Footballsouth Premier League

 

Otago Battle to a Draw
Rab Smith

A not so thin blue line defied Auckland City at Carisbrook and Otago United posted warning that it will not be easy pickings this season as new coach Malcolm Fleming engineered a non-scoring draw with the NZFC champion.

Auckland played smooth stylish football, showing ball technique that impressed purists, but Otago reminded spectators that hard work and tough tackling are worth a point or two.

Referee Jamie Cross allowed the game to flow, and even impressed with his coin spinning skills - pic right

The major sticking place for Auckland was an inspired performance by the Otago central trio of defenders, Tim Horner and Chris Jenkinson, plus a dynamic display by keeper James Waggett.

Team captain Horner set standards with a near error free match, outheading taller attackers and almost telepathically intercepting Auckland passes and slamming on bone shuddering tackles.

Englishman Jenkinson, who had a fine season with Caversham in the winter league, was equally clinical in the air, and talked his flank defenders into effective cover.

There were sparkling runs by Auckland’s Jason Hayne that had spectators sit upright, but too often he headed down unproductive corridors and was snuffed out.

Predictably Auckland earned the majority of possession, and some great switches of play by Ki-Hyung Lee threatened to unhinge Otago but the scampering blue line held.

Lee’s impressive technique almost did a ‘Beckham’ at one stage as he superbly laced a 60 metre shot goalwards, but keeper Wagget managed to scramble back and field the ball.

In the few chinks of daylight that Otago’s defence allowed, it was keeper Wagget who earned his match bonus with a couple of sharp reflex saves as the ball squirted through a crowded penalty area.

Although Chad Coombes almost embarrassed the big keeper when he surged forward and almost dispossessed the Englishman with an empty goal beckoning.

Auckland’s experience should have paid off in the parade of free kicks and corners they won. Not that delivery was bad, but that resolute Otago defence challenged for everything and only a few lollypop headers sailed over Otago’s crossbar.

‘Pressure was our key word,’ said coach Fleming. ‘ We wanted to pressurize the ball carrier as much as possible, and while it’s a big ask physically – the lads managed to keep it up for 90 minutes.’

And as so often is the case, Otago might have staged a real upset, as on crumbs of possession, Stu Kelly showed class by threading passes around and even looped a couple of speculative shots over the crossbar.

Otago’s young brigade earned their spurs with lung bursting performances against the unbeaten Auckland side. Tristan Prattley and Rhys Henderson guarded Otago’s flanks, Ryan Faichnie made carving runs, Morgan Day displayed good technique and striker Mike Still made a late effective appearance..

Kelly and Robbie Deeley ground out the miles and rallied Otago’s young contingent into an effective team shape.

Deeley too hit what could have been a match winning shot that Auckland keeper Jake Spoonley had to dive at.

But clearly Otago’s best chance was late in the match after a series of corners and freekicks.

Aucklands failure to clear its lines created a ruck of All Black proportions, with half a dozen players hacking at the ball only a metre for Aucklands goal line.

Spoonley’s courage won the day however as the young keeper literally laid his body on the line.

Auckland coach Paul Posa was disappointed but recognized the Otago effort and discipline in denying his team a win.

‘ We did not make enough clear chances, and in the face of Otago’s determination, we were not good enough,’ he said.

 

	P	W	D	L	F	A	GD	Pts
Auckland City	2	1	1	0	5	0	5	4
Youngheart Manawatu	1	1	0	0	4	0	4	3
Waitakere	1	1	0	0	1	0	1	3
Waikato FC	2	1	0	1	4	7	-3	3
Otago United	1	0	1	0	0	0	0	1
Canterbury	1	0	0	1	0	1	-1	0
Hawkes Bay	1	0	0	1	2	4	-2	0
Wellington	1	0	0	1	0	4	-4	0