable of scoring lots of goals but need to fix the back, Sacha can only stick his finger in the hole for so long before the dam opens up..

Hutt, who is leaving this week??  Possibility that Hutt may get caught in the relegation battle, small but possible...

Napier, my dark horse, or not so dark, to win the league. Sound around the park and explosive up front and they have a ton of home games in the 2nd round including a end of season match at home vs the Mar.

 

Naki PN Diamonds all need to be wary of S/O.  They could start to roll some teams and the comfort zone could get thin, as above, Hutt are not garanteed either...

 

At the halfway point there are some surprises and looking forward to the second half of the season will it be Mar, Napier. Petone or Wests???

 

both teams can be justifiably pissed off with all the officials for being unjustly arragant with all their decisions when they are so horribly wrong it is not funny.

 

you are having laff if you think you got that

 

"This means Team Taranaki players will be available for their club sides."  What??? they are allowed play for more than 1 club at a time?

 

This Park Life review of last weekend out later than Feverish on a bender (although it's not in Electric Ave) and isn't really even one worth waiting for. Still, you've got this far, might as well plug on�

Lower Hutt Don't Get Upset

�a bit like Hutt did in the Chatham Cup, playing their postponed tie against Lower League (not to be confused with Pope's Own) Marist at Bell Park.

Marist, who was at the time two divisions below, upset Hutt 2-0 last year in the Cup but there was to be no repeat this time around with Hutt triumphing 4-1 in extra time.

It looked a bit dicey for a while though and the text machine was running hot when the scores were locked 1-1 at full time.

Marist fought bravely to force the game into extra time but, having only just scraped past Whinging Schoolboy FC in the earlier round were never really likely to blot Brendan McIntyre's copybook with an upset.

Hutt kicked into gear in the extra 30, thumping 3 past an out-of-steam Marist. Their win sees them advance to the next round to face Napier at Bell on Saturday.

Tawa Scare Greeks Before Bottling It

Capital Premier leaders Tawa were our shout for an upset in their rescheduled Cup fixture against a Raf-less Olympic at muddy Redwood Park.

We fancied their chances considering they have lost only once this season and Olympic came into the match off a 3-1 defeat at the hands of high flyers Petone.

Like almost every one of our picks though it was not to be. Olympic proved too strong putting 4 into the back of Lance Ramaekers net. Tawa did manage a couple of their own but were never much in danger.

Olympic�s win sees them earn a chance for revenge against Petone at Memorial Park on Saturday. Tawa meanwhile will head back to the Capital Premier league looking maintain their lead against Upper Hutt away at Harcourt Park.

Wilson United Back On Track

In Big Travel League action Pope's Own (not Lower League) Marist visited a slightly windy Endeavour Park to face Wilson United.

Both sides came into the match with contrasting performances in the league the week before. Marist had a gap-widening win over Stop Out 4-0 while Wests were sat on their arses by The Horse Messam and Napier Pony Club 5-0; the second time Wests have conceded 5 goals in a home fixture this year.

With an eye to their departure for Beijing, and perhaps as a bit of a slap for last week's result, Coach Calcott left NZ Under 23 campers Shaun Van Rooyen, Sam Jenkins and Ian Hogg on the bench and brought Mike Smith, Bryce Howard and Jon Rowe back in.

And it worked as Wests emerged victorious 3-2 thanks to two goals from speedy winger Jon Rowe and a single from leading goal scorer Roddy Brown, taking his season tally to four.

For the Pope's Own Josh Smith also got his fourth of the season. Issac Duker the other scorer.

Pope's Own Marist have a Big Travel League fixtures against the Oranje this week having not progressed in the Big Cup, while Wilson United are at home in said Cup again (surprise surprise!) against Hastings club Maycenvale United.

Petone Put the Wind Up The Naki

Petone's usually water tight defence sprung a couple of leaks as Team Naki visited Memorial. Twice in the first half Team Naki managed to take the lead butach time Petone fought back. With about quarter of an hour left on the watch Petone snatched a winner but it was a far from convincing performance by the blues against a much improved Naki outfit.

Like anywhere without a windbreak the conditions at Memorial Park were awful with the wind howling straight down the pitch. So strong was the breeze that it even bent the frames on the dugouts which had to be tied down.

The surface looked reasonable from a distance after the hammering it took in Queen's Birthday Monday's Chatham Cup water fight but it was actually rubbish making playing football a difficult task.

Nonetheless, despite the conditions, it was open end to end football by both teams in the first half.

Nick Betteridge opened the scoring for Team Naki after 15 minutes pouncing on a loose ball in the six yard box after a defensive mix up. Petone quickly fought back though and Mark "Nobody Knows How To Spell My Name" Manzon(i)e finished off a Benn Dawson cross in similar circumstances with the keeper and defender getting in a bit of a tangle mix up.

Petone then coughed up a free kick about 35m out. Big Jim opted for no wall so James Grieve said "thanks a bunch" and smacked a long range effort straight into the left hand corner of Jim's goal to make the score 1-2 to the visitors.

That's the way it stayed until half time and the Petone faithful could only hope that the wind advantage would play a big part in the second half.

And, to a point, it did, as a Team Naki goal kick held up strongly and dropped to Mark Manzon(i)e on the left flank. He beat a man and fired in a low cross for Paul Whitmarsh to stab home to bring the scores level.

The game remained tight with both teams trying to break the deadlock but it wasn't until the final 20 when Fossie went for bust going three at the back that Petone asserted more dominance.

The move paid off with sub Leighton Arraj latching on to a superb defence splitting pass from Rowan McCullough, cutting inside his man on his left foot and chipping over the advancing keeper with his right to grab a spectacular winner with 15 to go.

The Naki continued to create pressure as they looked to stay in the game and it took a great one handed save from Big Jim whilst already on the deck to deny The Naki what would probably have been a deserved equaliser.

Petone grafted out the remaining minutes for an ugly, but effective, victory.

Sensational Stop Out Sink Oranje

Stop Out's central league credentials are back under discussion in a big way after they upset former Wellington heavy hitters United at a cold but crowded Newtown Park.

The club had come out in force to farewell the hilariously nicknamed Captain Pancreas as he headed off on overseas duty of the non-footballing kind.

It wasn't quite the farewell he was looking for though.

Stop Out for the first time were sporting all of their newly acquired bling in the form of left midfielder and red card returnee $tevie G, left back and scary looking Hone Fowler and central midfield string-puller Cole Peverly playing under the programme pseudonym of Takadzwa Muvezwa (Park Life is not so easily fooled Pevs). Oh and a recently-back-to-training looking Regan Young in goals for Sam Bakker � out with hand-knack.

While all of these fancies made their mark for the Stop Outs it was central defensive rock Dion Scott, his twin Bertony Robinson at right back and sharp-looking Fisum Aden up front who impressed for them on the day.

It says something for Fisum Aden that he's in and around the top of the golden boot race in front of a team that's conceded 40+ goals this season already. His stocks are on the rise and he'll be looking for a transfer to a bigger club if Stop Out end up relegated at the end of the league.

Today though he wasn't on the score card. That job was left to Gary McDermott who bagged a brace before half time to give Stop Out the 2-1 advantage that they'd enjoy throughout the second half.

United's goal is worth a mention though because it came from the departing captain Andy Groom. His amusing nickname � Captain Pancreas � comes from a training ground incident in which goalkeeper Samoan Jammo collided with the man and broke his pancreas putting him out for the season.

His goal was a nice way for him to sign off, although he'd probably have swapped it for three points. In fact he almost had a second just minutes after his first when he tried to dink Reg Young. Reg far too athletic for that � he pushed it confidently over the bar.

But absent those chances there wasn't much else on offer from the Oranje on a day when they were completely outplayed by a buoyant Stop Out.

Hugo the Frenchie came on in the 70th minute as Rossco Durant tried to inject some life into the front third but his nifty skills and turn of pace weren't going to be enough on their own. He's one to watch though. Keep an eye out for him in a striped top, riding a bicycle carrying a baguette.

And elsewhere�

With Tawa and Marist involved in Chatham Cup fixtures it meant a reduced Capital Premier League round. The upset of the day occurred at a windswept Centennial Park where a double from Ginger Ronaldo helped Hutt to secure a come from behind 3-2 victory over Thommo's Ressies. Blackburn�s goals, which included a last minute penalty past keeper Jacob Spoonley cancelled out early second half goals from Tinkler and Cripps.

Waterside Karori returned to winning ways in Greenie's farewell dispatching Upper Hutt 3-0 including a debut goal from a magnificently taken free-kick from superstar signing Wiremu Patrick. Island Bay continued to their run near the top by adding to Wests� Reserves season of woe with a 3-0 victory at Wakefield through an own goal and strikes to Kamri Hicham and Zac Lancaster

And that's it from a tardy-as-ever Euro-watching totally-knackered Park Life.

Until tomorrow anyway, when we're aiming to preview another exciting Big Cup bonanza!

Park Life

 

Park Life is the Fever's fickle finger of fortune on the pulse of local football and this week, as Euro 2008 rocks on (dragging us all out of bed at exotic hours of the morning), we look ahead to our own weekend of drama, tension and last minute excitement. We also preview this weekend's Big Cup.

Wilson United takes on Maycenvale (Endeavour Park)

Last Sunday morning we watched Portugal's fancy footwork take on the tradesman-like Turkey.

Tomorrow at Endeavour Calcott's young stars will take on their own tradesman-like turkeys as unknown Maycenvale have a go at them in the Big Cup. So unknown are the boys from Maycenvale that Capital Football have managed to spell their name incorrectly in their draw! That awful name is drawn from the three primary schools in Hastings that made up the original club in 1975. Isn't that nice?

Moving on.

Cru Bar (no, seriously!) Maycenvale play in the Pacific Premiership where they currently sit fourth from bottom. Noticeably though they have not yet lost this year with a record of 3 wins and 5 draws in the Premiership and having dispatched Hawera (4-1) and Taradale (1-4) on their way to this glamour tie with the Wilsons.

Dakota Lewis is the one to watch for them. He smashed in 23 goals last year in their Pacific Premiership campaign and scored last round at Taradale. If they're going to upset the Whitby apple cart, he'll be the man.

Wests will have most of their players available although recent signings John Niyonsaba and Ian Hogg will need to get their boots dirty in the lower leagues tomorrow morning in order to be eligible to play in the afternoon.

Also back on deck this week is Wests supremo Don Davido. Watch out for him patrolling the windswept sideline in his trademark black overcoat.

And a public health reminder not to eat the dodgy sausages off the fundraising BBQ that made Park Life ill last week!

Lower Hutt host Napier City Rovers (Bell ParK)

This is a genuine contender for match of the round and promises goals goals goals! Hutt and Rovers are the second and third most prolific goal scoring teams in the Big Travel League. Hutt have averaged almost 3 goals a game and both have knocked in over 20 goals in their 8 games so far.

Lower Hutt will be without Dan Bassett and possibly Pete Howe but will welcome back Mike Garnett, Ginger Ronaldo and Miguel from their weekend in the reserves.

The last match between these two sides was a 3-1 humping of Hutt by Rovers at Napier. The side coming to Bell this time around is stronger even than the one Hutt faced in the League having added The Man Who Could Choke A Bear: Sam "The Horse" Messam.

The Horse has been in tremendous goal scoring form and will be a handful for Hutt alongside regular goal scoring machine Stu Wilson.

We're predicting an exciting end to end encounter. Rovers to win it.

Miramar Take 10 Hour Bus to Inglewood (Wherever the f*ck that is!)

Central League leaders and 3-time champions Miramar Rangers travel, via luxury coach leaving at 7am, to Karo Park to face Inglewood.

Miramar had last weekend off but Inglewood played, losing 2-0 to away to glamour side Waitara. Miramar probably have the form coming into this match: in their last five games they have scored 30 goals and conceded just 1.

In the Cup so far Rangers have defeated Wairarapa United 4-1 and Karori 7-0. Inglewood�s first match was in the preliminary round where they defeated Fielding United 1-0. They followed that by beating Palmerston North Boys High School 1-0 and then in Round 2 they upset Palmerston North End 3-2 for their first ever home win in the 85-year-old competition

It is believed to be the first time these sides have played against each other in any form of competition The last time Miramar faced Taranaki opposition in the Chatham Cup was in 1986 Round 5 action against New Plymouth Old Boys. Miramar won 3-0. Park Life was 5.

Inglewood will look to their players returning from the improved Team Taranaki side. This includes Matt Kelbrick, Alvin Hunt and brothers John and Matt Sigurdsson. Inglewood currently sits 3rd in the Taranaki Premiership, 8 points behind leaders Waitara Keyman Video & Lotto (no, seriously!).

For those who are unaware of Inglewood it is a charming rural town that nestles amidst the almost fluorescent greenness of the Taranaki pastureland, just below the forested fringe of Egmont National Park. Mount Taranaki looms majestically over the town and surrounding district, and on a clear day, the central North Island mountains are also visible.

On Friday, 22nd January 1875, Provincial Council chairman Mr. Arthur Standish dashed a bottle of champagne against a tree trunk and officially named the tiny settlement around him as Inglewood. Back then, the little town consisted of just a few huts in a bush clearing.

 

Now though, well�let's just say that in recent news "Inglewood's only clothing store has stopped carrying women's underwear, spurring Anglican Reverend Gary Husband to start a 'knickers-run' to New Plymouth."  Enough said?  We think so.

Miramar to win this one by double figures to nil unless they all die of boredom on the bus.

Petone and Olympic Meet Again (Petone Memorial)

Petone, second in the Big Travel League, host Olympic, 5th (with game in hand over 4th placed Wests) in a replay of the League fixture from two weeks ago that saw Petone snatch a win and Best and Fairest Raf get a red card for a massive bobsled on poor little Benny Dawson.

Dawson, still traumatised over that tackle, will miss this weekend's game while Best and Fairest will come back in having spent his suspension last week kicking his heels and watching his side triumph over a battling Tawa.

Petone will also miss David Lane this week. He's in Scotland getting married, or attending a wedding. One of those.

Olympic will be back to full strength with Raf back in the side.

This one could be the match of the day if the wind keeps down.

And in other weekend action�

The Pope's Own Marist welcome a Wellington United side trying desperately to extract their tail from between their legs after they got rolled over by cellar dwellers Stop Out last weekend.

Marist have good form at home and this one will be a mountain to climb for Rossco's men especially without Andy Groome.

Watch for their flash new Frenchman to haw-he-haw his way around the striking positions from the kick off this time.

Also of note is Sunday's Champs Premier match at Endeavour Park that sees the return of long-term knee-knacked Michael D. Wilson up against a Greenie-less Wharfies. A return to pastures old for Mick McKinlay and a midfield battle between Westlife's finest and Miramar loan signing Wiremu Patrick.

If you can find something better to do on a Sunday than watch that, well, fair enough we're not that surprised.

Enjoy it. Till next time.

Park Life

When working again...it'd be fixed.

 

Dakota Lewis is the one to watch for them. He smashed in 23 goals last year in their Pacific Premiership campaign and scored last round at Taradale. If they're going to upset the Whitby apple cart, he'll be the man.

I think you will find Dakota Lewis is now playing for MAGS.  They have their own Chatham cup match against Mangere United.  Can a school team make it into the last 16?

 

How did that happen, they werent even playing Inglewood? Is that why there is an apppeal into the result of the game?

Cmon the Prems!

 

Pete Halstead 3

Dom Rowe      2

Tommy Smith

Nik Tromp

Michael Eagar