Old in dramatic cup win
Former All Whites and Wellington Phoenix defender Steven Old scored a double and slotted the decisive penalty in a dramatic League Cup first round game in England.
The 33-year-old centre-back – son of former Manawatu¯ and All Blacks No 8 Geoff Old – played a pivotal part in Morecambe’s away victory over League Two fourth tier rivals Mansfield Town.
Old, who has played in six countries during a 15-year journeyman career, headed both Morecambe goals in a 2-2 Carabo Cup stalemate before displaying ice-cool nerve in the penalty shootout.
The Kiwi converted the Shrimps’ last spot kick in the sudden death phase and then watched as Mansfield’s Ryan Sweeney crashed his shot against the post, giving Morecambe a 6-5 win on penalties.
Old played in the Morecambe defence alongside teenage Manchester United loan player George Tanner – as the Shrimps battled for 70 minutes with 10 men after Luke Conlan was sent off for a reckless tackle.
Morecambe boss Jim Bentley – the longest serving manager in the English Football League with eight years’ service – praised the Shrimps’ spirit.
‘‘We needed to show character and we came through with flying colours,’’ Bentley told reporters.
‘‘Some clubs could come here and fold, certainly when down to 10 men against good opposition. But we kept going and that’s the biggest thing for me tonight.’’
Old put Morecambe up 1-0 in the Cup clash with a free header from close range after Lewis Alessandra’s corner in the 18th minute.
He nodded home his second from a Jordan Cranston freekick in the 59th minute to give Morecambe a 2-1 lead before the Mansfield Stags clawed back to 2-2 nine minutes later.
It was Morecambe’s second visit to Mansfield in three days. They drew 2-2 there on Sunday (NZ time) in a League Two game.
Old – who won the first of his 17 All Whites caps as an 18-year-old in 2004, was a protege of former All Whites and Wellington Phoenix coach Ricki Herbert and former New Zealand Football director of football Paul Smalley.
He played for New Zealand at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games and had 16 A-league games for the Phoenix in 2007-08 – where he was largely used out of position at right back.
That followed an earlier ninegame stint with the Newcastle Jets.
The 1.91m centre-back has also played for clubs in Scotland, England, China and Sweden before signing for Morecambe in 2017 to be with his England-based partner and son after four years commuting to play for overseas clubs.
Old now has eight goals in 86 games for Morecambe.
His latest two-year contract expires next June.