Otago United

Waitakere United

1

2

90+4' Aaron Burgess

 Allan Pearce 3', pen-21'

by Rab Smith at Tahuna Park
www.asbpremiership.co.nz

A red card after just 40 seconds meant Otago United were always playing catch-up to Waitakere United who crowned themselves Minor Premiers with a 2-1 win at Tahuna Park today.

Defender Tom Sadd was penalised as he fouled the fleet footed Dakota Lucas on a run at goal. Despite Tom Connor’s presence referee Mirko Benischke judged Sadd to be the last defender, and reached for a red card.

Exit defender Sadd, and up stepped Waitakere marksman Allan Pearce who rifled in a superb free kick to put the vistors 1-0 ahead.

Down to ten men, Otago which was already without Andy Coburn, Tim Horner, Alistair Rickerby, and Ant Hancock, faced an uphill battle against coach Neil Emblen’s top side which has now clinched automatic entry into next season’s OFC Champions League.

It took another 20 minutes before Waitakere pressured a penalty that Pearce laced past the fingers of keeper Adam Highfield.

Highfield was captain for the day, and went on to play a key part in denying Waitakere any other goals. The big keeper did it all. In amongst the boot, leaping high to cut out crosses and corners, and urging his side on to greater efforts.

Waitakere did hit the woodwork twice, and were a smooth unit full of pace and guile, but Otago’s defence, superbly led by Tristan Prattley and with Tom Connor in dynamic form, did not give a millimetre.

Ploughing a lonely furrow in attack Chris Anderson held the ball up give respite, and veteran Paul Seaman and James Reichwein slammed on tackles in midfield
Morgan Day had flashes of real class, James Govan never stopped running, big Liam Lockhart grew another foot, Harley Rodeka clocked up miles, and substitute Sam Mepham never gave in, but once again, failure to retain better ball possession cost immense energy.

Throwing caution to the winds in the last quarter, coach Malcolm Fleming brought on assistant coach Aaron Burgess, and with a tail wind, the striker added some menace to Otago’s sporadic attacks.

Burgess hit the jackpot with a 94th minute goal, snatched out of a hectic goalmouth scramble, but a tribute to a fine never-say-die effort by Otago United.

Coach Fleming said, “Against the best team in the country, we could say we won the second half 1-0 with just ten men. A superb effort. I am proud of them.”
Coach Emblen smiled wryly and said, “We came to win and did that, but Otago frustrated us, and defended very well despite having ten men.”

“I prefer to concentrate on our performance. Ryan DeVries and Dakota Lewis were our stand outs, and I am delighted that we have gained 42 points, and beaten the old record of 36. Delighted.”

Otago United

V

Waitakere United

1. Adam Highfield (GK, C)

28. Andy Ralph (GK)

6. Tom Sadd

2. Jason Rowley

8. Paul Seaman (Brook 78')

3. Aaron Scott (Pelter 62')

12. James Reichwein (Mephan 62')

4. Tim Myers

16. James Goven (Burgess 50')

7. Martin Bullock

18. Harley Rodeka

10. Allan Pearce

19. Chris Anderson

13. Mike Gwyther (Sole 78')

21. Liam Lockhart

17. Jake Butler (C)

25. Tom Connor

19. Dakota Lucas

26. Tristan Prattley

20. Ryan De Vries (Payne 83')

27. Morgan Day

24. Luke Adams

Substitutes

Substitutes

22. Callum Flaws (RGK)

1. Danny Robinson (RGK)

9. Aaron Burgess (on 50')

6. Jack Pelter  (on 62')

10. Jack Kirkwood

8. Chris Bale

20. Matt Brook (on 78')

14. Tim Payne (on 83')

28. Sam Mephan (on 62')

18. Zane Sole (on 78')

=goal

=yellow card

=2 yellow cards

= red card

-0'

Welcome to Tahuna Park for Otago Uniteds last home game of the 2010/2011 season, With a solid pitch and a southern breeze is going to keep the players cool, With the crowd growing Otago will be looking to put in all the effort and energy left into this game with a hopes of keeping a level score.

1'

Waitakere start off and gain an early throw in pushing into Otago's half and Lockhart picks up the ball for Otago and makes it down the wing. Bad Tackle by Tom Sadd earns him the Red Card

2'

Ref stops play and Sadd is given a talking to, Waitakere gains a free kick from 22 yards out

3'

Highfield gets his wall set up, GOAL Pearce takes the kick placing it with power into Otago's goal, Waitakere takse the early lead

5'

Otago are not yet in the game as Waitakere slip through Otago's defence and are save from another goal by an offside

7'

Seaman tries to make a break away as he picks up Lockhart's shot stopping rebound.
Waitakere takes another shot but Highfield gets his body in behind it makeing the save.

8'

Day starts getting into the game making the same style of tackles that gave Otago a much needed advantage in their last home game

10'

Anderson picks up a lob by Seaman in the center of Waitakere's goal but pressure forces the shot and he sends it too high

12'

Govan sends the ball to Anderson who makes the run wide towards the goal letting off the shot with power but just sends it of the the outside of the upright

14'

Adams gets in with a slide tackle to stop the duo of Govan and Seaman working towards Waitakere's goal

15'

Reichwein making the clearance of the low corner from Waitakere, but no enough power to get it out for a throw and Pearce is able to collect with ease

17'

Prattley moves up the far wing getting the ball into a great position but the head from a Waitakere defender is enough to cut out Prattley's cross to the far post

19'

Highfield restarts play with a goal kick, the wind showing its force as it holds the ball up falling it short of the halfway mark

20'

Rodeka gains a yellow card for a sloppy slide on De Vries and a penalty is given

21'

Pearce takes the penalty, GOAL as Highfield dives the wrong way

24'

Otago gain a free kick within Waitakere's half Prattley puts it far in the head on an Otago player who knocks it on just putting it wide of Ralph's far post.

26'

Payne is given a talk about jumping on a player as a free kick is given in Otago's favour

28'

Lockhart picks up the ball from just under 30 yards out and slams it but the ball rises to much and it flies way over

30'

Waitakere miss an great chance to extend their lead putting the ball right across Highfield as his hand on it is enough to push it just out of the path of the incoming Waitakere striker

33'

Lucas is making the runs to try and put Waitakere in the lead but is unable to hold the ball past Otago's defence at this stage

35'

Rodeka tries to place a long ball to Goven but is unable to make it to his feet. Lucas finally gets a shot off  but sends it just wide of the near upright

37'

De Vries makes a low shot with a picked up ball just outside Otago's 18 yard box but it heads towards Highfield who stops it with ease.

38'

Prattley takes a free kick from 25 yards sending it low to Ralph's near post, Ralph is coving it and makes the save

39

Waitakere make the counter attack and Day is unable to hold the ball, Lucas takes it off and sends it to center goal where Butler takes the strike sending it wide

41'

Reichwein gets told to be quite or leave by the ref and Waitakere get their free kick just inside Otago's half

42'

Prattley gains another chance to help Otago back into the game with a free kick well inside Waitakere's half, Putting in the curve, Ralph gets off the line and punches the ball away, Waitakere make a great effort at a counter attack

43'

Gwyther takes the ball up and under pressure he has only the keeper to beat, Highfield stays his ground and Gwyther shot rebounds out off Highfield's knees

45'

Seaman takes a shot with a loose ball from 25 yards, the ball looks on target but starts to curl upwards just going over top of the cross bar

45+3

Waitakere moves down the wing to try an put a last goal away but ends out over the goal line,
Half time called, Otago 0 - Waitakere 2

-half-

No Changes made

46'

Waitakere start of the half strong with another early attack on Otago's goal

47'

Otag then make it down the park to return the favour with the same outcome, ball wide of the goal

48'

Gwyther just caught offside and Otago try a push through Anderson but he is unable to make anything of it.

49'

Lockhart places the ball over to Govan who controls the ball in a great place but a hand across the chest stops him from getting the shot off in time
Sub Otago
OFF: 16. James Govan
ON: 9. Aaron Burgess

52'

A knock on by Anderson puts the ball to Burgess feet, Ralph moves to the ball and smothers it before Burgess can get the ball away

54'

Lucas puts a shot in that comes across the goal, the troubled Highfield dives to the near post and Lucas's shot goes past Highfield and hits the upright Prattley is forced to clear the ball as Highfield rushes to his feet

56'

Lockhart stands in the way of Gwyther and Pearce as the try to get a shot on target

58'

Sub Otago
OFF: 12 James Reichwein
ON: 28 Sam Mepham
Sub Waitakere
OFF: 3 Aaron Scott
ON: 6 Jack Pelter

60'

Highfield is caught off his line and off foot as Waitakere puts a long one on target and Highfield is forced to move backwards and just gets a touch on the ball putting it onto the outside of the upright, Waitakere gains the corner

62'

Waitakere use the full width as they start looking for a hole to move through

63'

Burgess tries to place the ball in far but what looks like a miss swing sends it low and Day is forced to collect a rebound, sending it back to Burgess on the wing.

66'

Ralph resets Waitakere's play with a collected ball from a Prattley free kick that makes it way down to him.

67'

Highfield makes a save taking out his defender and the striker moving in, this puts the bal out for another corner

68'

Sub Waitakere
OFF: 2 Jason Rowley
ON: 18 Zane Sole
Sub Otago
OFF: 8 Paul Seaman
ON: 20 Matt Brook

72'

Ralph Moves out to the ball but thumble's it with two Otago players nearby he quickly grabs the rebound

73'

De Vries puts in a high ball from out wide but it carrys too much ending up behind the goal

76'

Otago keep a flat back line to push Waitakere off side again

77'

Prattley takes another free kick inside Waitakere's half ending up in an Otago corner

78'

Play is haulted as a Waitakere player is check out, the player is taken off the pitch so play can resume

79'

Sub Waitakere
OFF: 20 Ryan De Vries
ON: 14 Tim Payne

81'

Brook hold up the defence as Waitakere make their way up the near wing

83'

Highfield makes another save as Butler tries to make his mark to put Waitakere another goal ahead

84'

Burgess picks up a clearance and nods it on with his head getting it to his boot and sending it towards the goal, Ralph gets down and palms it off the the side for a Otago corner

86'

Otago's tanks look like their on empty as runs onto balls are becoming less frequent.

88'

Pearce makes a great move getting past the defence as soon as the all is kicked but Highfield makes enough cover to stop any shot on goal

90'

4th Offical shows 4 minutes added time.

90+1

Conner makes a great slide tackle to stop Pearce from getting a shot from close range

90+2

Brook and Lockhart work to stop Butler and Lucas from getting shots out

90+4

Waitakere move to the far of the pitch and work their way up the wing, Otago manage to collect the ball and try a last ditch effort to put one past the Waitakere keeper.

90+5

GOAL Burgess puts a goal past on the end of the corner, the ref calls the full time, Otago 1 - Waitakere 2