Waitakere City v. Nelson United, 3/9/95

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Goal Feast Brings About Tennis Scoreline

by Jeremy Ruane

Few, if any, spectators leave a ground at the completion of a goal-laden match complaining about what they've seen. And if any folk left Fred Taylor Park on September 3 unhappy at having witnessed an eight-goal feast, they must have been Nelson United fans.

For their team, Royal Hotel Nelson United, returned south on the wrong end of a 6-2 scoreline, after having been 2-0 up inside fourteen minutes against The Carpetman Waitakere City.

In the first twenty minutes, United had City rattled. Solomon Islands international striker Batrum Suri was proving a real handful for All White captain Rodger Gray whenever Nelson attacked, and it surprised little that the pacy little man, ideally built for a goalscorer, was involved in Nelson's first goal.

It was a tenth minute cracker, too. Paul Brydon played the ball to the impressive Jamie McKenna, who lifted the ball into Suri's path. His deft header fell nicely for Stephen Tasker, who chipped Grant Schofield from fully thirty yards.

Four minutes later, it was 2-0. Player-coach Colin Tuaa played a part this time, the ball going from him via McKenna to Riki Van Steeden. Schofield could only parry his ferocious drive into the path of Tasker, who gleefully volleyed home to turn the game on its head.

Waitakere had a couple of chances to score in the first twenty minutes. Darren McClennan (twice), Thomas Edge, Carl Jorgenson, Kevin Smith and Geoff Gray all found David Cunningham in fine form between the sticks for Nelson.

He was beaten in the 32nd minute, though. Edge - another starring role from him; surely he must get an All White recall soon - weaved some wizardry on the left before pulling the ball back from the byline. Jorgenson was on hand to roll the ball home, and Waitakere's recovery was under way.

McClennan then missed two in a minute. The first was an acrobatic volley, but the second ... don't worry, "Mac Attack, you aren't the only one who's side-footed wide of an open goal from two yards out!! Doubtless Edge - Doubting Thomas? Very Biblical!! - is now wishing he hadn't dummied Neil Woodhams' cross at the near post!!

The captain brought about parity three minutes before the break, his lovely run through from midfield the perfect compliment to Woodhams' burst down the right, onto a Jorgenson pass. The finish, from close range, was clinical.

Before the break, City hit the crossbar twice in two minutes. Edge clipped the woodwork with a rasping drive, before McClennan saw his header rebound from the bar, after Edge had done remarkably well to retrieve a lost cause ahead of Brydon, and tee up the ball for a Woodhams cross.

Within minutes of the restart, Edge had experienced despair, then delight. The sight of his volley flying narrowly over the goal brought about the first emotion, in the 48th minute.

Within sixty seconds, any trace of a glum look on Edge's face was replaced by a beaming smile. Geoff Gray began the attack, with a ball which released Jorgenson down the left. Into the penalty box he strode, with McClennan arriving at pace on the far side of the area. Edge strolled into view, a matter of feet away. The ball duly arrived at the striker's feet, and the finish that followed was coolness personified.

Suri looked to pounce on a Schofield slip, but the 'keeper recovered well to deny Nelson's last real chance soon after.

For the rest of the match belonged to Waitakere. It wasn't now a question of whether they would win or not, but by how much. Geoff Gray missed an open goal, and later saw Cunningham parry his volley. Meanwhile, Jorgenson had Edge and Smith for company when put through with just the goalkeeper to beat. He chose to be greedy - another chance wasted!!

An Edge dummy of a Woodhams' cross was admired by all - spectators, defenders and, significantly, attackers alike. But three goals in the last six minutes, two of them to Edge, more than made up for these blemishes.

Smith put Jorgenson in in the 84th minute. He fended off Kelvin Atkinson before turning the ball into Edge's path - 4-2. Two minutes later, a Steve Cain lob saw Jorgenson taking on Cunningham again. The ball ran away from both of them, but Edge stepped in to complete a thoroughly deserved hat-trick.

The final flourish of a wonderful exhibition of football, which was flawlessly refereed by Neil Fox, as well as watched by a crowd disappointing in size, came two minutes from time, and saw Jorgenson completing a marvellous individual exhibition with an emphatic volleyed finish for his second goal of the game.

So we finished with a tennis score, 6-2. I can't wait for the second set!!

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