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31Aug17
Development Squad Held By Springs In Final Game
by Jeremy Ruane
The Football Ferns Development Squad concluded their 17th Grade Conference campaign on August 31 in a highly creditable fourth place, despite being held to a 1-1 draw by Western Springs on the QBE Stadium Tigerturf.
Unlike the Ferns' other opponents this season, "The Hoops"' general demeanour left a great deal to be desired, the worst element of it being a primeval screaming sound which occasionally emerged from among their substitutes.
If only it had resounded in response to the primitive hit-and-hope style of football this boys' team produced! It really was a stark contrast to the sophisticated passing game employed by Gareth Turnbull's charges, and it was a great pity, from both behavioural and footballing perspectives, that the women failed to win the match.
The Ferns' swiftly slipped into their stylish play, a fifth minute move involving some fifteen passes only coming to grief when Aimee Phillips couldn't quite connect with the cross, allowing Liam Millbank to save easily.
Springs instantly launched a concerted counter-attack, culminating in James Diakin volleying past the post after their most enterprising move of the match. They very soon resorted to a less cultured playing style, however, and it was from that "Larry Longball" approach that Camo Hartley volleyed over the bar in the seventeenth minute.
The Ferns' response came via Saskia Vosper, who had a lively game. Her teasing twentieth minute cross, intended for Tayla O'Brien, was headed out by Will Thompson to Hannah Blake, who lashed a twenty yard volley over the top.
Four minutes later, Nicole Mettam's delicious pass invited O'Brien to work a one-two with Phillips before steering her shot past the upright as the silver fern-wearing side stepped up the pressure.
It told in the 27th minute, Mettam and O'Brien combining to pick out Blake, whose unerring finish under the diving figure of Millbank gave the Development Squad a deserved lead.
Straight from the kick-off, Springs launched the ball downfield, the pursuing figure of Remy Harrison accidentally colliding with Vic Esson as both approached the ball. The 'keeper stayed down, and required treatment before she was able to resume, thankfully none the worse for wear - she's made of stern stuff, this Mainlander.
Springs were keen to test her resolve via their route one approach, mixed with crosses and corners. From one such Mathew Adge delivery, Harrison somehow contrived to head over the bar from seemingly directly beneath it, while Esson pawed out a Miro Van Aspeck cross on the stroke of half-time, following Diakin's charging run downfield.
In between these close calls, the Development Squad had twice gone close to doubling their lead. Meikayla Moore picked out Vosper with a sweeping cross-field ball which the fullback instantly directed inside to Mettam.
Her ball forward to Jane Barnett was flicked into the stride of O'Brien, but she sliced her effort wide of the mark, while Phillips steered a snapshot over the top in the 43rd minute, after Sarah Morton's free-kick wasn't cleared.
Seven minutes into the second half, Springs equalised, to the undisguised delight of the hyena imitator in their dugout area. Yet another long ball forward saw half-time substitute Liz Milne divert the ball away from Liam Platt, and towards the edge of the penalty area.
That is the spot to where Moore was beating a hasty retreat, with Van Aspeck hard on her heels. At the same time, Anna Leat, who had just taken over in goal from Esson, was charging out towards the danger point …
The sight of the ball heading towards the untended net was met with howls of delight by the Springs
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contingent, while the crestfallen look on Moore's face said everything from the Development Squad's perspective.
Cue an onslaught on the Springs goal - the old 'hell hath no fury like a woman scorned' theme very much in evidence, and not for the first time this season. Moore nearly made amends just five minutes later, heading Barnett's corner narrowly past the far post, while a ferocious free-kick from just outside the box by Barnett five minutes later was only prevented from finding its intended target via a deflection.
Barnett and Blake worked the resulting short corner, with Barnett flighting a measured cross to the far post. Phillips was visibly annoyed with herself for heading the ball narrowly past the post.
Back came Springs, Jack Stenson's driving run down the right culminating in Platt presenting Harper Masley with a shooting chance which he dragged past the far post in the 67th minute.
Two minutes later, "The Hoops" had strong penalty claims denied them by referee Deb Stevens after substitute Sammi Tawharu clearly handled the ball in the area, in the immediate aftermath of which Masley drilled a rising drive against the crossbar.
Diakin swooped on a stray Malia Steinmetz pass minutes later, igniting an attack which allowed Conner Mulligan to present Platt with a great chance to fire "The Hoops" in front. But the striker badly butchered it - 1-1 the scoreline remained.
Thirteen minutes from time, Milne's fine work down the left culminated in Barnett directing a dipping thirty yarder narrowly over the bar, after which the game was very much in the balance, with both sides striving to snatch a winner without being able to produce the final ball which would allow them to do so.
With two minutes remaining, Kate Carlton's charge down the right allowed Phillips to get the better of her marker and slip the ball inside to Barnett. She steered it into the stride of Tawharu, whose first-time drive grazed the far post with the beaten figure of Millbank looking on anxiously.
Cue yet another long ball-inspired response from Springs, with Milne's error letting in Mulligan. His drive was goalbound until Leat produced a stunning save to her right to turn the ball round the post.
The Development Squad cleared their lines from the resulting corner, with Mettam picking out Tawharu, who instantly laid the ball off for fellow substitute Steph Skilton.
Despite not having kicked a ball in anger for several months until a week ago, NZ 'A''s hat-trick heroine against Thailand last December showed she hadn't lost her eye for goal, drilling a shot which Millbank did well to keep out in stoppage time.
Tawharu was unable to capitalise on the rebound - the ball ricocheted past her, but the Ferns forced a final corner from Barnett. Her delivery was cleared, but Milne failed to respond in kind, presenting Samuel Evans with the chance to win it for Western Springs.
He duly steered the ball past the advancing figure of Leat towards the gaping goal, towards which Carlton was careering at breakneck speed. The fullback's desperate pursuit of the ball paid dividends, Carlton winning the race under the shadows of the crossbar to clear off the line and ensure a 1-1 stalemate would be the final outcome for both teams in this season-concluding encounter.
Ferns: Esson (Leat, 47); Vosper (Carlton, 66), Anton, Moore, Morton (Milne, 46); Steinmetz, Mettam (Skilton, 46), O'Brien (Tawharu, 66); Phillips, Barnett, Blake
Springs: Millbank; Evans, Bhana, Diakin, Aldous; Thompson, Stenson, Hartley; Adge, Harrison, Platt. Substitutes from Longland, Van Aspeck, Mulligan, Masley, Kai
Referee: Deb Stevens
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