MATCH REPORT: Round 06 vs Tauranga City AFC
NRFL Men's First Team Round 06 Match Report: East Coast Bays vs Tauranga City, Bay City Park, Saturday 22nd April 2023.
One Moment of Second Half Magic Settles Very Tight Battle
EC Bays played back-to-back home games with the visit of Tauranga City. In the much-anticipated clash, it was first vs fourth in the table. Only one change to the starting line up with Sam Wilson replacing Mikey Kolston but great to see Dylan Stansfield, Liam Andersen & Leo take their places on the bench after returning from injury.
Tauranga started very quickly, First up from a corner, Brennan headed over. Then a through ball down the middle was cleared against Bidois by James. Then a fast break down the right saw a cross cut out by Louie. Bays slowly came back into the game. Good play between David & Nicolai saw a cross cut out for a Bays corner. The corner found Sam at the back post who played in James who had a close range shot saved. Nicolai made a break down the right, turned inside and his cross was just out of reach of both Sam & David at the back post. Tauranga were then awarded a free kick on the right side after Jack was called for handball in blocking a cross. A Bays ball across the middle found Declan who had his shot blocked and the follow up shot by Nicolai was blocked for a corner. From Nicolai’s corner, Declan turned in the box and his shot ricocheted off a defender. Nicolai then beat Rostron & Davidson before his cross was blocked for another Bays corner.
Tauranga were forced to make a change as early as the 22nd minute when Routledge replaced injured captain Grieve. With Bays on the attack, there was a foul on David that was not called and Tauranga broke quickly down the other end leading to a shot from Brennan. Great team play by Bays saw Declan through on the left hand side but instead of shooting, he crossed into the middle where the ball was cleared. Another quick break by Brennan led to Bidois going down the middle and Louie made a great save low down from the powerful shot. Another Tauranga break saw Molloy down the left before playing in Rostron who cut in and had his shot blocked.
Down the other end, Nicolai made a break down the right but his cross sailed over Sam at the back post. Then the Tauranga defence lost the ball leading to Declan having a long range shot go straight to the keeper. A foul on David led to Callum’s free kick being played in before being cleared away. A foul by Davidson on Nicolai led to another free kick that sailed over everyone at the back post. Tauranga almost scored just before half time when a throw in on the right hand side found Fisher-Vanderveen, who squared the ball to Molloy. He turned and hooked a left foot rocket just over the top of Louie’s goal.
The half time whistle went and the half time score was East Coast Bays 0 Tauranga City 0. It had been a highly entertaining first half despite the lack of goals in a great battle between two very attacking teams. Tauranga were very impressive with their quick transition from defence to attack. Early in the second half, Nick was shown a yellow card for a bad, late tackle. Then a few minutes later the moment of controversy came when Moses lost the ball and with Rostron through Moses pulled him back. Moses was shown a yellow card when he could have easily been shown a red card instead. From the free kick, Molloy played the ball in and it was headed wide for a goal kick.
Bays reacted to the two quick yellow cards as both Moses & Nick were substituted in the 52nd minute with Leo and Dylan coming on to replace them. Dylan was straight into the action when a free kick just about found him in on the keeper. Tauranga were still good on the break. Brennan crossed for Rostron who shot over the goal. O’Donoghue then broke down the right and Jack sliced Brennan’s cross across the goal. The loose ball was headed forward & tipped on to the crossbar by Louie before the offside flag went up. The decisive moment of the game came in the 60th minute when Dylan played a one two with David and the return ball found Dylan in the box in space. He placed his right foot shot under the advancing keeper to make the score EC Bays 1 Tauranga 0.
Rostron played a great ball over the Bays defence but it was just too far in front of Bidois and Louie safely collected it. Dylan played the ball down the right to Nicolai and his right foot cross landed on top of the crossbar with the aid of a swirling wind. Jack then played in Dylan on the left but he mishit his shot. Dylan then had a left footed drive deflected by a defender for a Bays corner. Nicolai’s corner from the right eventually found James who shinned his shot over. Bays made a further change in the 69th minute with Liam replacing Sam on the left hand side. A minute later Tauranga made a change with Wellsbury replacing Reid. Routledge was then booked for a studs up challenge on Thomson. Bays then had a corner from the left taken by Callum and headed over by Dylan.
Tauranga made a further change in the 75th minute when McMullan replaced the earlier substitute Routledge, because of injury. Brennan then had another shot saved by Louie before the offside flag was raised again. Liam made one of his trademark runs down the left; played a one two with Dylan, and his left foot shot was saved by the keeper. Tauranga played the ball in from the right and Louie was brave as he cleared at the feet of Molloy for a corner. The corner from the left was a shocker as the wind got hold of it and put it out for a goal kick. Jack made a break down the left and his cross was met by Dylan who headed sideways past the post.
Bays were unlucky not to make it 2-0 when Nicolai let fly with a left footer. A defender deflected the shot and the Tauranga keeper did well to save with his outstretched feet. Callum then had a long range shot saved low down by the Tauranga keeper. Not long, after this, the full time whistle went and EC Bays had won a very tough tussle 1-0 against a very good Tauranga side. This made it six wins from six and Bays remain Top of the Table with maximum points. In a game that was decided by one piece of class finishing, it was no surprise that both goalkeepers were awarded the players of the day by their coaches. Next week it is a trip to Devonport to take on local rivals North Shore at Allen Hill Stadium. See you all there.
Final Score: East Coast Bays 1 vs Tauranga City AFC 0
East Coast Bays: L Caunter, J Edgeler, S Wilson (L Andersen 69), C Simmonds, D Sweeney, M Akimana (T Kim 52), N Berry, N Gaze (D Stansfield 52), T Nkoy, D Brown, J Caunter
Tauranga City: C Glover, C Higgins, C Grieve (J Routledge 22, J McMullan 75), L Reid (M Wellsbury 70), J Bidois, L Molloy, B Fisher-Vanderveen, C Brennan, N Rostron, E O’Donoghue, A Davidson
EC Bays Goal: D Stansfield 60
Offical Attendance: 42,108 plus Gordy Ross