Suburbs step up in second spell after frustrating first

After an initial 45 minute spell comprising of more offsides than goalscoring opportunities, you began to wonder if Nelson Suburbs would fail to beat one of the Mainland Premier League’s bottom placed teams for the second straight week.

Suburbs co-coach Ben Wright said it was the last thing he wanted his players to think about.

It wouldn’t have been hard though for the mind to wander back to last weekend’s goalless draw against Western as they trudged back to the changing rooms at halftime locked at 0-0 against Universities – a team whose only win of the season came against Suburbs in round four.

‘‘Doubts creep in but you have to be mentally strong and make sure you don’t think like that, you have to just keep going and going,’’ Wright said.

However, any concerns of a repeat were quickly forgotten as two goals within the space of just one second half minute sent Suburbs on their way to a desperately needed 4-0 win at Saxton Field on Sunday.

With Ferrymead Bays, Cashmere Technical and Coastal Spirit – the three teams above them on the table – winning on Saturday, Suburbs could not afford to come away from Saxton Field with anything other than three points.

So much to Wright’s delight, it was he who put Suburbs in front.

Just when it seemed like the constant whistle blowing for offside was starting to frustrate Suburbs, the big striker, making just his fourth start of the campaign, broke the deadlock by poking in a rebounded shot.

The initial effort, a long-range strike from Matt Tod-Smith forced a good save out of Universities goalkeeper Chris Kotrotsos.

He was unable to keep hold of the ball and it landed right at the feet of Wright, who joins Sam Ayers and Campbell Banks with five goals for the campaign.

Max Winterton, who declared earlier in the week that he needed to start scoring more, struck straight after Wright’s opener and only minutes after he was substituted onto the field.

With all the momentum in Suburbs’ favour, James Deehan and Robbie Pearson further increased the lead.

Universities only tested Suburbs ‘keeper Corey Wilson on one occasion, striker Caleb Baker sent through on goal right before halftime.

However, the Northern Irishman was able to parry the shot away for a corner, helping earn his team their fifth clean sheet of 2017.

Though the scoreline blew out in the end, Wright said Universities gave them a good workout.

‘‘They made life difficult,’’ he said.

‘‘They’re well organised. But we knew we had to be patient. We rushed it too much in the first half and we always felt the goals would come, especially after the first one, and that was the case.’’

Suburbs were pulled up for eight offsides during the game, which Wright said was ‘‘sloppy.’’

They made three changes to the starting lineup with Wright and Omar Guardiola deployed up front and Sam Wilson on debut at centre-back.

Wright started ahead of Banks who hyper-extended his knee against Western.

Meanwhile, former Nelson player Michael White became the first player to score 100 MPL goals, his five goal haul in Tech’s 7-0 win over Nomads taking his career tally to 101.