Central League Round 18
Wellington Olympic were too good for Palmerston North Marist at Newtown Park on Sunday, running out 3-1 winners. Marist lined up with NZFC stars Ian Robinson, Ian Sandbrooke and Adam Cowan and were expected to provide a stiff test for the Wellington side, but it was Olympic talisman Raf De Gregorio who opened the scoring halfway through the first half. An attempted one-two with Mikey Malivuk was snuffed out by the Marist defenders, but De Gregorio continued his run into the box to where the ball broke via a deflection. De Gregorio composed himself and slid the ball under the out rushing keeper to take an early lead . Olympic should have already been ahead, having hit the bar from a near post header from a corner, and Ian Paterson and Malivuk comically failing to finish a scramble in the Marist 6 yard box. Marist looked lethargic, and although kept possession with some neat football in the middle of park, rarely troubled Toomath in the Olympic goal. Anton de Gregorio doubled the lead shortly before the break, deflecting home Jamie O'Connor's fizzing volley from close range.
After the break Marist increased their urgency and started to attack in greater numbers with the increasingly influential Ishi Nobuyoshi at the heart of their best moves. Marist nearly got back into the game with two good early chances to Ian Robinson. Firstly he dragged his shot wide with his favoured left foot when the ball broke to him on the edge of the box when he really should have at least hit the target. Minutes later he showed delightful skill to slalom his way through three Olympic defenders in the box, but with the hard work done he failed to convert from close range, Andrew Toomath blocking the shot after flying off his line. Olympic captain Simon George headed home from a Jimmy Hadaikis corner shortly after to put the game out of reach, although Steve Tippet scored a late consolation after Toomath fumbled a cross.
Meanwhile, Western Suburbs took a big step towards the Central League title with an emphatic 3-0 victory over Gisborne City on Saturday. Suburbs started with New Zealand under 20 star Dan Keat, who is back from his American college for a few weeks, and it was he who opened the scoring with his first touch after 5 minutes. He timed his run into the box to perfection, and was able to stoop at the near post to head in Jonathan Rowe's cross. Gisborne Player coach Pedro Garcia nearly became one of the few players to score against Wests this season when he rattled the crossbar with a superb volley from outside the box. However this was the closest Gisborne would come as Wests dominated the remainder of the game. New Zealand under 20 goalkeeper Rowdie Roddy Brown continued his excellent goal scoring form 10 minutes into the second half, when he doubled the lead. Keat sent the ball goal ward with an acrobatic volley from a corner, and it was turned in by Rowdie Brown from close on the goal-line. Michael Utting was beaten in the Gisborne goal for a third time with 5 minutes left on the clock, when the outstanding Jonathan Rowe marked his return to the team with a well taken goal at the near post. With a Chatham Cup semi-final in Dunedin next weekend, Wests remain on target for the double.
Miramar Rangers made hard work of victory over Stop Out at the Raceway on Saturday. Miramar looked lethargic in the early exchanges and were made to endure a hefty barrage of early pressure from the home side. They had keeper Dylan Hall to thank for several sharp saves as Stop Out forwards Ben Kistell and Arson Walrond looked dangerous. Miramar slowly got into the game, mainly through the endeavours of Allen Chote in midfield. Chote was sharp on the ball and set up several chances for front runners Dominic Rowe and Matt Keane who both failed to finish off good moves.
With the score nil all at half time, Miramar coach Jose Quijada substituted both strikers in an attempt to finish off the home side. However, despite dominating possession , and the fresh legs of PJ Lupi causing trouble, Miramar were finding it hard to get past Alec McDonald in defence for Stop Out. As the game wore on, Stop Out were coming under increased pressure and possession was a rare commodity. As a result of this and the unnecessary substitution of Walrond, Kistell became increasingly isolated up front and Miramar Looked like the only team that would score, but were denied on no less than three occasions. Firstly , Steven Quirk bought Lupi down in the box, but the gazelle-like David Batty side footed the penalty wide. Rangers then had two goals disallowed for offside. Miramar were clearly furious at the decisions, but eventually managed to regain their composure and score the winning goal. A raid down the right flank resulted in a straight forward cross being fumbled by Stop Out keeper Brad Topp into the path of Disco Lupi, who made no mistake from 10 centimetres . A scrappy performance from Miramar, but three points gained nonetheless to keep Western Suburbs honest .
The shock of the round came from Park Island, as Wellington United upset the form book to snatch all three points. Napier only have themselves to blame as early chances were created and wasted. With the game goalless at the break, the home side seized the initiative and took the lead through former Wellington and All Black winger Stu Wilson. With Wellington United reliant on a counter-attack approach it looked likely that Napier would add to their tally but a lack of conviction in front of goal and some excellent goalkeeping by emerging star Nick Tarrant saw the 1-0 score line remain. Midway through the half United were rewarded for their hard work and endeavour when they caught Napier napping at the back and Alex Beresford drilled home from the edge of the box. With ten minutes remaining the visitors snatched an unlikely lead when an exact copycat of the first goal was rammed home by former Rovers junior Eddie Mason. Coach Ross Durant would be delighted with the result but United remain an enigma, having beaten Wests and Napier, but struggling to put together back to back performances.
In the final game of the round, Team Taranaki were beaten 6-1 at home by Lower Hutt. Mike Madden was the hero for the visitors, with 4 goals in a man of the match performance. Youngster Sam Blackburn and Steve Gully were the other scorers, with Taranaki's American import Not Supplied scoring from his attacking midfield position.
I'm not entirely neutral here tho...
Metaleca2007-08-07 22:35:12
Wanganui ref Matt Stoneman hoists a red card ordering off Team
Taranaki's Craig Graham (10) while Lower Hutt City's Muverwa
Takudzwa (left) and captain Phil Patterson offer their
views
Team Taranaki's chances of surviving relegation at the end of the Central League football competition suffered a severe blow yesterday when three of its senior players were suspended.
Capital Soccer chief Keith Palmer, of Wellington, yesterday handed down a one-match suspension to Nick Betteridge and Shane Kidby.
Player-coach Craig Graham copped a two-match ban for "violent behaviour", which included striking a Hutt City player.
The three players were red-carded in a Central League match against Lower Hutt City in New Plymouth on Sunday.
Betteridge and Kidby were booked for dangerous tackles earning a second yellow card in the competition which made up for a red.
When contacted in connection with the suspensions yesterday, Graham admitted the findings were bad for the team.
"It hurts us at this time in the league," he said.
Graham denied he struck a player as alleged by match referee, Matt Stoneman, in his report.
"Yes I went in strong. I'm not going to deny that. It was a 50-50 challenge. I certainly didn't throw an elbow," he said.
Graham was not ruling out appealing his suspension.
"We've got a DVD of the game and we're quite entitled to send that in and ask `show me where I threw an elbow at him'."
He claimed the referee was inconsistent in his rulings and this led to a build-up in frustration in some Team Taranaki players, including himself.
"There were criminal challenges going ahead which the opposition was getting away with. So there was a lack of consistency.
"We got nailed for everything we were alleged to have done and they (Hutt) were cleaning people out left, right and centre."
Palmer said two Lower Hutt City players were yellow carded in the game.
The suspensions leave Team Taranaki without three of its more senior players for its final round-robin clash against competition front-runner Western Suburbs.
To make matters worse, Graham will also miss the first match of the home and away promotion-relegation matches which Taranaki has already booked a spot in as the wooden spooner of the competition.
Adding further woes to an already wounded side yet to record a win in the league, the suspended players are prevented from playing for their clubs until their suspensions are over.
Team Taranaki's game against Suburbs has been rescheduled for either September 1 or 2 or later depending on Suburbs' Chatham Cup commitments in the South Island.
Yes Muverwa Takudzwa, aka TK, tends to stand out seeing as he is african!!
have olympic beaten wests this season??
take out the de gregorio's and the barbarouses' and they dont
have too much to offer!
I agree with Ginger, Taranaki and Stop Out have really been the most destructively boring teams in the league, playing truely negative football.
I think the league might be in for a bit of a surprise in the closing games of this season...
have olympic beaten wests this season??
take out the de gregorio's and the barbarouses' and they dont
have too much to offer!
I guess the true strength of any team (and we can look at the Phoenix and the All Blacks for this too) is the depth of their bench. So while the good players come out, its always a great opportunity for someone else to step up.
have olympic beaten wests this season??
take out the de gregorio's and the barbarouses' and they dont
have too much to offer! QUOTE]
I agree with Ginger, Taranaki and Stop Out have really been the most destructively boring teams in the league, playing truely negative football.
