December 14, 2013Score: 3 – 0
Match Report
Fred Taylor Park, Whenuapai. Kick-off: 4pm (ASB Premiership)
WaiBOP United fell victim to some much sharper finishing in falling to a 3-0 defeat at defending champions, Waitakere United.
On the surface a 3-0 defeat looks fairly comprehensive but WaiBOP will be ruing their missed chances, particularly during the first half of this evenly contested encounter. WaiBOP made most of the early running and should have gone ahead in the 11th minute but Jack McNab, in for his first start of the season, was unfortunate to see his shot from just inside the six yard box ram into the upright and spring away.
Within two minutes the hosts gave their fans something to cheer about when they launched a robust counter which ended with Sam French glancing home a Dylan Stansfield cross. The goal was very much against the run of play, but it provided a sharp reminder of the only thing that really matters in this game.
WaiBOP continued to press for the remainder of the first half, but Waitakere defended strongly and desperately to keep hold of their clean sheet and their one goal lead. Too often WaiBOP got forward only to have their pressure dissipate following a wayward shot or a loopy cross.
Half time: 1-0 Waitakere.
The second half was a more even encounter with the hosts offering more going forward while still having to deal with solid WaiBOP pressure. WaiBOP’s service from wide positions continued to be less than ideal with promising moves ending with comfortable grabs from Waitakere’s keeper, Danny Robinson.
The game was settled twelve minutes from the end when French rifled home his second after Waitakere caught WaiBOP on the counter. The clinical nature of his finish underlined the difference between the two sides. It was an emphatic finish and gave the 150 or so spectators something special to take home with them.
The hosts weren’t finished. They rounded out the one sided nature of the score line when substitute, Jarrod Young, drove home their third from the edge of the box with a couple of minutes remaining. It was rough luck for WaiBOP but great reward for a Waitakere side that executed their game plan as well as their coaching staff would have liked.
Lineup
| 1. Andy McNeil | |
| 3. Aaron Scott | |
| 4. Takahiro Yokota | |
| 5. Tyler Lissette | |
| 6. Masaki Nomoto | |
| 7. Mark Jones | |
| 99. Marcel Galera Corbera | |
| 12. Jack McNab | |
| 99. Maksim Manko | |
| 9. Shaydon Young | |
| 18. Alexis Varela |
Subs
| 99. George Slefendorfas | Sub12 |
| 17. Reid Drake | Sub7 |
