The long-lost Soccer Ashes, a trophy for clashes between Australia and New Zealand which was rediscovered earlier this year after having been put into secure storage by a well-meaning official seven decades ago, were recaptured by the "Socceroos" at Brentford's G-Tech Community Stadium on 17 October as they comprehensively eclipsed the All Whites 2-0 in front of 5,761 fans, most of whom were English-based exiles. Darren Bazeley's charges enjoyed the better of the opening five minutes, repeated Liberato Cacace crosses eventually forcing a clearance by Harry Souttar, while a Callum McCowatt corner resulted in Michael Boxall executing an attempted bicycle kick which was blocked and ultimately cleared. Sadly for New Zealand, they enjoyed few other opportunities to threaten Maty Ryan's goal, with their delivery of the ball into the danger zone too often inaccurate, inadequate and incapable of penetrating a well organized Australian team which was far superior to their trans-Tasman rivals in virtually every element of the game. Patient Socceroos approach play in the tenth minute culminated in a Lewis Miller cross to Jordan Bos, whose volley was blocked and cleared. The All Whites had no such relief three minutes later, however, as they conceded the opening goal. Following a cleared Bos free-kick, Massimo Luongo - far and away the best player on the park - scythed into the penalty area on the left before checking and playing the ball wide to Connor Metcalfe, who swiftly brought Miller into play. His cross to the far post was headed inside by debutant Alessandro Circati to Mitch Duke, who beat Souttar to the punch and emphatically volleyed home the opening goal from eight yards, with All Whites' goalkeeper Michael Woud having not a prayer of saving it, given he was partially unsighted by Souttar's presence. Australia should have doubled their lead in the 21st minute, Bos being picked out on the edge of the six yard box by Luongo. The ball got stuck between the striker's feet, however, allowing Boxall to clear the danger. Four minutes later, Woud flew to his left to turn a twenty-yarder from Bos away from the top far corner of the net. Duke then headed narrowly past the opposite post on receipt of a Martin Boyle cross. Matt Garbett looked to buck the trend of the game by pinging a ball downtown to release McCowatt, but Ryan was wise to that possibility and duly snuffed out the threat. But after Duke just failed to get on the end of an angled cross from Luongo, the All Whites threatened again ten minutes before half-time. Alex Greive - he put in a decent shift for little reward - worked a one-two with Chris Wood before inviting Elijah Just to let fly. His shot was blocked, but Marko Stamenic picked up the pieces and spread play wide to Cacace, whose cross to the far post saw Bill Tuiloma's header deflected to safety. The Socceroos responded within a minute by putting the ball in New Zealand's net, but Boyle did so from an offside position, the last chance of note in a half which strongly suggested the All Whites would well and truly have to up their game if they harboured hopes of bringing the Soccer Ashes back home to their rightful place of residence on the eastern shores of the Tasman Sea.

Sadly, the formbook suggested that wasn't a realistic prospect. It's over two decades since the All Whites last conquered the Socceroos, with the winning goal in that 2002 encounter at Mt Smart Stadium one of just five New Zealand's national team has scored against their Australian counterparts in the 21 clashes between the teams since the start of 1990. Australia went about ensuring those statistics would worsen from a New Zealand perspective from the outset of the second spell. Luongo and Duke combined on the left in the 52nd minute, the latter's low cross fizzing just beyond the bows of Boyle as he arrived on the far post. Seconds later, the Socceroos went desperately close to doubling their advantage. Keanu Baccus fed Luongo, whose round-the-corner pass to Duke was matched by that from the first goalscorer to Metcalfe. He played a one-two with Luongo which left the midfielder in on goal, but his rising drive was parried over the bar by Woud. Still Graham Arnold's charges pressed, Metcalfe leading the charge in the 55th minute before playing a slide-rule pass into the stride of Boyle, who should have done better when he found himself one-on-one with Woud, the 'keeper saving well with his legs. The All Whites mustered a rare goal threat after the hour mark, with Tuiloma's twenty yard free-kick clipping the crossbar. That close call further increased Australia's resolve to double their advantage, and after substitute Craig Goodwin had seen a shot blocked, with fellow replacement Ryan Strain firing the rebound across the face of goal, "Arnie's Army" confirmed their deserved victory fourteen minutes from time. It was a textbook set-piece strike, Boyle's delivery being headed home on the far post by another substitute, Jackson Irvine. The set-piece taker then stormed through the inside right channel, only for his low cross to just elude substitute Brandon Borrello, arriving on the far post. The All Whites were afforded the chance to halve the deficit seven minutes from time, with Stamenic and substitute Joey Champness, a former age-grade Australian international, combining to present Garbett with a chance which he stabbed past the post. Back came Australia once more, and they should have made it 3-0 with virtually the last kick of the game. Aziz Behich combined with Goodwin on the left for the benefit of Irvine, who spread play wide to the overlapping Strain. His low cross to the far post was tap-in material for Borrello, but somehow he steered the ball past the upright with an open goal at his mercy. 2-0 was Australia's lot in this encounter, however, a scoreline and performance more than sufficient to ensure the Socceroos would retain the Soccer Ashes, a trophy which has only been in New Zealand's hands on one occasion, the inaugural series in 1923. On this showing, it'll be a while yet before the silverware returns to this side of the Tasman. Australia:         Ryan; Miller (Strain, 46), Souttar, Circati, Behich; Metcalfe (O'Neill, 81), Luongo (Irvine, 66), Baccus, Boyle (Silvera, 82); Duke (Borrello, 66), Bos (Goodwin, 60) All Whites:      Woud; Tuiloma (Kirwan, 73), Boxall (Bindon, 81), Pijnaker, Cacace; McCowatt, Garbett, Stamenic; Greive (Champness, 67),  Wood (Mata, 81), Just (Waine, 73) Referee:           Simon Bennett (England)