Otago United

Waitakere United

1

2

Scorers

Scorers

by Rab Smith at Carisbrook

Otago United were left crestfallen by  a late Brent Fisher goal that propelled Waitakere into second place and left the home side wondering what might have been.

Waitakere player coach Neil Emblen praised both sides’ attacking approach at Carisbrook where his team beat Otago United 2-1 in the NZFC match played today.

‘So often we play against sides that keep lots of bodies behind the ball, to frustrate attacks, but Otago went for it, and after scoring so early, they had their tails up,’ he said.

Certainly Dave Dugdale’s third minute goal from a left wing cross had the parochial crowd at Carisbrook on its collective feet.

And in a bright period of play, the locals pushed forward and were unlucky not to increase their lead as Stu Kelly masterminded attacks and running well off the ball Dan Ede, Ryan Faichnie and Dugdale created space in front of goal.

But defender Emblen marshaled his forces, steadied the ship and began to get passing movement going that harnessed the pacey Waitakere attack.

Roy Krishna’s quicksilver pace threatened but it was Solomon Island striker Benjamin Totori who carved through the middle at speed and calmly equalized after 13 minutes.

Otago captain and centreback Tim Horner was absent overseas, Mike Abbot joined the squad this week,,  and during the match Tom Sadd was injured and replaced by Robbie Deeley.

Going forward, Otago created many clever attacking moves, but sometimes when ball possession was lost, there was some confusion as to who was marking whom at the breakdown.

Yet more scampering attacks by Dugdale, Ede and Faichnie raised cheers, as did several running attacks from deep by Nathan Knox.

Emblen missed little in the Waitakere defence, and Jason Rowley also astutely plugged gaps in the backline as the experienced campaigners absorbed Otago’s best efforts.

For all that, spectators still got their moneys worth as both defences had to make last ditch tackles, and several aerial challenges were of the ‘no surrender’ variety.

Referee Mirko Benische attracted the ire of visitors and locals alike as he failed to take into account the wet slippy conditions, and punished many challenges that were more enthusiastic than dangerous.

He issued six yellow cards. Bad enough that, but there was also confusion regarding some other decisions, and his free kick against keeper James Waggett for holding the ball for more that six seconds – had spectators offering the official their watches.

Despite Benische’s early delivery of Christmas cards, the match continued to entertain, and when Waitakere’s Man of the Match Krishna snaffled a mis-hit clearance and whipped over a low cross for Brent Fisher to score the winner – the party was all but over.

Against fading legs, Waitakere pressured with a string of freekicks and corners that had Otago buckling, yet still mounting breakaway attacks that might have stolen a point.

Otago coach Fleming, clearly disappointed would not discuss the referee, and focused instead on the goalscoring chances missed, and also identified a possible fitness problem in the final quarter.

Still steaming with effort, player-coach Emblen commended Otago’s attacking play. ‘ After that early goal, they got their tails up and we knew we were in for a battle. It was a good game to win,’ he said.

nzfc.co.nz

Otago United

V

Waitakere United

1 James Waggett (GK)

1 Danny Robinson (GK)

3 Tristen Prattley

2 Jason Rowley

5 Chris Jenkinson

8 Brent Fisher

8 Stu Kelly

9 Benjamin Totori

9 Ryan Faichnie

12 Roy Krishna

10 Dave Dugdale

14 Jeremy Christie

11 Andy Coburn

16 Niel Emblen

14 Dan Ede

17 Jake Butler

18 Nathan Knox

4 Tim Myers

20 Mike Abbott

10 Allan Pearce

6 Tom Sadd

21 Keegan Lindaboom

Substitutes

Substitutes

7 Robbie Deeley

3 Aaron Scott

15 Tom Conner

13 Dimas Da Silva

16 Morgan Day

19 Dakota Lewis

13 Brian Brown (R.GK)

22 Liam Little (R.GK)

26 Jason Hicks

=goal

=yellow card

=2 yellow cards

= red card

20min till KO

Welcome back to Carisbrook, home to Otago United. Its a cold wet with light rainfall

0min

Waitakere City to kick, Waitakere making the early moves.

1min

Prattley makes a slide taking the ball out near the corner over the sideline.

2min

Long kick troubles Robinson as he makes claim to it as Dugdale makes himself known

3min

Free kick taken by Abbott inside Waitakere's half goes long just missing Otago's strikers inside 18yard

5min

GOAL!!! Cross from far side of 18yard swings across hitting the head of Otago striker and heads to far upright where Dugdale runs in and first touch into the back of the goal.

7min

Waitakere push into Otago box only to put it high after a quick turn

9min

Pitch is proving a bit troublesome as players are slipping over

11min

Otago try another cross this time with Ede putting it in from the near side, Dugdale head puts it over.

12min

GOAL!!! Totori runs around keeper to put it away

15min

Christie trips Knox Otago have a good spot to put the ball away. Knox's takes the final touch and sticks it high over the crossbar

17min

Dugdale not able to catch a pass from knox that heads into Waitakere's 18yard

19min

Knox cuts pass out at Otago's 18 edge and runs it upfield only to be

20min

Quick defending by Sadd but is over the goal line for corner, Waggett gets his had to the ball punching it out but ref pulls up for contact on players in the box.

22min

Waitakere gets a good position for a free kick, it goes in low and Kelly uses his head to stop it.

24min

Otago find themselves under pressure as Waitakere look at crossing the ball into the box

24min

Yellow on Allan Pearce after a slide on Prattley.

26min

Yellow for Mike Abbott as there appeared to be some shirt pulling. Kick is put high over bar.

29min

Knox and Christie called up by ref about pushing

30min

Totori takes low shot stopped by Waggett

31min

Coburn gets yellow after a harsh tackle on Pearce

33min

Waitakere trying thier luck with a pass from the head, Waggett getting there quickly, then knocking the ball out the side as Sadd comes off injured

SUB Otago:
Off: 4 Tom Sadd
On: 7 Robbie Deeley

35min

Free kick as Dugdale takes a slide from behind, no card given

37min

Ref takes his time to help set up Waitakere's free kick only to have it knocked high over the goal line for goal kick.

39min

Krishna down again, medic runs over to him, Krishna is walked off the field so play can continue

41min

Another blow on the whistle as another sign of players pushing each other.

43min

Ede not able to keep his speed with the ball as it comes through, having to make his shot quickly but putting it wide of the post

44min

Ede gets ball again just outside of 18yard and takes a lob at the goal putting it just over while troubling Robinson.

45min

Waitakere's striker makes his way past defence forcing waggett to close him down, the strike is taken and heads over the bar

45+1

Yellow Card to Deeley for sliding tackle

45+2

Ref blows for full time

HalfTime

NZ futsal display the talents of its young players as a halftime show

No changes to ether teams

46min

Otago are ready to kick off, the whistle goes and we are off

47min

Risky head back from Otago defender to Waggett forces Waggett to make a break for the ball

48min

Deeley tries to make an early mark on the half but puts the ball wide of the far upright

50min

Waitakere put pressure on with 2 corners in a row after the first deflects off Otago defender.

54min

Jenkinson stops Waitakere moving up the center by booting it back down the field.

55min

Abbott is downed again after he makes a defending tackle, Abbott leaves the field limping but looking egar to return

56min

Kick taken, hit into the low left corner of Waggett's goal but he does well to get his body behind it for the save

59min

Waitakere on the attack again, great clearence by Otago gives Ede the ball but a tackle forces him to regain the ball

61min

Shot by Krishna goes just wide of Waggett's goal

62min

Otago defence are having problems putting the ball the right way as a head is put back over their own goal.

63min

Sub Waitakere
Off: 21 Keegan Lomdaboom
On: 19 Dakota Lewis

65min

Cross into Otago's Box is received on the head by 14

66min

Goal denined from Ede for offside
SUB Otago
Off: 20 Mike Abbott
On: 15 Tom Conner

68min

Yellow for Kelly for what looked like wasting time

70min

Off the line save from Conner off Waggett's line helps keep the score even

74min

Otago making silly mistakes giving the ball away

75min

Waggett pulled up for holding onto the ball too long, indirect free kick given inside 18yard, save by Coburn knocks it out wide for corner, ref pulls up for corner again.

76min

SUB Waitakere
Off: 9 Benjamin Totori
On: 3 Aaron Scott

77min

Deeley takes one for the team in the gut stopping the attempt on goal

79min

GOAL Brent Fisher puts one past from inside the 6yard, otago are now back into fighting for a draw

83min

Krishna gets yellow for pushing
SUB Otago
Off: 18 Nathan Knox
On: 16 Morgan Day

87min

Supports are wonding where the call is after a slide on Otago player

89min

3 min's Extra time added

90 + 1

Waitakere are holding the ball up as the clock ticks down for Otago to put one away

90 + 3

Full Time, Otago 1 Waitakere 2