Onehunga-Mangere United v. Mt. Albert-Ponsonby, 21/6/03

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MAP Twice Come From Behind To Overcome OMU

by Jeremy Ruane

A stunning second half comeback from Mt. Albert-Ponsonby saw them twice come from behind to ultimately overcome Onehunga-Mangere United 4-3 at Mangere Domain on June 21, in a goal-laden Northern League First Division encounter.

After a bright opening for both teams - Andre Rameil forced a save from Robbie Graham, and Dave Gillott just failed to make contact with an Andrew Campbell cross inside the first two minutes - the home team took control of the match, with MAP looking distinctly uninterested and lacking in urgency and desire by the time half-time rolled round.

That they were only one goal down at that point was scant reward for OMU’s pressure, and for that MAP had Graham to thank. The ‘keeper kept his side in contention with a string of vital saves, the first of which came in the thirteenth minute as he thwarted Rameil, who had been picked out by Kevan Loftus’ defence-splitting pass.

Three minutes later, a hanging Ian Campbell cross was headed goalwards by Steve Mateljan. His looping effort arced over the back-pedalling Graham, who just got enough contact on the ball to tip it onto the top of the crossbar, along which it bounced before dropping into the goalmouth.

Inexplicably, OMU’s attack had stood stock-still awaiting the outcome - none of them had anticipated the ball dropping a yard in front of the goal-line, which meant the visitors had time to scramble the ball to safety.

After Graham had smothered a Trent Neilson shot which goalwards ricocheted off Mateljan, the home team opened the scoring in the 23rd minute. Mateljan missed Neilson’s cross from the right at the near post, but so did Jerry Upson and the goalkeeper. Now it was MAP’s turn to stand and watch, while Campbell darted in and headed home into an empty net.

A long-range effort from John Blower summed up MAP’s first half two minutes later - way off the mark - after which the home team looked to double their advantage. Graham grabbed a Ross Berry cross which deflected off Jason Conquer on the half-hour, while two minutes later, Rameil’s lack of composure cost him a second goal, snatching wildly at the ball with just Graham to beat, after Neilson and Loftus had combined to send the striker, with Mateljan on his shoulder, through the defence and bearing down on goal.

A dipping thirty-yarder from Campbell had OMU goalkeeper Scott Siebert at full stretch ten minutes before half-time, as MAP began to stir from their seeming slumber, while the portly goalkeeper was quickly off his line six minutes later to thwart Gillott, as Blower’s chip over the top of a pressing OMU defence put the striker through on goal with just the ‘keeper to beat.

Right on the break, Graham thwarted "The Mountain Men" once more, Mateljan his unwilling victim on this occasion, after Bruce Loftus and Campbell had worked a tidy free-kick routine. OMU’s 1-0 lead appeared to be adequate at this point, such was MAP’s seeming inertia, but visiting coach Huw Anderson clearly had some ideas about reviving his charges.

Whatever was in MAP’s half-time tea should be bottled and preserved, because the last half-hour saw six goals hit the nets, the one defended by Siebert billowing four times.

The initial stages of the second spell saw the visitors warming to their task, with Gillott heading a Marc Hicks corner wide, before Josh Carmody picked out the overlapping Nick Sneddon racing down the right with a fine pass. The full-back’s delightful chipped cross to the far post was headed to safety by Nick Hirschfield, but it was a tactic which was to pay dividends for MAP in the 61st minute.

Hicks was their tormentor-in-chief, as he floated in a hanging cross from the right which had Siebert in two minds as it dropped near the goal. The goalkeeper left it for the retreating Hirschfield … who was expecting Siebert to pluck the ball from the sky. Cue a scene straight out of Keystone Cops - the ball hit Hirschfield, ricocheted to Siebert and off him over the line by the far post, the goalkeeper groping frantically in an attempt to keep the sphere out, ultimately in vain.

While MAP were celebrating the restoration of parity, OMU promptly raced downfield and restored their advantage straight from the kick-off. John McDivit’s early ball through found Ben Hirschfield storming forward, and the midfielder planted a beauty past the advancing Graham - 2-1, OMU.

Back came MAP. In the 64th minute, a mistimed tackle from Nick Hirschfield left the racing figure of Gillott enduring an unscheduled turf-tasting experience, as he looked to latch onto a through ball. Unfortunately for the defender, his offence took place in the penalty area - Campbell nudged the spot-kick to Siebert’s right as the goalkeeper dived to his left … 2-2.

After Siebert had superbly tipped over an Adam Schofield header from six yards out, following a Hicks corner, another three-goal flurry followed in a seven-minute spell. The visitors took the lead ten minutes from time, Hicks releasing Gillott down the right. After outpacing the defence, the goal-hungry striker rounded the advancing Siebert and rolled the ball home from a tight angle.

Two minutes later, MAP further extended their new-found lead with the goal of the game. Gillott and Hicks prised open OMU’s defence on the right, the former steering the ball back into the path of Northern League veteran Steve Goddard.

The substitute had told a spectator that he’d come on and score, and was as good as his word, placing a fifteen-yard drive inside Siebert’s near post, much to the chagrin of the spectator, who was in debt to the tune of two pints of "holy water" the instant the ball hit the net!!

Seconds later, Siebert plucked a thirty-yarder from Blower as it zoomed towards the top corner of the net, thereby preventing MAP from extending their advantage to 5-2. Instead, it was reduced to 4-3 in the 87th minute, as OMU set up a grandstand finish.

Bradley Hunn’s free-kick picked out Mateljan, whose volley was parried by Graham. Berry stole in to tap home, and it was all on for young and old with three minutes left … or so those present thought!

Referee Santi Vega contrived to find no less than nine minutes of stoppage time, during which Rameil let fly with an eighteen-yard drive which deflected a foot wide of Graham’s left-hand post. Moments later, Brent Bills burst forward on the counter-attack for MAP, his shot ricocheting off Siebert’s leg to safety.

It was the last scoring opportunity of the match, giving MAP a much-needed win in this Central Auckland derby, one which propels them to within two points of a share of third place, a position to which OMU could have closed to within a point of had they secured the three points on offer.

OMU: Siebert; Neilson (Hunn, 84), N. Hirschfield, McDivit, B. Loftus; Berry (booked, 71), K. Loftus (Lawler, 84), B. Hirschfield, Campbell; Rameil, Mateljan

MAP: Graham (booked, 74); Sneddon, Schofield (booked, 88), Upson, Conquer; Campbell, Carmody (Goddard, 69), Blower, Bills; Hicks, Gillott

Referee: Santi Vega

Northern League