Mouncher The Star As Melville Trounce Shore by Jeremy Ruane Quality goalkeepers in New Zealand soccer are few and far between these days, but the performance of Melville United’s Neil Mouncher at Allen Hill Stadium on November 2, 1997, is certain to have caught the eye of the national coach, Joe McGrath, as the search continues for a worthy contender to compete with Jason Batty for the number one jersey. The custodian pulled off some splendid saves to defy the much touted North Shore United line-up in the opening round of National League action, as Melville pulled a 3-2 come-from-behind victory, the first defeat of a North Shore team in Auckland by a Waikato side since 1992. Weather-wise, the start of the 1997-8 National Soccer League couldn’t have got off to a better start in Auckland, and hopes were high in the Queen City that Shore, the only team of the city’s four National League representatives to have a home draw in the first round, would make that advantage count when they took on Melville in front of close on 2000 spectators. The teams had clashed at the Brown Shield tournament a couple of weeks previously. At that representative competition, Shore, parading as North Harbour, came from 4-1 down at half-time to down Waikato - read Melville - 5-4 in a highly entertaining pre-season duel, a result which boded well for what the throngs could expect to see in this opening round clash. If anyone left Allen Hill Stadium disappointed by what they saw, it would surprise me. There was much that was good to be gleaned from the match, some quality finishing intertwined with some good patches of football and a couple of noteworthy personal performances - all in all a good afternoon’s entertainment for the paying punter. Both coaches, Shore’s Shane Rufer and Melville’s Steve Williams, will have their concerns about their respective team’s defensive capabilities, but the latter can rest a little easier in this regard than his counterpart, due to the presence in the Melville side of a Geordie goalkeeper who has just gained his New Zealand citizenship and who, on this form, should be right in contention for a place in the next national squad, whenever that is to be named!! Mouncher made some stunning saves, none more so than a 77th minute effort to deny Wynton Rufer which had people gasping "Gordon Banks" within seconds of his producing it, so similar was this denial to the former England number one’s thwarting of Pele’s header in the 1970 World Cup Finals clash of England and Brazil. Twenty-seven years on, a low cross found Rufer in space about twelve yards out, and he hit a volley on the turn which seemed destined to hit the back of a gaping net. Indeed, the retired All White was beginning to turn away to celebrate when he checked himself to witness the sight of the diving Mouncher, who had flung himself across his goal from beside his left-hand upright, somehow stretching out to paw the ball to safety from under the shadows of the crossbar, about a foot off the ground. In a word, unbelievable! Melville’s custodian was nowhere near as active in the first half, a spell in which the visitors took a deserved lead and could well have had a couple more goals than the one they struck. Prior to it, Darren Fellowes and Mark Cossey both went close, the latter seeing his header foiled by a reflex save from Simon Eaddy. Paul Stephens blazed wide the first of two fine chances Rufer carved out for him in the half before Eaddy was next active, Matt Williams his unwilling victim in the eighteenth minute after more good work down the right by Roddy Cooper - he had a very productive game, as did Hoani Edwards in Melville’s engine room. The opening goal came in the 22nd minute, and came about as a result of an object lesson in the art of how not to play the passing game out of defence, starring Gareth Rowe and Matt Fowler. The former gave the latter a shocking lobbed pass, the compliment being returned seconds later with a ball not much better in quality. Fellowes had been watching developments with increasing interest, and had no complaints when Fowler’s effort headed nearer him than Rowe. Eaddy stood little chance - 1-0 Melville. "Dash" could have had another two minutes later, having drawn Eaddy out of his goal. Instead, he unselfishly slipped the ball to Cossey, who was denied the chance to fire into an empty net by the appearance from nowhere of Fowler, who was clearly determined to make amends for his part in the goal. Mouncher denied Dean Dodds in the 28th minute, the promising youngster’s twenty-yard drive being tipped over the top following a good combination featuring Stephens and Lee Norfolk, the former Ipswich Town professional whose return to New Zealand soccer can best be described as solid rather than spectacular. Tony Valentine blocked a goalbound Rufer header on the line three minutes later, before Stephens’ second attempt on goal met with a fate similar to his first. However, the lively attacking midfielder enjoyed better success when he turned provider four minutes into the second spell. Noah Hickey, a half-time substitute - that he was one at all came to the surprise of all and sundry, who expected the All White to start - picked Stephens out with a fine ball down the right, and the resulting low cross to the near post was bravely met by the diving Dodds, who got his head to the ball before Mouncher could lay his hands on it - 1-1. Shore took the lead seven minutes later, albeit briefly. Rufer’s stamp of class was all over this goal, a delectable perfectly weighted pass struck with the outside of his right foot which virtually demanded a quality first-time finish. Jason Collett, racing through from midfield, duly obliged. The home team must have still been celebrating seconds later, because that’s the only conclusion I can come to to explain the space allowed Paul Nixon and Nobby Stiles by Shore’s defence. Nixon, who came on in the wake of Shore’s goal for the injured Andy Irvine, had time aplenty in which to deliver a quality cross from the right, and the unmarked Stiles had daylight for company as he duly picked his spot against his old club, a feat which, judging by the way he celebrated, was one from which he gained no little amount of enjoyment!! Nixon got in on the act ninety seconds later. A short corner routine saw Cossey whip in a cross which Fellowes flicked goalwards. Eaddy’s reflexes saw him parry the ball down, only for Nixon to fling himself headlong at the sphere to send it rocketing into the corner of the net. Be he offside or not - the question was asked afterwards - the goal was awarded, and it turned out to be the winner. Cooper almost extended the lead within seconds, hitting the sidenetting, before Shore upped the tempo. Jimmy Cudd, another half-time sub, sent one flying a foot past the post after playing a one-two with Stephens in the 63rd minute, before Rufer was denied what appeared to be a clear-cut penalty when endeavouring to avoid the attentions of two Melville defenders. Referee Derek Rugg was having nothing of it, however, and to add insult to injury, booked the former Bundesliga professional for diving!! Rufer, justifiably in the eyes of many, was far from amused! There’s no better way to release your frustrations on a football pitch than to punish your opponents on the scoreboard, and was the course of action Rufer opted for. However, he hadn’t reckoned on Mouncher, who denied the striker with a save from point-blank range in the 72nd minute before producing his piece de resistance, at which point Shore knew that this was not to be their day, much to Melville’s delight. Shore:         Eaddy; Fowler (Hickey, 46), Rowe, Gillies, Ramadan; Stephens (Harris, 73), Dodds (booked, 21), Collett, McKenna (Cudd, 46); Rufer (booked, 70), Norfolk Melville:    Mouncher; Valentine (booked, 78), Stiles, Edge, Kingi; Cooper, Edwards, Williams, Irvine (Nixon, 55); Cossey, Fellowes (booked, 55) (Rigby, 83) Referee:    Derek Rugg