Falcons suffer worst defeat
The Nelson Marlborough Falcons have suffered a devastating setback in their ASB Youth League title defence, hammered 7-1 by Auckland City.
The 2014 champions went into the match with the aim of building on last weekend’s 1-0 win over WaiBOP United but any hope of starting the new season with a two-from-two record was quickly evaporated in the second half, outclassed by a rampant Auckland City team at the Croatian Club in Auckland on Sunday afternoon.
Auckland City scored an incredible six second half goals to hand the Falcons their biggest defeat of all-time.
The first half told a much different story to the second, Joshua Lis scoring his second goal in as many games to equalise right before halftime after Myer Bevin had earlier opened the scoring for Auckland City.
The deadlock didn’t last for long and Auckland City – who joined the league just two seasons ago – jumped back in the lead through Regont Murati just five minutes into the second half, before Reid Drake doubled the advantage on the 58th mark and Patrick Hay put (Joshua Lis) – (Myer Bevin, Regont Murati, Reid Drake Patrick Hay, Nic Zambrano 2, Maro Bonsu-Maro) Halftime 1-1 the result beyond doubt eight minutes later.
Substitute Nic Zambrano rubbed further salt into the wound in the final 10 minutes, scoring a brace within just one minute of each other, before Bonsu-Maro banged in the record-breaking seventh.
Falcons coach Mark Johnston said the result has quickly put the team on the back foot just two games into the season.
‘‘I said this week that this was do-or-die for us and I still believe that because now we’re on the back foot,’’ he said.
‘‘We have to win the next nine games on the trot.
‘‘There’s a lot to do and I’m not saying it’s curtains on our championship aspirations but we have to be a lot better and maybe we aren’t the team we were last year.’’
He said some of his players ‘‘just gave up’’ once they had conceded the third goal and they were punished for their lacklustre dis- play. They were a mile ahead of us, as individuals and as a team.
‘‘As a coach as well I’m just as answerable as they are.
‘‘I pick the team and set the tactics during the week, it can’t just be on the players.
‘‘But we all have to improve going forward.’’