October 4

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October 4 | October 2008 | Primed And Dangerous

October 4

Young Ferns Too Strong For NZ Selection

by Jeremy Ruane

Rebecca Tegg

Rosie White

Amber Hearn

Sarah McLaughlin outjumps Anna Green

Ria Percival

Caitlin Campbell

Merissa Smith, shadowed by Briony Fisher

Lauren Murray forcing a save from Rebecca Brook

Ria Percival

Hannah Wall and Nadia Pearl keep the pressure on Anna Green

New Zealand's Young Football Ferns produced an impressive display in recording a 2-0 victory over a NZ Selection made up of members of the Junior (U-20) and Football Ferns squads at McLennan Park on Saturday.

The Selection began brightly enough, with Young Ferns goalkeeper Charlotte Wood producing a splendid fingertip save to keep out Rebecca Tegg's stinging twenty yarder in the fourth minute.

The supplier of that opportunity was Katie Hoyle, who, along with Ria Percival, can be proud of her display in the blue kit of the NZ Selection. Sadly, a number of their colleagues produced disappointing `going through the motions'-type performances, thus failing to satisfy the standards expected of them, and which they have come to expect of themselves.

A vastly improved contribution is anticipated from the older players in the remaining fixtures between these teams, the first of which will be a "behind closed doors" exercise.

The Young Ferns' response to this early effort from their older opponents saw Annalie Longo - a lively display - jink through midfield before spreading the ball wide to Claudia Crasborn in the twelfth minute. She galloped down the left before whipping in a cross to the near post, where Rosie White was arriving.

The youngster launched herself into a full-length diving header, only for Nicole Stratford to block her attempt to open the scoring in spectacular fashion.

The Young Ferns kept pressing, captain Briony Fisher driving them forward on their next attack. Sarah McLaughlin flicked on her team-mate's pass for Crasborn to race onto, but Selection goalkeeper Rebecca Brook raced quickly off her line to clear off her opponent's toes.

In the 21st minute, Amber Hearn - somewhat subdued in a left-flank role which did scant justice to her abundant skill, strength and forward line leadership prowess - sent a raking deep cross beyond the far post which found Percival arriving at pace.

Her probing cross into the goalmouth was headed out by Fisher, but only as far as Chelsey Wood, whose shot through the gathered throngs struck team-mate Grace Vincent and ricocheted over the bar - it was that sort of game for the older combination.

Their younger opponents were up to their tricks again eight minutes before the conclusion of a generally tight first half. Crasborn's pass rewarded Longo's well-timed run to beat the offside trap, and her measured cross invited McLaughlin to volley goalwards. Sadly for the striker, her snatched effort sailed over the bar.

Before half-time, Vincent fired a twenty-yarder at Charlotte Wood, while three minutes after NZ U-17s coach Paul Temple had introduced a half-time tactical change, an instant return very nearly materialised.

Half-time Selection substitute Abby Erceg was undone by the bounce of the ball on the bumpy McLennan Park surface, allowing McLaughlin to pounce and set her sights on goal. What her volleyed effort lacked in composure, it more than made up for in height, as the ball once more soared over the crossbar with plenty to spare.

In the 55th minute, White and McLaughlin worked a one-two which saw the former fire wildly wide of the target. But the resulting goal-kick was a poor one, and the effervescent Hannah Wall punished it mercilessly.

Selection goalkeeper Rebecca Brook did well to parry the youngster's twenty-yard thunderbolt, but White, like any good striker, was following in … 1-0.

Percival's passionate and infectious winning mentality is such that she does not take kindly to finding any team for which she is playing trailing on the scoreboard, and given the advanced role she was enjoying in this match, she set about the task of redressing the balance, and carrying her team-mates with her, with a vengeance.

On the hour, she took on Rebecca Brown before linking with Renee Leota. The half-time substitute turned the ball into the path of Merissa Smith, who engineered some space for herself and struck a sizzling left-foot drive which had `Top Corner' written all over it.

That was until Charlotte Wood's intervention, the `keeper's splendid fingertip save turning the ball onto the inside of her left-hand upright. The rebound careered across the face of goal until Caitlin Campbell hammered the sphere to safety.

Four minutes later, another half-time Selection substitute, Betsy Hassett, buccaneered through from midfield and rounded the Young Ferns goalkeeper, who promptly sent the newcomer tumbling in the penalty area.

Referee Martin Neale didn't hesitate - spot-kick - but promptly neglected his duties. Be it a friendly, an international, a league or cup match, and gender regardless, there is but one option for the defender who commits a professional foul when they are the last obstacle between attacker and goal - an early bath.

Wood didn't even get booked. And to add insult to injury, she promptly saved Erceg's penalty (photo above). The thunderous look on Percival's face at this development contrasted starkly with the blue skies overhead on a picture-perfect day for football.

It grew darker still three minutes later, after Percival was the recipient of a Smith cross flicked on by Leota. The flying flanker sent her angled drive fizzing over the bar - cue a look of disgust from a player whose time with FC Indiana this season means she is quietly confident of being one of the few Football Ferns involved in the inaugural Women's Professional Soccer competition in 2009.

Back came the Young Ferns, the fearless Leah Gallie epitomising their spirit in the 69th minute. Closing down Nicole Stratford, she charged down the defender's attempted clearance, instantly igniting an attack which culminated in the indefatigable Wall scampering down the left and whipping in a wicked cross which both White and McLaughlin only just failed to meet as they homed in on goal.

Seconds later, Wall's delicious pass sent McLaughlin in between defenders like the proverbial cat amongst pigeons. As Erceg closed, the striker steered her shot beyond the diving figure of Wood, but wide of her left-hand upright also.

Five minutes from time, the Young Ferns earned a corner which the NZ Selection failed to adequately clear. Lauren Murray's initial effort was thwarted, then Gallie's shot pinballed its way around the crowded goalmouth. It eventually arrived at Murray's feet, but she somehow prodded the ball wide from inside the six-yard box.

Unperturbed, the FIFA U-17 World Cup hosts came again, this time savouring greater reward three minutes from time. The fresh legs of Jessica Rollings gave the NZ Selection another problem to address, and within a minute of coming on, the newcomer had delivered a teasing cross which wasn't cleared.

Gallie arrived on cue and thrashed a low drive goalwards, the ball ricocheting into the net off the leg of Chelsey Wood and beyond the despairing dive of Brook to clinch a 2-0 victory for the Young Ferns.

Leota's late headed effort for the Selection, from Percival's sumptuous cross, fell foul of the same offside trap into which the older players were often ensnared, throughout the second spell in particular.

The supplier of the opportunity groaned despairingly - had more than just Hoyle played with Percival's insatiable intensity, the Young Ferns would have enjoyed a far stronger test of their undoubted abilities from a NZ Selection of whom much better will be expected when these teams clash again.

Young Ferns: Wood; Campbell, Fisher, Armstrong, Brown (Nguyen, 71); Wall (Rollings, 86), Longo, Pearl, Crasborn (Gallie, 53); McLaughlin (Murray, 71), White (Shea, 86)

NZ Selection: Brook; Milne, Wood (Erceg, 46), Stratford (Wood, 71), Green; Hoyle, Tegg (Hassett, 46), Vincent; Percival, Smith, Hearn (Leota, 46)

Referee: Martin Neale