The Ultimate New Zealand Soccer Website | home
1991 Review | 10/8/95 | 12/8/95 | 12/9/97 | 13/9/97 | 9/11/97 | 12/9/98 | 5/9/99a | 05/09/99b | 06/09/99 | 09/09/99 | 10/9/99 | 11/9/99 | 23/9/00 | 30/07/01 | 01/08/01 | 03/08/01 | Wellington! | 12/10/02 | 28/10/02 | 02/11/02 | 16/11/02 | 27/09/03 | 04/10/03 | 25/10/03 | 27/10/03 | 01/11/03 | 17/10/04 | 25/10/04 | 13/11/04 | 15/10/05 | 24/10/05 | 30/10/05 | 12/11/05 | 27/11/05 | 15/10/06 | 29/10/06 | 5/11/06 | 11/11/06 | 19/11/06 | 2/12/06 | 7/10/07 | 28/10/07 | 4/11/07 | 18/11/07 | 1/12/07 | 1/11/09 | 07/11/09 | 13/12/09 | 20/12/09
09/09/99
Hawke’s Bay Give Auckland Sternest Test Yet
by Jeremy Ruane
Hawke’s Bay gave Auckland their sternest test yet at the 24th National Women’s Soccer Tournament at Burnside Park in Christchurch on September 9, 1999, but not before the “A Team” had handed out a first half footballing lesson to their rivals, who, like Auckland, were unbeaten going into this match.
The “A Team” won 6-0, socring five of their goals in a spell-binding first half, during which Hawke’s Bay were opened up at will, despite the fact that the pitch on which this match was played was of minimum width, and featured a distinct upward slope towards one corner!
Auckland were attacking that end of the pitch in the first spell, with early efforts from Amanda Crawford and Amy Goaziou testing Bay ‘keeper, Cath Atkins, while further long-range attempts by Goaziou and, in particular, Jennifer Carlisle, were only narrowly off target.
The “A Team” opened the scoring in the twelfth minute, Sacha Haskell supplying Crawford with a pass which allowed the tournament’s leading goalscorer to turn and move into space some twelve yards from goal, from where she drilled home her 21st goal of the week thus far.
Michele Cox, two minutes later, whipped in a corner which careered across the face of goal, an invitation to score which, amazingly, no-one in a blue shirt was able to accept. Bay cleared their lines on this occasion, but could find no way out of Auckland’s relentless footballing equivalent of basketball’s “all court press”, which continued unabated throughout the first forty minutes.
Goaziou was unceremoniously upended in the penalty area in the sixteenth minute, and wasted no time in punishing Bay from the spot in the time-honoured manner - 2-0.
Within two minutes, the “A Team” were celebrating a third goal. Haskell released Maia Jackman down the right, from where she drilled in a low cross. The ball flew beyond Crawford, but Haskell was on hand to steer the ball towards Cox, whose shot on the turn was blocked. Goaziou, following in, rifled the ball home to virtually seal victory for the “A Team”.
Hawke’s Bay were rarely being allowed out of their own half, so relentless was Auckland’s pressure. In the 24th minute, they had the ball in the net once more, but this time the offside flag denied Tarah Cox what is fast becoming her trademark goal from one yard out, after she touched home Haskell’s flick-down of a Goaziou corner.
Moments later, Michele Cox fired over the top after Goaziou’s cross to the far post had been met by Jackman’s diving header across the face of goal. The shooter returned the compliment to her provider on that occasion within two minutes, via the head of Crawford. Jackman was unable to capitalise, however, but Bay didn’t help themselves by failing to clear. Haskell pounced in an instant, only for Atkins to block her effort to safety.
On the half-hour, the Cox sisters combined to extend Auckland’s lead to four goals. Tarah met Michele’s corner at the near post - nothin’ but net!
Four minutes later, Carlisle came oh so close to adding a fifth. Another flowing Auckland raid, featuring the Cox sisters and Jackman, culminated in Carlisle playing a one-two with Crawford before curling a twenty-five yarder narrowly past the far post, with Atkins a helpless spectator.
If those watching thought that move was out of Auckland’s top drawer, the 37th minute manoeuvre which featured virtually the entire team must have been hiding in the Royal Box! The “A Team”’s passes flowed like fine wine from left to right to left again, as Bay, literally, chased shadows.
Ultimately, Tarah Cox, Goaziou and Carlisle combined to slip Sowden through to the byline, from where her cross looped agonisingly over Jackman’s head. If ever a move deserved a goal, it was this one - brilliant football!
Instead, Auckland’s fifth and final goal of a splendid first half showing came from far simpler sources - like direct from a corner by Michele Cox, two minutes out from the break!
The “A Team” started the second spell in much the same vein as they finished the first - hot on attack. Within three minutes, they had scored a sixth goal, Goaziou’s third of the game. Carlisle and the Cox sisters combined to slip Crawford through, and she beat her marker before setting up Goaziou, whose rifled drive completely wrong-footed the luckless Atkins.
Three minutes later, Atkins’ luck began to turn, as a stunning Michele Cox shot left the ‘keeper beaten all ends up, only to cannon down off the crossbar and ricochet off the prone custodian back into play. Crawford, following in, was caught off balance, and Bay breathed again.
Atkins then saved from Haskell, Crawford and Terry McCahill, as the “A Team” pressed for a seventh goal, which simply wouldn’t come. It certainly wasn’t for the want of trying, however. Crawford, who started a 55th minute move which also involved Michele Cox and Goaziou, finished it by thundering the ball against the post.
A minute later, Crawford got to the byline and whipped in a low cross which Cox fired goalwards. Her effort was blocked, and Sowden directed the rebound into the path of Goaziou, who sent the ball whistling inches over the top.
Atkins saved from Cox six minutes later, then defied logic to frustrate both McCahill and Jane Simpson, who were both denied by the goalkeeper as they looked to turn home Cox’s corner. Seconds later, Nicky Dowler was on hand to help out her team-mate, clearing Simpson’s header off the line following Goaziou’s corner to the far post.
The “A Team” eased off the pressure somewhat after this surge, and to their credit, Bay showed why, prior to this match against the defending champions, they had been unbeaten in section play. Yvonne Vale was forced to make Auckland’s first save of the tournament in the 66th minute of this, their sixth game, after Jill Corner’s pass had caught McCahill off-balance, and Angela Goodridge had not hesitated in looking to make the most of this rare lapse in Auckland’s rearguard.
Before the finish, Haskell, Crawford and McCahill each tested Atkins’ reflexes once more, but the final whistle soon sounded, ensuring Auckland of a 6-0 win - six wins and sixty-three goals in sectional play - and a semi-final against their old foes, Wellington. Bay, meanwhile, take on the other section winners, Wairarapa, thereby ensuring that a new province will feature in the final against one of the competition’s traditional powers.
|
Auckland: Vale; Corner, McCahill, Carlisle; Jackman (Simpson, 41), Sowden (Exler, 80), T. Cox, Haskell, Goaziou; Crawford, M. Cox (Robertson, 71)
Scoring: A. Crawford (12), A. Goaziou (17, 18, 43), T. Cox (30), M. Cox (38)
|