Rumere shines with hat-trick
Palmerston North Marist carried on from where they left off last season against Napier Marist in their men’s Federation League clash at the Arena on Saturday.
The city side scored 12 goals in their two league games against Napier last year – and on Saturday added six more to the tally.
The 6-0 result left Napier without a point at the foot of the league ladder, along with Levin.
But the win kept the Palmerston North side in touch with Whanganui Athletic, who lead the competition after their 1-0 home victory over North End on Saturday.
The highlight of Palmerston North Marist’s win on Saturday was winger Melvin Rumere’s hattrick, which propelled him to the top of the league golden boot rankings.
Midfielder Luke Minshull scored a brace while the other goal went to Luke Palfreyman, who also plays in the midfield.
But four of the goals came after Napier were reduced to 10 men after their goalie was sent off for illegally handling the ball, an advantage Palmerston North are unlikely to enjoy a second time when they host Athletic next weekend.
The young Napier side never stopped trying but were constantly under pressure and forced to seek making something from breakouts from deep in their own territory.
Palmerston North in contrast had more possession than they at times knew what to do with but were guilty of wild shots at goal and rushing their approach work which spoiled otherwisepromising build-up.
Hence they were only ahead by one at halftime, but after the break they played a tighter game that had Napier buckling.
The upshot was some clean, clinical shots that paid off as the Napier defence scrambled to get back to cover but weren’t always able to block.
Man of the match Rumere and Minshull especially had good reason to be happy with how things progressed but the team as a whole should still be concerned at their patchy first-half performance which against tougher opposition like Athletic could be costly.
Several of the goals, when they finally came, were classy.
Minshull’s first-time strike to double the score to 2-0, for instance, was a gem of power and direction, capping off a sweeping move begun by Adam Cowan’s ball forward to Rumere, who in turn delivered a pinpoint cross to the waiting Minshull in the centre.
Palmerston North Marist now lie in second place in the league standings, two points adrift of Athletic, so have everything to play for against the Whanganui outfit.
■ Only a penalty separated Athletic and North End, in a game which saw North End stopper Dave Luke sent off – but coach Scott Robson said Athletic probably deserved the points.
‘‘They were the better side on the day for most of the game,’’ he said.
He singled out Olly Ceci for his standout performance in the North End midfield, but despite ‘‘two or three really good chances’’ early on, North End weren’t up to matching Athletic.
The loss sees North End holding sixth place in the league, with one point from their two first games.
■ In the Horizons Premiership, Feilding United lead on goal difference from North End reserves after the two unbeaten sides won again at the weekend.
United beat Marist reserves 3-1 and North End won 2-1 at Wanganui City.
In other results, third-placed Palmerston North Boys’ High beat Massey University reserves 4-0 and Linton picked up their first point of the season through a 1-1 draw against Whanganui Athletic reserves.
■ Federation League opponents Palmerston North Marist and Massey University have been drawn to meet in the first round of the Chatham Cup.
They are scheduled to play at the Arena at 5pm on Saturday, May 14.
The two have already met once this season, in the Chinese Cup, held by Marist after they beat the students 2-0.
■ The Palmerston North Marist women’s team had another close win in the second week of the W League, beating Petone 2-1 at Memorial Park.
This weekend they head to the capital to play Mana North Wellington, who are winless after the first two rounds.