MATCH REPORT: Round 05 vs Waiheke United AFC
NRFL Men's First Team Round 05 Match Report: East Coast Bays vs Waiheke Utd, Bay City Park, Saturday 15th April 2023.
Bays in Seventh Heaven, in Totally One Sided Game.
East Coast Bays returned home to Bay City Park after registering maximum points from their two games over the Easter weekend. On a cloudy & very windy afternoon Bays welcomed struggling Waiheke Utd in a much anticipated clash. Bays made two changes with Mikey K & David Brown returning to the starting line up in place of Sam and Bailey.
It did not take long for Bays to get into their stride. A ball out to the right found Mikey K but his cross was just over Declan at the back post. A foul on Moses led to a Callum free kick that was cleared away from Jack & David. Nicolai played in Moses and his cross from the right cleared everyone. Thomson sent David down the left & his cross came off a defender for a corner. Callum’s corner almost led to the first goal when it was headed on by Jack and cleared off the line by a defender. A great ball down the middle by Declan found Thomson but just a bit too far in front of Thommo for the keeper to clear. A rare Waiheke attack down the right found Dellasala but his shot was well wide.
Bays took the lead in the 20th minute when a break down the left by Thomson & David lead to the ball coming back to the right and Moses hit a great shot with the outside of his right foot to curl it in past the keeper for his first Bays goal. EC Bays 1 Waiheke Utd 0. Down the other end, a clearance to outside of the box led to a shot by Amad that went well over the goal. A rare mistake by Callum saw possession lost and James headed a cross from the right behind for a corner. Waiheke mucked up their short corner routine as the ball was cleared to safety by Thomson. A Bays through ball down the middle was just too far in front of Declan & after he collided with the keeper Waiheke were awarded a free kick. Jack played in Thomson but after he made a jinking run, the ball was cleared.
Dellasala got a bit carried away and was booked for a flying arm into James’s face. From a Waiheke corner, the ball was cleared to outside the box and De Raat hit a long-range shot that went behind for second corner. From this corner, Louie saved another long range shot from Yacar at full stretch as the offside flag went up. Nicolai played in Thomson on the right but his weak shot went straight to the keeper. Mikey K played in Nicolai down the right and the keeper took his cross comfortably. Nicolai’s corner from the right hit David on the top of his head and went out on the far side. A ball forward by Waiheke found Vanina, who shot straight at Louie.
Just as Waiheke were getting back into the game, a moment of madness by Dellasala probably cost them any chance of staying in the game. Just as James was stepping out of defence, Dellasala led with his arm into James’s face and the referee had no choice but to show Dellasala his second yellow card, followed by the red card. Things became a bit feisty as a minute later K Munns was booked for a late tackle. Bays made Waiheke pay dearly. Callum’s free kick was floated to the far side, David headed the ball down and Jack hit a great left foot finish into the bottom corner. EC Bays 2 Waiheke Utd 0. Less than sixty seconds later Bays were three up when Nicolai played a delightful through ball right down the middle. Declan latched on to this, rounded the keeper & fired into the empty net. There was still time for Declan to be booked for a late tackle and for one more Bays corner just before the half time whistle.
Half time arrived and what was looking like a one-goal lead for most of the half had blown out to a three-goal lead at the break. Waiheke had certainly competed in the first half but the sending off certainly did them no favours. Bays turned the screws after the sending off and deservedly led 3-0 after the many chances they had created in that first half. The second half carried on like the end of the first. A Mikey K long throw found Declan and he appeared to be pulled down by Yacar. No penalty was given. With the wind at their backs, many long balls ended up down Nicolai’s wing for him to chase. Nicolai cut in from the right and the keeper saved his left foot shot. Bays extended their lead in the 48th minute when Declan squared a ball to the middle to David and he shot under the keeper to make it EC Bays 4 Waiheke Utd 0. A foul by Nick outside the Bays box led to a free kick that Vanina played over the wall but straight to Louie. Waiheke made a break down the right flank with De Raat crossing over Vanina at the back post. Nicolai then played in Thomson who played in David and his right foot shot went just past the back post. Moses played Nicolai through and with one of his trademark cut insides, he let fly only to see the keeper make a fine full stretch save for a corner. Callum’s corner was also punched away by the Waiheke keeper. Nicolai crossed from the right and Declan had his shot saved at point blank range.
That was Declan’s last action for the day as he and Thomson made way for Oscar & Sam in the 58th minute. Nicolai made another break down the right and Nick headed his cross straight at the goalkeeper. Waiheke made their first change in the 61st minute with De Raat being replaced by Johnson. Bays went further ahead in the 64th minute when Oscar played the ball out to Nicolai on the right. He cut inside and saw his shot saved. The rebound fell to Sam who finished well with his left peg to see the score move to EC Bays 5 Waiheke Utd 0. An excellent ball by Callum down the left flank found Sam in plenty of space and his cross went right across the face of the penalty box. Waiheke made another change in the 71st minute with Duffy replacing Epskamp. Two minutes later Bays further increased their lead when Nicolai made another break down the right, turned inside two defenders and the keeper saved his left foot drive. In an action replay the rebound fell to Nick and he tucked it home to make the score EC Bays 6 Waiheke Utd 0.
Mikey K made a break down the right and he found Oscar. Oscar crossed to the centre and unfortunately, David got his shot horribly wrong & way over. Bays then made two more changes with Bailey & Josh coming on for Moses & David in the 75th minute. Oscar made another burst forward and crossed for Nicolai to toe poke his shot that was saved at point blank range by the very busy Waiheke keeper. Oscar then turned & burst down the middle. The keeper did well to smother Oscar’s first shot and block the second shot as well. Another slick Bays move saw Sam play the ball forward to Oscar who gave it to Nicolai. Nicolai played the ball through to Josh who showed great composure to slot home past the keeper in the 83rd minute. Bays were now leading 7-0. With five minutes to go Waiheke made another change with Cisaie coming on for Vanina.
There was still enough time for Bailey to have a shot go over the crossbar and another Nicolai break led to yet another corner. Nicolai’s corner from the right was comfortably caught by the beleaguered keeper who must have been very happy to hear the final whistle go. Bays had upped the ante when they needed to just before half time and right through the second half. Final score was EC Bays 7 Waiheke Utd 0 and was thoroughly deserved by a very skilled & ruthless Bays team. Congratulations to Moses on his first Bays goal and he was deservedly named Bays player of the day. Next up is a home game next Saturday against a resurgent Tauranga City. Should be a tough battle as previous games have been.
Final Score: East Coast Bays 7 vs Waiheke united AFC 0
East Coast Bays: L Caunter, J Edgeler, C Simmonds, D Sweeney (S Wilson 58), M Akimana (B Stevenson 75), N Berry, N Gaze, M Kolston, T Nkoy (O Garcia 58), D Brown (J Coe 75), J Caunter
Waiheke Utd: S Ciganda, M Yacar, F Knight, C Amad, B De Ratt, N Vanina, J Epskamp, E Mauve, S Dellasala, K Munns, N Munns
Subs: R Johnson 61, B Duffy 71, Y Cisaie 85
EC Bays Goals: M Akimana 20, J Caunter 42, D Sweeney 43, D Brown 48, S Wilson 64, N Gaze 73, J Coe 83
Waiheke Utd Red Card: S Dellasala 40
Official Attendence: 78,952 plus Gordy Ross!!
Credit: The below photos are thanks to Peter Balck and The Image Company
