Otago United

Hawke's Bay United

1

3

Stu Kelly 25

Che Bunce 59
Graham Fyfe 62-pen, 64-pen

By Rab Smith at Sunnyvale, Dunedin
nzfc.co.nz

Two penalties in as many minutes, and a defender red carded, crippled Otago United as the Dunedin side lost 3-1 to Hawkes Bay on Saturday.

Stu Kelly put the home side ahead after 25 minutes when he made a near post run onto a quality left wing cross by Barry Gardiner and launched a diving header.

But coach Terry Phelan’s hopes of improving his record of 6 wins in 48 matches, nosedived as Hawkes Bay took over and dominated the second half with some top quality attacking play.

After Andy Coburn was booked by referee Nick Waldron for a wayward tackle, the resulting freekick found Che Bunce who scored at the far post, not with a header, but with an overhead kick that a contortionist would have been proud of.

There was joy mixed with laughter on the Bay bench as one wag commented,’ I didn’t know he could get his leg that high – and the bench said in unison,’ neither did we.’

But Bunce’s quirky 59th minute equalizer opened the flood gates and as referee Waldron pointed to the spot for a handball then red carded John Chisholm for a despairing tackle, by the 64th minute Bay were leading 3-1.

Bay’s Graham Fyfe made no mistake with the penalties, drilling them past keeper Liam Little.

No doubt Otago bars will resound to criticisms of the result and the dodgy goals, but in fact Hawkes Bay played the better football, made more chances, and had Otago on the back foot for most of the game.

Even in the first half Bay used the wings well to deliver dangerous crosses, onto sharp runs by Saule Soromon and James Oxtoby.

Bays caretaker coach Matt Chandler said,’ Halftime actually helped us. We were a goal down, but knew we were playing well and could do even better.’

And, better they did. Bays Woo-Jae Kim the Korean ex J League pro in central midfield sprayed passes around, and with Leon Birnie in fine form it was one way traffic for long periods as Bay poured forward.

Otago looked one dimensional, with no Plan B to alternate with balls over the top, and struggled to maintain quality ball possession.

Midfielder Kelly’s second goal in two weeks was the icing on a good shift in which he hit several great switches of play. Barry Gardiner found space and used it out the left, and David Dugdale and Andy Coburn put in a few miles.

Colin Falvey effectively mustered his defence from centre half before going down after a bone crunching collision.

Limping off at the end, captain Falvey commented that Hawkes Bay had the better of the match, and that it was ‘ time for Otago to regroup and pick up the pieces after a below par performance.’

As the disconsolate Falvey limped off, he passed a gaggle of players that Otago would have liked to have seen on the field.

Back from the USA All White Andy Boyens sat with Blair Scoullar, and Aaron Burgess, not forgetting the two German Oberliga players Martin and Robert Genschur who have yet to kick a ball in anger for Otago.

Photos by Rab Smith 

Otago United

V

Hawke's Bay United

1. Liam Little

1. Mitch O'Brien (GK)

3. Tristan Prattley

2. Chris Davies

4. Barry Gardiner (out 68)

4. Greig Henslee

5. Colin Falvey (out 75)

6 Che Bunce

6. Mike Smith

7. Cole Peverley

9. Tom Jackson

9. Daniel Kirkup

10. David Dugdale

10. Seule Soromon (out 75)

11. Andy Coburn

11. Graham Fyfe

17. Tim Horner (out 66)

12. James Oxtoby

20. Stu Kelly

13. Leon Birnie

21. John Chisholm

21. Woo-Jae Kim

Substitutes

Substitutes

7. Robbie Deeley (in 75)

5. Cam Parkin

13. Callum Flaws (RGK)

8. Chris McIvor

14. Sean Brand (in 68)

17. David Gearey

18. Tom Conner (in 66)

19. Andrew Abba (in 75)

19. Seamus Ryder

23. Shaun Peta (RGK)

=goal

=yellow card

=2 yellow cards

= red card

-10

Welcome to Sunnyvale for Otago's last home match of 2008. In the absence of Head Coach Jonathan Gould (who may well be touching down at Auckland Airport with the NZ U-20s as I type) Hawke's Bay make the long trip south today under the guidance of Matt Chandler and Bobby Gould. The senior Gould renews his acquaintance with Terry Phelan whom of course, he managed as part of Wimbledon's FA Cup winning side of 1988. Otago will move off the bottom if they can manage their first-ever home victory over Hawke's Bay. Meanwhile Hawke's Bay can finish as high as fourth if they win but could end up bottom if they lose and Canterbury upset Auckland furtehr north.

-1

A minute's silence is obseved for Dave Farrington, Team Wellington's club manager who died, aged 60, on Wednesday. A legend in Wellington football circles and well-respected around the country, Dave was a top bloke, a selfless servant to the game, and a true gentleman. He was also a pretty handy player and coach, playing for Miramar for donkey's years and then guiding them to a Chatham Cup triumph in 2004.

0min

We're away. The wind that was around has dropped away just in time for kickoff.

3min

Early chance for Leon Birnie who eludes two would be tacklers to go one-on-one with Liam Little who deals with teh danger.

5min

A one-on-one at the other end, or it would have been if the ball hadn't got stuck under Barry Gardiner's foot.

17min

Hawke's Bay starting to build some dominance at Sunnyvale. Have manufactured sustained pressure and a couple of half chances but haven't broke through.

25min

GOAL! 1-0 Against the run play Otago sweep dow the other end. Bay keeper Mitch O'Brien clears but only to Barry Gardiner who nips to the byline and cuts it back for STu Kelly to send his new club into thte lead. That's two in as many matches for Otago since moving from Canterbury. He can stay.

31min

It's all Hawke's Bay at the moment. Possesion, territory, any stat you like (except the score) dominated by the visitors.

35min

Oooh! How did that stay out?! Seule Soromon breaks down the left, angles in to beat the last defender and pokes teh ball past Little only to see it bounce off the far post and back into the mix. Ball cleared, Otago survive.

45min

Halftime: 1-0 Otago. Hawke's Bay piling on the pressure but can't break through. Stu Kelly's goal is the difference at the moment but Terry Phelan will no doubt have some stern words to say to make sure they hang on to the lead. You'd fancy Hawke's Bay to get one back on the balance of play from the first half.

46min

Back underway - Otago currently on course to leapfrog Hawke's Bay but might do it tough. Ahead on the scoreboard but somewhat under the cosh. in the first half.

47min

Doesn't appear to be any changes at the break. Bioth sides happy with the way they lined up.

59min

Yellow Card. Andy Coburn gets the first booking of teh game for a foul on halfway.

59min

GOAL! 1-1 From the resulting free-kick, the ball is launched deep and flicked onward to Che Bunce who lobs the keeper to level the scores.

62min

Penalty! Referee Waldron awards a spot-kick for handball by the look of it. Could be the turning point.

62min

GOAL! 1-2 Graham Fyfe steps up and slots it. Hawke's Bay lead.

64min

Penalty & Red Card! John Chisholm commits a foul insiode the box and is given an early shower. Graham Ffye steps up again.

64min

GOAL! 1-3 No trouble for Fyfe as he gets Hawke's Bay third. Three goals in five minutes, and Hawke's Bay firmly in control now against 10 men.

75min

Host of substitutions made in the last few minutes. Andrew Abba replaces Seule Soromon for Hawke's Bay while Tom Conner and Sean Brand are on for Otago in place of Barry Gardiner and Tim Horner.

80min

Hawke's Bay cruising now but you'd expect that now with a man advantage and a two-goal lead.

89min

David Dugdale misses a good chance to pull a goal back for Otago. A goalmouth scramble ends with the ball falling to Dugdale on his left foot but his shot is just wide.

90min

Three minutes of extra time to play.

90+3

Fulltime: 1-3. Hawke's Bay move to fourth place temporarily and may stay there depending on how the later games go. Otago meanwhile are bottom at Christmas. Match report, photos, quotes to follow.