The Bay SportsMed WaiBOP United youth team has been held to its second home draw of the season in what was a bright attacking encounter against Auckland United at a sunny Links Ave Stadium in Mt Maunganui.
Paul Drake’s side went a goal ahead inside the first minute when Jevon Williams before the visitors snatched an equaliser from a set-piece of their own.
After such an enterprising opening, most of the rest of the first half led to both sides cancelling each other out, before Auckland United’s Soheb Sheik lashed home his side’s second goal from distance five minutes before half time.
The sides shared a goal apiece on the hour mark. First Jono Viviani slid home his second goal in two weeks to equalise before the visitors pushed themselves back in front within a minute.
WaiBOP notched the final goal of the game in the 67th minute when Jama Boss, one of the smallest men on the field, out jumped the huge Eamon Goodin in Auckland United’s goal to head home in his first start of the season.
Neither side could find a goal in the final 23 minutes so the two evenly matched sides took home a point each.
WaiBOP United team sheet: 20-Danyon Drake (1-Ruben Parker-Hanks); 2-Joe Nottage, 4-Adam Luque (16-Matt Wheeler), 18-Shaun Morgan, 15-Liam Williams (3-Alfie Rogers); 7-Jama Boss, 14-Jevon Williams, 10-Xavier Pratt, 9-Connor Probert, 8-Jono Viviani; 11-Dylan Bull (13-Jacob Robb).
