MATCH REPORT: Round 03 vs Ellerslie AFC
NRFL Men's First Team Round 03 Match Report: East Coast Bays vs Ellerslie AFC, Bay City Park, Friday 7th April 2023.
Bays ruthless in Top of the Table clash
In the first in a double header of games over the Easter weekend, Bays took on Ellerslie, who were second on the table after winning both of their opening matches. So, a top of the table clash in front of a decent crowd on a warm & sunny Easter Friday. A couple of changes to the starting line up with David Brown & Declan Sweeney starting in place of Nick Gaze & Sam Wilson. Good also to see more players returning from injury as Mikey Gaze returned to take his place on the bench.
Ellerslie started off the better team as first Rathbone shot past the right hand post and then a break down the right led to Mohebbie shooting wide of Louie’s goal. Dylan then crossed into the box and the defence cleared for a corner. Nicolai’s corner was punched behind for another corner. In the ninth minute Bays too the lead as another corner was headed home at the near post by Jack Caunter. Bays 1 Ellerslie 0. Bays then stepped up the momentum. Dylan played in Nicolai but his cross from the right sailed over everyone. Nicolai then turned his defender inside out before setting up David, who had his shot blocked. Good link up play saw Callum set up Dylan who linked up with Nicolai & Declan.
Bays doubled their lead in the 19th minute when Ellerslie keeper Hansen dropped Nicolai’s corner from the right. The ball dropped into the path of David who rolled it home for his debut Bays goal to make the score EC Bays 2 Ellerslie 0. Thomson then played in Dylan who shot wide of the far post. A long throw down the left saw Dylan away but his cross went over Nicolai at the back post. Dylan was forced to leave the field in the 29th minute with what looked like a quad injury and was replaced by Mikey Gaze. This led to a slight change to the formation with Thomson moving up front. Two minutes after the substitution Bays increased their lead further when a brilliant through ball by Declan saw Thomson through on the left. His left foot shot came off the body of Hansen and into the net for 3-0 to Bays. Congrats to Thomson on his debut Bays goal.
A couple of minutes later a Jack Caunter long ball was picked up by Hansen just outside the box under pressure from Thomson. Some way or another the referee had left his cards in his car as surely Hansen should have been shown a yellow or red card for deliberate handball. Bays were then awarded a free kick that Moses smashed way over the crossbar. Jack then went down the left and his cross sailed over everyone in the middle. Mikey Gaze picked up the ball and David headed his cross to the middle wide. Just before half time, David played a ball out to the right to Nicolai. He cut inside a defender and fired a left foot rocket into the far corner for 4-0 to Bays. There was still enough time for Ellerslie to create a chance for Rathbone to shoot over before being flagged offside and Declan to have a shot from just outside the box go straight to the keeper.
The half time whistle went and Bays were deservedly 4-0 up after a thoroughly dominant first half. Ellerslie had started well and were very competitive in the first 10-15 minutes. However, the two set piece goals seemed to have deflated their confidence. Despite Bays, losing Dylan to injury the team still created many changes and good to see the goals shared around.
Ellerslie made two changes at half time with E Smith & L Robb replacing Kessell & Mohebbie. Ellerslie played a long ball forward but excellent covering by Mikey K saw the ball out for a throw in. More good coverage saw an Ellerslie ball into the box headed back to Louie by Mikey G. A ball down the right saw Nicolai’s attempted cross blocked for a corner. Nicolai’s corner to the back post saw James head over. A ball from Nicolai to David saw his corner hooked behind. The short corner between Nicolai & Callum saw a cross to the back post headed over again by James.
A Break by Corbett down the left saw a cross cleared by Mikey Gaze for a corner. Mikey K then intercepted a long ball and played a great through ball down the middle to Thomson. His shot was blocked while he was being pushed from behind but no foul was given. With Bays still four goals to the good Joe made three changes as Bailey, Oscar & Nick came on for Mikey K, Thomson & Declan. Declan had a very good, steady game in his first start and grew into the game more as it went on. A ball down the right found Mikey G but his cross into the centre was just over Oscar. Moses passed to Callum who set up Oscar and his shot hit a defender before going out for a corner. Nicolai also had a shot that came off another defender for another corner.
Ellerslie made another change in the 67th minute when Oosterhof came on for Durkin. Louie played a long ball down the right side and Nicolai’s cross came off Andrews to his keeper. The next ball down the right found Nicolai who in turn found David and he set up Mikey G for a left footer straight at the keeper. Another long cross-field ball saw Nicolai make progress into the box and his cross was blocked out. Ellerslie made another change in the 77th minute with Rezai replacing Grey. Bays then had a corner on the right with the cross coming off Bailey’s shoulder straight to the keeper. A foul by Nick down the other end led to an Ellerslie free kick that Corbett headed straight to Louie. Ellerslie made their last change in the 87th minute with Shigematsu replacing Bresler.
A minute later saw the goal of the match. Ellerslie were on the attack when the ball was cleared out to the left. Oscar hit a long ball with the outside of his right foot first time and found Nicolai heading straight down the middle. Nicolai beat one defender and then did a pirouette drag flick between two more defenders to have the ball clear of the defence. Nicolai picked up the ball and confidently placed the ball past Hansen as he came out to try & save. A brilliantly finished off goal and Bays were now leading 5-0. Not long after this, the full time whistle went and Bays had won comfortably. Despite the score line it had been a highly competitive game and credit to Ellerslie for contributing to an excellent top of the table clash.
Full time and Bays had won 5-0 to retain their place at the Top of the table. Nicolai was awarded the player of the match award for his outstanding play & two excellent finishes. Congrats to David and Thomson for their first Bays goals. Another special mention must go to Logan who received a special tankard to celebrate playing 100 games for Bays. The milestone coming up last season. Now it is a couple of days off before a game at Metro on Easter Monday at Phyllis Street Reserve, Mt Albert.
Final Score: East Coast Bays 5 vs Ellerslie AFC 0
East Coast Bays: L Caunter, J Edgeler, C Simmonds, D Sweeney (N Gaze 63), M Akimana, N Berry, M Kolston (B Stevenson 63), T Nkoy (O Garcia 63), D Brown, D Stansfield (M Gaze 29), J Caunter
Ellerslie FC: K Hansen, S Fukami, J Bresler, M Mohebbie, T Durkin, P Grey, J Rathbone, C Kessell, S Poleman, R Corbett, D Andrews
Subs: E Smith & L Robb 46, J Oosterhof 67, S Rezaie 77, S Shigematsu 87
Goals: J Caunter 9, D Brown 19, T Nkoy 31, N Berry 43 & 88
Official attendance: 62,001