Wanderers earn respect as Rovers prevail with late goal
They desperately needed a win and would have settled for a point but it didn’t happen for the underdogs in the Hawke’s Bay derby in Napier yesterday.
The last-placed Building King Havelock North Wanderers lost 1-0 to table-topping Thirsty Whale Napier City Rovers in the dying minutes of the round 16 Ultra Football Central League match at Bluewater Stadium, Park Island.
The stiff northwesterly gusting from the hockey-turf end definitely played its hand. It seemed like the villagers were going to come away with something to stay in touch with fellow newcomers Integration Works Waterside Karori who had eked out a point against Lower Hutt City in their 1-all draw on Saturday.
Instead, the Chris Greatholdercoached Wanderers had to settle for a moral victory against the Blues who had walloped them 6-1 at Guthrie Park, Hastings, on May 6.
“It’s one of those games where we’ll certainly take a point and move on,” said Rovers player/coach Bill Robert- son, agreeing the wind had an influence as the visitors played the first half with the northwesterlies behind them but had squandered numerous scoring opportunities for a scoreless 45 minutes.
Robertson said his James Holyecaptained side had reversed the tables in the second half when the Wanderers were pegged back in their own half for a lion’s share of the spell.
“Havelock North have certainly earned our respect today and if the season hadn’t gone this way they would have been more comfortable,” said the centreback of the Ethan Dentcaptained side who he felt had made incremental improvements throughout the season.
“They have become a much more difficult side to beat so they’ve earned respect from myself and, I’m sure, some of our other players as well,” Robertson said.
The raucous goal celebration from the Bluewater Stadium faithful summed up a game that was fast turning into a tooth extraction.
The winner came from goldenboot contender Martin Bueno’s penalty kick after a handled ball from Harry Fautley in the 85th minute.
The league crown favourites play Lower Hutt City at Petone Park on Saturday before finishing their campaign a fortnight later in hosting Wairarapa United on Saturday, August 18, in the league’s bid to ensure all games finish on the same day.
The Blues maintain their threepoint lead after defending champions Advanced Electrical Western Suburbs, sitting in second place, came from 1-0 down to beat Stop Out Sports Club 2-1 with the winner coming a minute into added time yesterday.
Greatholder yesterday echoed similar sentiments of “it was one of those games wasn’t it?”
He lamented his players creating golden opportunities but failing to put the ball into the net.
“We should have gone into the break with a lead but we played really well and got through their big traps and extended on our threats.
“It’s difficult to take, mate, but we played really well today and we should have got something from the game.”
Greatholder said they had an eye on Waterside Karori, a point above them on the table, as they host Wellington Olympic at Guthrie Park, Hastings, this Sunday in a game imperative to staving off relegation on their debut season.
They play Western Suburbs in the capital city in their final outing.
“We’ve got to win, simple as that. I believe we have a team who can do that and we will stay up.
“It’s a tough one to take now because we were very close to what could have been a win for us but, I think, our performance warrants that so we’ve got a big one next week and we’ll go again.”
The Greeks lost 3-2 to Wellington United on Saturday while Wairarapa succumbed 2-1 to Miramar Rangers.
“I don’t want to get out the violin but if we’d had a couple of more months to prepare for the season I think we would have been in the midtable region with the group we’ve got.”
Rovers player/coach Bill Robertson