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23/05/99
A Scoreline Which Tells Only Half The Story
by Jeremy Ruane
Three Kings United continued on their winning ways in the Bluebird Northern Premier Women’s League on May 23, but the 2-1 scoreline by which they overcame Ellerslie at Michaels Avenue only tells half the story of one of the best games of women’s soccer seen in Auckland for some time, a match watched by probably the biggest crowd of the season, not to mention visiting National Women’s coach Doug Moore, who was most impressed with what he witnessed.
Ellerslie battled like trojans for the vast majority of this titanic duel, never giving United a moment’s peace. In this regard, the scoreline is appropriate. Had Three Kings converted even half the chances they created, however, double figures would not have been out of the question - suffice to say, Stephanie Puckrin’s goal led the most charmed of lives!!
The goalkeeper gathered Michele Cox’s fourth minute effort comfortably, after the reigning New Zealand Player of the Year had attempted to round off the combined efforts of Maia Jackman and Jennifer Kelley in the desired manner.
But Puckrin didn’t stand a prayer two minutes later, as the master midfielder, pouncing on a tame goal kick after Kelley had sent a shot whistling over the crossbar, unleashed a first-time screamer from fully thirty yards which made like a blur en route to the top corner of the net.
Not only did this cracking strike open the scoring, it was a memorable way for ‘Coxy’ to record her hundredth goal for the club - she is only the second women’s footballer in the club’s history, after Pernille Andersen, to achieve the feat.
Straight from the kick-off, Ellerslie gained a free-kick some twenty yards out from goal, and Michelle Hodge was relieved to see Eloise Young’s well-struck effort curling narrowly past her right-hand upright.
The home team managed to contain Three Kings’ attacks for a ten minute spell after this effort, before Elina Tito got caught in possession by Kelley as she attempted to dribble out of defence. ‘JK’ slipped the ball wide for Amy Goaziou, whose low cross sought out Jackman, but instead found Puckrin, who saved at the striker’s feet.
The ’keeper saved smartly from both Cox and Kelley within the next three minutes, the latter being supplied by the combined work of Renee Brookland and Goaziou on the left flank. Two minutes later, a fine decoy run by Brookland drew players away from the charging Jane Simpson, allowing her to slip Goaziou through Ellerslie’s offside trap. The striker beat Puckrin all ends up with her shot, but alas, the sidenetting, and not the back of it, was what the ball crashed into.
Rebecca Sowden - her best game yet in Three Kings’ colours - tested Puckrin’s agility in the 24th minute, before picking out Kelley’s blindside run with a made-to-measure pass sixty seconds later. Once again, the sidenetting was struck.
To the great delight of Ellerslie’s enthusiastic support crew, the home team drew level in the 27th minute, very much against the run of play. Claudia Hicks flighted a free-kick into the danger zone which Marlies Oostdam, playing her last match for United before departing for Australia, left for Hodge to deal with, upon hearing the goalkeeper’s call. Ellerslie’s player-coach, Sue Gregory, stole in between them and headed home the first goal against Three Kings in 1999.
It didn’t take long for United to shake off the shock of conceding a goal - they were back in the attacking groove within minutes. Brookland, Melita Harrison and Goaziou combined for Jackman, whose shot whistled over the top on the half-hour. Soon after, a mazy twenty-yard run from Cox was followed by a shot of equal distance which Puckrin gathered well.
In the 39th minute, Sowden broke down the left and whipped in a waist-high cross which Jackman met literally in full flight - a classic diving header which flew inches past the upright, Puckrin not even daring to move.
Within seconds, Cox had headed an Oostdam free-kick inches over the top, before another United raid resulted in the ball whistling inches past the post. Oostdam’s through ball was deftly controlled by Jackman, who then released Goaziou. She rounded a defender before crossing for Kelley, whose first-time shot deserved better fate.
Two efforts on goal within a thirty-second period in the 42nd minute summed up Three Kings’ luck in front of goal thus far. In the first instance, Sowden spread the ball wide to Kelley, whose cross picked out Brookland, arriving on the left-hand edge of the penalty area.
Her low cross zoomed across the face of goal, the touch the ball needed to guide it home not forthcoming. Goaziou regained possession following Ellerslie’s scrambled clearance, and whipped in a cross which Jackman, with another diving header, sent flying past the upright.
Just on half-time, Dana Humby and Vicki Rainbow combined to allow Gregory a rare shooting chance, one she sent just over the top as the home team looked to catch United on the counter-attack.
After Kelley had fired over the top in the 47th minute, Puckrin grabbed a twenty-five yarder from Goaziou under her crossbar sixty seconds later, Jackman having linked with the American striker on this occasion.
The ‘keeper then denied Cox and Kelley in quick succession, before a wayward Hicks back-header gave the custodian another problem to deal with, following a miscued Jackman shot. Puckrin was beaten in the 58th minute, however, Tarah Cox and Brookland combining to set up Kelley, whose shot beat the ‘keeper ... and her left-hand post as well.
It was beginning to look as if Three Kings would never get another goal, as, come the 62nd minute, yet another chance went begging. Brookland - a most impressive performance, Michele Cox, Goaziou and Brookland again engineered the opening, the last-mentioned’s low cross being met by Kelley, whose diving header missed the target by mere inches.
Practising diving headers must have been on Three Kings’ training menu before this game, as Jackman had another go at goal using this method a mere sixty seconds later, this at the end of a brilliantly crafted move. Despite being closed down quickly by the still trojan-like Ellerslie defensive effort, a combination in which Hicks, Young and Lily Somerfield performed outstandingly, Sowden had retained possession but was fast running out of options.
Reading the situation to a nicety, Michele Cox made an arcing run which drew her away from her nearest opponents and, at the same time, gave Sowden space into which to play the ball, space into which Cox, continuing her run, was arriving at pace. Her first touch took the pace off the pass, while her second resulted in an inviting cross which Jackman‘s powerful headed effort sent flying past the post yet again.
Ellerslie were starting to tire as Michele Cox probed an opening which Brookland, running on the blindside of her marker, was unable to fully capitalise on in the 76th minute - she fired over. But a minute later, the champions finally got the goal they so richly deserved.
Harrison charged out of defence with the ball at toe, and as she moved into Ellerslie’s half, looked up to see Jackman beginning an angled run towards the inside right channel, and Kelley already in full flight down the right touchline, but way too soon, as she was already moving into an offside position.
Harrison opted for Jackman, and provided her team-mate with a gem of a pass, one that the SWANZ international took in her stride as she accelerated goalwards. Puckrin was off her line in an instant to narrow the angle, but Jackman cleverly lured the ‘keeper nearer before slipping the ball inside for Goaziou. The striker still had plenty of work to do, as two defenders blocked her path to goal, but neither could contain the United player, who gleefully slammed the ball home - 2-1, at last!!
Oostdam, looking to finish off with a goal, sent a twenty-yarder whistling past the post on the 81st minute, while Michele Cox, four minutes later, went closer still, her twenty-five yard free-kick being tipped onto the bar by Puckrin, Jackman heading the rebound over the top.
A minute from time, Jackman and Kelley combined to set up Sowden, who turned Gregory every which way before creating the space to shoot ... straight into Puckrin’s midriff. Within seconds, Harrison had gained possession on the right and whipped in a cross for Jackman, whose aerial prowess throughout this match was a sight to behold. Unfortunately for her, this headed effort, like those which went before, failed to find the target.
Puckrin needed two bites to prevent Tarah Cox scoring with a rare header in stoppage time, following a Michele Cox free-kick to the near post. Seconds later, the final whistle sounded, signalling another Three Kings victory, and the end of a sterling defensive display by an Ellerslie side which, quite simply, never gave up.
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