Spirit 1, Otago Youth Development 2; May 30th

SCROLL DOWN FOR CHATHAM CUP Rnd2 REVIEW

Too many misdirected passes throughout the mid field, a series of wrong options and a “powder-puff” attacking effort all contributed to a humiliating afternoon for Spirit FC as it surprisingly lost its Footballsouth premier league game 2-1 to the Otago Youth Development team at Rugby Park in Invercargill on Saturday.

The youngsters came to town with a record of 7 losses from 7 games, scoring just 4 goals and conceding 30 along the way.

Not good statistics for a team preparing to travel to Ireland in July to participate in the prestigious Milk cup youth tournament.

But that all meant nothing on Saturday as the visitors kept their shape and composure to not only outscore, but for long periods outplay, the more experience Spirit FC unit.

Otago assistant coach and stand-in goalkeeper for the day Matt Scoles said.

“The lads have put together some fine forty-five and sixty minute periods of play in their games this season but have been unable to sustain the effort.
However today it all came together for the full ninety minutes and we are absolutely stoked with the result”.

For Spirit player-coach Barry Gardiner its back to the drawing board as he searches for a way to lift his team’s performances for the remaining two games of this round and then to be competitive when the competition is split into it’s top-four bottom-six play off round in three weeks time.

It was a clumsy rather than intentional bad tackle by a Spirit defender five minutes into the game that gave the Otago Youth team its first goal-scoring opportunity from the penalty kick awarded by referee Alex Wilson.

Aajah Cunningham made no mistake from the spot calmly stroking the ball wide of Spirit keeper Mark Bugden to give Otago a 1-nil lead.

The game meandered through until half-time with no further scoring and as a spectacle lacking any quality football to keep the crowd remotely enthused.

The second half started as mundane as the first had finished until at the ten minute mark Otago’s Tom Hall livened things up when he sent in a blistering shot that rebounded to safety off the Spirit upright.

Twenty minutes later Spirit managed to clear an Otago corner kick but only as far as Otago’s Blair Struthers who volleyed the ball back through a gap in the Spirit defence to give Otago a 2-nil cushion.

Spirit’s best move of the day brought it its goal and a glimpse of what might have been when Brendon Lloyd set Gardiner free on the left flank from where Gardiner cut the ball across goal for Carl Henderson to head it with some force into the Otago net cutting the deficit back to just one goal.

It was all too late though and with the Otago youngsters keeping their composure they held out until the final whistle for their upset but well deserved result.

POD for Spirit on the day was Craig Milne, and there's no doubting his work rate for sure, I also thought while he was on Jason Cocker showed a bit more Spirit than most and enjoyed some good fetch and carry moments.
While his dad Adrian showed he can kick a ball too with a hefty lob from the sideline into the grandstand....in anger....tut tut

This afternoon (Monday) at 2pm at Waverley Park (check radio though for a possible ground change) AMP South Old Boys and Waihopai meet in their second round Chatham cup game.

The winner will not only go forward to round three but will receive the Churchill Rosebowl trophy as the Southland team progressing furthest in the New Zealand wide knockout competition.

Old Boys 3, Waihopai 1; Chatham Cup June 1st;

Old Boys AFC will represent Southland in the next round of the New Zealand wide Chatham cup knockout competition by virtue of its 3-1 win over Waihopai at Waverley Park in Invercargill yesterday.

Cup football, with its eventual outcome of the best team on the day progressing further, often provides a sharper edge to it than normal round-robin competition encounters.

Yesterday’s game enhanced that belief as the two local teams battled for 90 minutes until a goal in time-added-on secured the two goal margin for Old Boys and ensured the win for the AMP South sponsored unit.

An early exchange between Waihopai's Josh Frewen (Blue) and Old Boys Andrew Elder

After an initial settling in period by both teams it was Old Boys who took the lead 1-nil eight minutes into the game when its player-coach Scott Mackenzie was perfectly positioned near the goal post to deflect a free kick into the Waihopai net.

Despite Old Boys gaining confidence from the early lead Waihopai withstood a series of attacks on its goal thanks to some excellent defensive work, with central defender Davy Price leading by example.

Davy Price (blue) protects the ball from Old Boys Andrew Elder

Waihopai began to get back into the game and was duly rewarded ten minutes later when Scottish import Craig Milne was on hand, after a futile attempt by Old Boys to clear its line, and promptly deposited the ball it into the net to level the score at 1-all.

Milner ( Craig Milne-Right) and Old Boy's Frank O'Boyle tussled all afternoon

With the half time break looming Old Boys was awarded a free kick on the right flank from which among a cluster of players Danny Rosel got the final touch to head the ball past Waihopai keeper Shane Harpur and give his team a 2-1 lead.

Danny's in front of red 14 and got the touch on before Waihopai keeper Shane Harpur
while Councillor Lindsay Thomas gives advice in the background

Following the break the game ebbed and flowed as both teams looked for an opportunity to gain an advantage, while the large crowd in attendance was appreciating the intensity of the encounter.

Then, mid way through the half, came a match-saving brace of saves from Old Boys keeper Phil Grubb when first he made an athletic reflex save to turn a powerful header from Waihopai’s Chris Jones to safety and then three minutes later deflected a Dion Cameron free-kick over the crossbar when most thought the ball was heading for the net for a Waihopai equaliser.

Chris Jones (Blue) didn't get much leeway from Old Boys Gordy Lamont,
but when he did it took a super save from Grubby to stop him scoring

Waihopai kept up the pressure on the Old Boys defence but with time running out Old Boys George Hercus capped his player-of-the-day performance when he went on a weaving run through the Waihopai defence and with a delightful chip shot over the advancing Waihopai keeper sealed the win for his team 3 goals to 1 and a place in the next round.

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