Auckland City

YoungHeart Manawatu

1

4

Tim Payne 55

Takayushi Omi 22
Seule Soromon 77, 86
Campbell Banks 84

by Bob Pearce at Kiwitea Street
nzfc.co.nz

YoungHeart Manawatu ended Auckland City's unbeaten run through the NZFC this season with a 4-1 victory at Kiwitea Street today.

It was Auckland's biggest defeat in the league and their first in domestic football since they lost to Manawatu in the semifinals last season.

But this catch-up game had an unreal feel about it.

The league was done and dusted and Auckland had a semifinal first leg to play in Christchurch on Sunday.

Understandably they rested some of their usual starters and captain Ivan Vicelich only played 45 minutes.
 

Manawatu had something to prove.

Coach Bob Sova maintained they were better than their seventh placing and the win moved them ahead of Hawkes Bay into sixth.

Seule Soromon was tied with Leon Birnie in the Golden Boot contest with nine goals and he scored two to win the trophy outright.
 

There were other milestones. One of Auckland's loyalest players, Paul Urlovic, wore the captain's armband when Vicelich departed.

Tim Payne at the age of 15 is City's youngest player at this level and the league's youngest scorer when he scored in the 55th minute.

It was veteran Auckland striker Grant Young's 100th NZFC game.
 

It took 22 minutes for Manawatu to open the scoring. Soromon's speed and determination outflanked the defence and Takayuki Omi was on hand to score.

Payne's equaliser in the 55th minute came from a cross by one of the other youngsters, Milosh Nicolic.
 

The closing stages belonged to two of Manawatu's stars. Soromon has scored most of their meagre goal tally and Campbell Banks has been twisting and turning defences for years.

In the 77th minute Banks produced a delicate chip to put Soromon behind the defence and he did the rest.

Seven minutes later It was Soromon who did the groundwork and Banks with a double-feint who applied the finish.
 

The last goal was the most remarkable.

In the 86th minute Banks crossed from the right and, as Soromon charged at the ball, he was brought down.

But as he fell he managed to head the ball in when barely above the grass.
 

At the other end goalkeeper Ross Nicholson, who produced a couple of excellent saves, was happy to make a winning return to a ground where he enjoyed many seasons of success with Central United and Auckland City.
 

Coach Bob Sova ticked off a couple of missions accomplished in the end-of-season flourish.
 

"It was a good way for us to finish. We wanted to jump Hawke's Bay. It's important that we put in a quality application for the new league and the players recognised that. We also wanted to see Seule win the Golden Boot outright," Sova said.

"He's a very quiet introverted guy and hopefully he'll stay with us because I don't think the big city would suit him."

Auckland coach Paul Posa was not happy to lose but saw many positives from the play of his young team.
 

"I was disappointed with the scoreline, but I thought our young team did ever so well. I think we were a bit hard done by at the end," he said.

"There were very good debuts for those having their first shot at this level but I think a lack of fitness in this squad cost us at the end."
 

Posa expects to have a fully fit squad for Sunday's semifinal, where the team will be chasing a result after two disappointing games.

Auckland City

V

YoungHeart Manawatu

18 Paul Gothard (GK)

1 Ross Nicholson (GK)

2 Kris Carpenter (Kelly 68)

14 Marco Paracchini

4 Sam Campbell

4 Colin Falvey

9 Paul Urlovic

10 Adam Cowan

10 Grant Young (McGeorge 45)

3 Matt Smith

13 Alex Feneridis

17 Des Faaiuso

21 RikiVan Steeden

6 Matt Kennedy

25 Milos Nikolic

21 Cory Chettleburgh

27 Tim Payne

18 Takayushi Omi

28 Daniel Morgan

23 Campbell Banks

15 Ivan Vicelich (Branch 45)

9 Seule Soromon

Substitutes

Substitutes

1 Jacob Spoonley (RGK)

19 Matt Borren

17 Adam McGeorge (on 45)

5 Josh Chettleburgh

26 Nick Branch (on 45)

12 Michael Crisford

29 Rory Kelly (on 68)

24 Graham Craven

30 Daniel Saric

7 Pablo Moya

=goal

=yellow card

=2 yellow cards

= red card

0 mins

Paul Posa has trotted out Posa's Pups from his youth squad. Tim Payne is Auckland's youngest ever at 15. Grant Young isn't 15 any more but he makes his 100th NZFC appearance.

0 mins

Fine but cloudy with little wind

1 min

Manawatu pres overhitsing but foiled and Auckland quickly counter

3 mins

Auckland freekick wasted, players not in touch

4 mins

Auckland corner

6 mins

Soromon has first shot but easily saved.

7 mins

Freekick to Manawatu straight to Gothard.

10 mins

Van Steeden put into clear but fails to capitalise

14 mins

Morgan shoots from distance and Nicholson happy to see it go just wide.

21 mins

Manawatu cross just clears Omi's head

22   mins

GOAL! Soromon sets up Omi who scores.

23 mins

Yellow cards Feneridis and Vicelich

28 mins

Freekick to Auckland headed goalwards by Urlovic, well saved by Nicholson

30 mins

Two corners to Auckland cleared with difficulty

36 mins

Chettleburgh takes pass from banks but shoots wide.

39 mins

Nicolic mistimes leap on useful cross. City are struggling to put two passes together.

40 mins

Great long-range shot by Soromon tipped over bar by Gothard.

42 mins

Omi yellow card for leaving foot in.

43 mins

Yellow card Cowan for Tackle on Young

44 mins

Soromon from 37m touched round post by Gothard. Corner Falvey wide.

45 plus one

Halftime and Manawatu deserve their lead.

Vicelich and Young off, Branch and McGeorge on

49 mins

Corner to Auckland easily cleared

50 mins

Soromon bicycle kick goes wide.

54 mins

Payne cross, Nicolic chips on and Urlovic header well saved by Nicholson

55 mins

GOAL! Nicolic cross Payne hammers home.

57 mins

Freekick by Chettleburgh Cowan's header straight to Gothard.

60 mins

Van Steeden cross headed wide by Nicolic

67 mins

Urlovic clear in front of goal but shoots wide

68 mins

Matt Kennedy yellow, Sub Kelly on for Carpenter.

73 mins

Omi shot deflected over top. Soromon heads corner over top.

76 mins

Payne clear but ball escapes him.

77 mins

GOAL! Banks chips ball forward and Soromon does the rest to take outright lead in Golden Boot.

84 mins

GOAL! Soromon outfoxes defence and Banks does a double shuffle before scoring

86 mins

GOAL! Banks crosses and Soromon heads ball in as he was tripped.

89 mins

Yellow card Urlovic for tackle

90 mins

Three minutes extra to play.

90 plus one

Soromon wide with his hat-trick attempt.

90 plus three

Final whistle. Auckland lose unbeaten record in record NZFC defeat. Previous worst 3-0 by Canterbury 2006-7