South Auckland Rangers v. Lynn-Avon United, 16/7/05

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Why Can't All Men's Games Be As Good As This One?

by Jeremy Ruane

The leading teams in the Northern League Second Division, South Auckland Rangers and Lynn-Avon United, produced an absolute humdinger of a spectacle at James Watson Reserve on July 16, as both teams fought hammer and tongs in their respective quests to make a decisive bid for the championship.

The outcome was a thrilling 2-2 draw, a fitting result in the circumstances, as well as on the day, for this match - which was superbly controlled by referee Nick Waldron - was unquestionably one of the best-contested encounters seen in recent seasons, with plenty of quality football to boot.

While the vast majority of NZ Football Championship and Northern League fixtures fail to live up to their promise, and generally end up being damp squibs as footballing spectacles go, this match broke the mould and delivered on the expectations of it with interest - it was a contest worthy of a far higher stage.

Right from the first whistle, it was a case of `fasten your seatbelts and hang on for dear life', because this match started at a ferocious pace, and never let up. Yet unlike the majority of matches in which pace and physicality dominates at the expense of quality football, this had the latter in abundance, too, with accurate passing, incisive movement and aerial action aplenty - a footballing connoisseur's delight!

It was a classic clash between two teams who, being every bit as good as each other, raised their respective games in an effort to emerge triumphant at their rival's expense, only to find an answer being given by equally defiant opponents to every question asked of them.

Further fueling the fire was an early goal, struck after just five minutes. Atnesh Prasad led Rangers' charge, and bulldozed his way through United's defence to get in a shot. Mark Iszard parried low to his right, but the visitors' rearguard reacted in mannequin-like fashion, unlike Rajesh Naidu, who dashed in and steered home the rebound, much to his and Rangers' undisguised delight.

Lynn-Avon gradually weathered the storm, and struck back in fine fashion in the 21st minute. A quick Dene McKay free-kick saw the ball played wide to Sam Hiebendaal, who clipped a perfectly angled cross to the far side of Rangers' penalty area.

Arriving on cue was Brian Pepper, who, without breaking stride, steered the ball wide of Ravinesh Narayan and in by the far post, the ball barely rising above the surface as it arrowed towards its ultimate destination.

United were still celebrating their equaliser when they conceded a 23rd minute free-kick on the left. Nitesh Prasad whipped in the set-piece, and Cameron Gray and Greg Clark both went to head it clear.

The latter made contact, but headed it skywards, and this, coupled with the communication breakdown between the visitors' central defenders, meant that Atnesh Prasad was the footballing equivalent of a fox in a henhouse as the ball dropped towards him. His finish was clinical, and restored Rangers' advantage.

Back came Lynn-Avon, with Clark attempting to make amends for his part in what was a very soft goal to concede by heading McKay's free-kick goalwards. Unfortunately for the tallest player on the park, he directed his effort straight at Narayan, who would have been hard pressed to thwart a header across his body.

In the 28th minute, Rangers came desperately close to making it 3-1. Janath Lal motored down the right, swept past Brett Ellis' challenge and, still out wide, let fly with a stunning, swerving drive which had Iszard going every which way as the ball went first to his right, then careered back to his left.

The 'keeper didn't stand a prayer, so you can imagine his relief when Lal's rocket cannoned off the inside of the near post and crashed back into play. It was shared by his red-clad team-mates - a genuine let-off!

Rangers continued to press, with the impressive Mukesh Chand surging out of defence and linking with Navindra Goundar to present Nitesh Prasad with a chance which Iszard smothered.

Then a hospital pass from Gray put McKay in all sorts of trouble near half-way, an opportunity which Vishal Lal - top performance - took full advantage of. He surged forward before playing a neat one-two with Naidu, which created the space from which he let fly. The ball fizzed a foot past the post at most - it was desperately close!

Right on half-time, Nitesh Prasad raced down the left and whipped in a cross-shot which hit the net. Thankfully for Lynn-Avon, it was the wrong side of the net, the ball having only just cleared the crossbar - from some angles, it looked as if it had entered the goal!

If anything, the second half was even better than the first forty-five minutes - it was a terrific battle! Why can't all men's games be as good as this one?

Iszard saved twice in a minute just before the hour mark, firstly from Naidu, then from Vishal Lal's twenty-five yard drive, after Atnesh Prasad had powered through a couple of challenges and laid off a precise pass.

United's goalkeeper could only parry this shot to his left, however, which invited Janath Lal to race in and try to take advantage of the opening - the ball was last

seen heading in the general direction of Otara Town Centre!!

Back came Lynn-Avon, and in the 66th minute, their doggedness in the face of Rangers' pressure earned its due reward, as they forced a corner on the right. McKay's delivery picked out James Hodgson, whose first touch after coming on as a substitute saw his shot blocked. A second attempt met with similar fate, the ball this time landing at the feet of Pepper.

From the edge of the area, he unleashed a screamer through a crowded goalmouth into the roof of the net, his second goal of the game every bit as good as his first!

Now it was United with their tails up, but Rangers weren't going to take this lying down. Substitute Alvin Kumar, five minutes after the equaliser, hit an absolute peach of a crossfield ball from right to left, which careered along the ground right into the stride of Nitesh Prasad. His finish failed to do justice to his team-mate's pass.

In the 73rd minute, Iszard was foiling the home team once more, Janath Lal his unwilling victim this time, after a delicious through ball from Vishal Lal had opened up Lynn-Avon's defence.

Seconds later, the game hung on a knife-edge, as Hodgson and Vishal Lal clashed near the touchline in an over-physical manner. After both had received treatment, and he had received reports from both his assistants, referee Waldron showed just why he is seen as an official with a big future ahead of him - his man-management of this potentially explosive situation was quite exemplary.

A red card at this point could well have seen this game blow up in a huge way in the time which remained, but the referee calmed everything down and restored order with some well-chosen words, rather than by resorting to his cards to resolve the issue. Well done, that man!

Janath Lal lashed the resulting free-kick goalwards, and Iszard required two bites of the cherry to keep it out. He then threw the ball out, sparking a counter-attack which saw Gray and John Key link up, the latter threading the ball through for substitute George Murray-McGregor to surge goalwards.

He pulled his shot wide of the far post on this occasion, and three minutes later, despite being under pressure, directed a close-range header at Narayan, after Cory Pearce had sent Key away down the right, the winger beating his marker before crossing.

Back came Rangers with a stunning move, in the 82nd minute. Shaneel Prasad thumped the ball downfield, seemingly to clear his lines, but Janath Lal turned what appeared a lost cause into a goalscoring opportunity by his dogged pursuit of the sphere, which he caught up with before it went out of play and took to the by-line.

A deft back-heel rewarded Vishal Lal's supporting run, and he in turn fed the charging Nitesh Prasad inside him. He raced past two opponents in the penalty area before playing the ball square, only for both Atnesh Prasad and Venay Nair to over-run it - a great chance spurned.

Still the home team pressed, Chand - with Ritendra Singh, a real class act - sending a header flashing wide from Kumar's cross. Then in stoppage time, a strong crossfield run by Janath Lal saw him link with Vishal Lal, whose drive was parried by Iszard. Before he could recover the rebound, Atnesh Prasad pounced, but his chip on the turn saw the ball creep inches over the bar.

In the dying moments of the additional eight minutes of a thrilling encounter, United could have won it. Hodgson's corner was flicked on by Clark for Key and Murray-McGregor to make the most of. But before they could react, a desperate hooked clearance by Atnesh Prasad - what was he doing back there? - spared Rangers' blushes.

It meant both teams had to be satisfied with a point apiece from this 2-2 draw, a fitting outcome to a tremendous clash rich in quality and commitment between two well-matched teams, neither of whom deserved to lose, yet both of whom deserved to win.

It's generally women's matches which earn the praises of this writer, primarily because the girls place far greater emphasis on playing quality football (the name of the game) to overcome their opponents, rather than relying on the more physical and direct yet far less cerebral (read rugby-like) approach so common in the men's game in this country these days.

This truly memorable, mould-breaking encounter between South Auckland Rangers and Lynn-Avon United - a top-of-the-table affair to boot - is a

genuine exception in that regard, the quality of football produced, especially in light of the significance and importance of the fixture to both teams, fully meriting the praise being afforded it.

Oh, for more men's games of this ilk.

Rangers: Narayan; Prasad (Kumar, 74) (Singh, 90), Chand, Singh, Goundar (Ram, 86 (booked, 90)); J. Lal, Naidu, V. Lal, N. Prasad; A. Prasad (booked, 25), Nair

Lynn-Avon: Iszard; Hiebendaal, Clark, Gray, Ellis; Key, Pearce (Walbran, 81), McKay, Pepper; Cumber (booked, 45) (Hodgson, 65), Perez

(Murray-McGregor, 58)

Referee: Nick Waldron

Northern League