New Zealand Football Championship
Otago Seize the Day....
Rab Smith 
There were mental as well as physical barriers to be overcome when Otago United beat Hawkes Bay 1-nil at Carisbrook on Saturday.
The win broke a six year hoodoo that had denied Otago a home win against the Bay, and a recent string of injuries made big physical demands on coach Malcolm Fleming’s squad squad which was without strikers Nathan Knox, Dan Ede and Chris Jenkinson.
‘Robbie Deeley broke a toe last week, but decided to give it a go on Saturday and was a valuable ingredient for us, against a very good Bays side that drew 2-2 with league leaders Waitakere recently,’ said Fleming.
Certainly the New Zealand Football Championship has never been so tight, and while a win moved Otago up to third place on Saturday, a loss could have sent Fleming’s side sliding down to second bottom place.
The pressure clearly showed as Otago started nervously in the opening exchanges and Hawkes Bay, led by the impressive Joachim Rande launched a series of attacks.
Rande and fellow Solomon Islander Andrew Abba, who both attended Nelson College for three years have given Hawkes Bay a cutting edge that really tests opposition defences.
But Otago captain Tim Horner was up for the challenge and in tandem with Tom Sadd, and another fine match by goalkeeper James Waggett the United defence repelled Bays early onslaught.
Breaking forward, Otago’s Ryan Faichnie showed that he too could go past defenders, striker David Dugdale made intelligent runs, and at the sharp end targetman James Reichwein battled against giant centrebacks Chris Greatholder and Stuart Ferguson.
Despite lesser possession, Otago created some clear goalscoring chances as the midfield led by Andy Coburn released Stu Kelly and Deeley on forward runs and after 38 minutes hit the jackpot.
Coburn slid a clever ball across to Kelly who chopped inside and made scoring look
easy with a cool low drive past Bay’s keeper Richard Gillespie.
The goal boosted Otago but also ignited Hawkes Bay and spectators were treated to an attacking display from both sides that should have produced many more goals.
Dugdale, Kelly, Reichwein, Abbott and Deeley all launched shots, the best being a close range miss by Kelly as he first timed a Faichnie cross over the crossbar.
Bay coach Matt Chandler also had his head in his hands as his team spurned clear chances.
Matt Hasting skewed two good opportunities wide, and the Solomon Islanders’ pace gave chances that were not taken.
Especially in the closing dramatic minutes when Otago was buckling as Bays desperately pressed for the equalizer.
Keeper Wagget dived in among the bootlaces to defy two clear breakaways, and Horner honed in on a blistering run by Abba to produce a clattering tackle that earned a yellow card from referee Kevin Stoltenkamp. 
When the final whistle eventually sounded, spectators’ shoulders at last went down and former Soccer Otago chairman Malcom Barnes said it all as he muttered ‘ Nervewracking ..’ to Fleming as he strolled by.
‘ Without Knox, Ede, Jenkinson and Robbie ( Deeley ) on a broken toe, Otago showed lots of character in defence and in attack carved out some very good chances – the best being our matchwinner,’ said Fleming.
NEW ZEALAND FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP
Week 11 – Results
Saturday
Waitakere United 3 (Brent Fisher 34’, 90’+5, Tim Myers 78’)
YoungHeart Manawatu 2 (Seule Soromon 41’, Campbell Banks 51’)
Halftime: 1-1
Otago United 1 (Stu Kelly 39’)
Hawke’s Bay United 0
Halftime: 1-0
Sunday
Waikato FC 1 (Che Bunce 26’ pen)
Canterbury United 0
Halftime: 1-0
Auckland City 3 (Jason Hayne 11’, Grant Young 55’, Ki-Hyung Lee 85’)
Team Wellington 1 (Greg Draper 33’)
Halftime: 1-1
NZFC |
P |
W |
D |
L |
For |
Ag |
GD |
Pts |
Auckland |
7 |
6 |
1 |
0 |
18 |
3 |
15 |
19 |
Waitakere |
9 |
6 |
1 |
2 |
15 |
14 |
1 |
19 |
Otago |
9 |
4 |
1 |
4 |
10 |
12 |
-2 |
13 |
Wellington |
9 |
4 |
0 |
5 |
12 |
14 |
-2 |
12 |
Canterbury |
8 |
3 |
2 |
3 |
11 |
8 |
3 |
11 |
Manawatu |
8 |
3 |
1 |
4 |
9 |
10 |
-1 |
10 |
H. Bay |
8 |
2 |
2 |
4 |
11 |
14 |
-3 |
8 |
Waikato |
9 |
2 |
0 |
7 |
9 |
20 |
-11 |
6 |
Golden Boot
7- Seule SOROMON (YoungHeart Manawatu)
6- Leon BIRNIE (Hawke’s Bay United)
6- Greg DRAPER (Team Wellington)
5- Brent FISHER (Waitakere United)
5- Grant YOUNG (Auckland City)
3- Andrew ABBA (Hawke’s Bay United)
3- Dan PEAT (Waikato FC)
3- Dan EDE (Otago United)
3- Matt WILLIAMS (Auckland City)
3- Tom LANCASTER (Canterbury United)
3- Russell KAMO (Canterbury United)
NEXT FIXTURES
NZFC
Saturday January 30, 2010
Waitakere United v Auckland City 2pm
Sunday January 31, 2010
Hawke’s Bay United v Canterbury United 2pm
Otago United v Team Wellington 2pm at Carisbrook
YoungHeart Manawatu v Waikato FC 2pm