Match Report: Round 09 vs Auckland United
Northern League Round 09 Match Report: Auckland Utd vs East Coast Bays, Keith Hay Park, Mt Roskill, Saturday 11th May 2024.
Missed chances costly, in a game of minimal chances, leading to a disappointing Bays loss
After a tough loss at home to Auckland City the previous weekend Bays travelled over to Mt Roskill to take on Auckland Utd at Keith Hay Park. The Bays starting 11 was the same as the previous week with just some changes to this week’s substitutes. Congratulations to James Edgeler on starting his 50th game for the EC Bays senior team.
Utd started off the brighter with a long ball forward to Tollervey, but he was flagged for offside. A nice move by Bays saw Malcolm back heel the ball to Guy who played it on to Moses. He sent it wide right, but Thomson put in a poor cross that went behind. A long throw by Jack was headed out to Ryusei who gave it back to Jack. His cross was blocked for a corner. A fast break by Bays saw Guy have a shot that was deflected into the keeper’s path. Utd resorted to a number of long balls over the top. One of these cleared Billy’s shoulder with Middleton racing away before his cross into the centre was cleared away. Former Bays player Codey Phoenix then tried a shot from distance that went straight to Louie. Jack played Malcolm down the left wing. He found Ryusei and his cross was cleared for a corner. A short corner routine didn’t work that well and led to a weak shot.
Against the run of play Utd opened the scoring when a long ball down the left wing found Fay. He turned inside one of the Bays defenders and unleased a powerful right foot shot into the far corner well out of the reach of Louie. A very good finish and the score read Auckland Utd 1 EC Bays 0 in the 22nd minute. Utd followed this up when Wallace sent in a cross and a glancing header by Tollervey went straight to Louie. Down the other end a Bays free kick saw Callum’s cross into the centre taken comfortably by the Utd keeper. Bays were lucky not to go two down when a corner was missed at the back post and a shot was cleared off the line. Wallace was fouled by Malcolm and the free kick by Middleton was headed away from danger by Billy.
Down the other end a Bays corner was headed goal wards by James and acrobatically palmed over the goal. After 38 minutes Tollervey was injured & could not continue so he was replaced by Singh. Moses & Thomson combined well down the right-hand flank which led to a Bays corner. Jack sent this to the back post and it was punched clear. Another foul by Malcolm on Wallace led to another free kick that Wallace sent way over the goal. Ryusei was shown a yellow card for a foul on Middleton as things were getting a bit feisty just before half time. Wallace took the free kick and his cross to the back post was headed way over by Fay. The half time whistle went and Auckland Utd were leading East Coast Bays 1-0.
The second half was only two minutes old when a ball down the Bays right found Atkinson. He jinked one way and then the other before being tripped by Jack. The referee rightly awarded a penalty. Takahashi stepped forward to roll the ball into the right-hand bottom corner with Louie diving the opposite way. The score was now Auckland Utd 2 East Coast Bays 0. Things carried on heating up. Nick was trying to play out of defence when he was tackled from behind by Wallace with a dreadful foul. Wallace was rightfully shown a yellow card. James played a great ball forward and Malcolm put in a great cross. But unfortunately, Thomson headed wide a fairly straight forward chance. Utd captain Mogg was then shown a yellow card for back chatting the referee.
Jack launched another long throw into the box and this was volleyed over the goal by Ryusei. Bays then had a quick break down the right wing. Moses played the ball to the back post and after a goalmouth scramble the ball rolled to Thomson who missed a sitter when his left foot shot went wide of the open goal. After 65 minutes Bays made three changes with Sam, Hayat & Mikey K coming on for Moses, Thomson & James. Another cross into the Utd penalty area by Mikey K was headed outside the box and Callum tried the spectacular with a half volley that went over. Next up a Bays free kick by Callum found Jack but his firm header was directed straight at the keeper.
Utd had a quick break downfield of their own with Middleton sending Atkinson away, but his wild shot sailed way over the crossbar. Phoenix was robbed of possession by Hayat, but his cross went straight to the keeper. Another Bays free kick by Callum saw a downward header by Jack but the Utd keeper did well to get down to it and push the ball away to safety. Utd made two changes in the 77th minute with Beale & Chung replacing Middleton & Fay. Four minutes later Bays made two more changes with Peter & HS Chang coming on for Malcolm & Ryusei.
Bays upped the tempo with being two goals down. Another break down the right saw Hayat set Guy away but his cross from the by-line into the middle was easily cleared away. Utd made one more change in the 85th minute with Brown replacing Atkinson. Guy got down the left wing and just as he was about to pull the trigger there was a great covering tackle by Mogg. Hayat was away again down the right wing and his cross was headed behind for a corner. Jacks’ inswinger just about sailed in but was pushed over the bar by the Utd keeper. Unfortunately, the second corner sailed out of play at the back post. A break away by Singh looked like Bays were in trouble before he was dispossessed of the ball by Callum. One more cross was pumped into the Utd penalty area but like many before it was comfortably taken by the keeper.
The final whistle went and Bays had lost this game 2-0 to Auckland Utd. In a game of not that many clear-cut chances Utd took theirs whereas Bays were not clinical in front of goal & missed some pretty straight forward chances. A disappointing final result but a very good second half attacking for most of those 45 minutes. For Utd, Aizu was their player of the day while Billy was Bays player of the day. Another away game beckons this Saturday when Bays travel to West Auckland to take on West Coast Rangers at Fred Taylor Park, with a 3pm kick off. This is almost a must win game for Bays so it will be an interesting watch. See you there.
Final Score: Auckland united 2 vs East Coast Bays 0
Auckland Utd: N Garrow, B Curry, K Mogg, D Atkinson (B Brown 85), J Tollervey (I Singh 38), O Fay (Z Chung 77), Y Aizu, C Phoenix, O Middleton (C Beale 77), B Wallace, H Takahashi
East Coast Bays: L Caunter, J Edgeler (S Wilson 65), R Ishibashi (M Kolston 65), C Simmonds, M Akimana (P Harrison 81), N Gaze, T Nkoy (H Ali Tobita 65), M Young (HS Chang 81), J Caunter, B Jones, G Essome Penda
Goals: Auckland Utd: O Fay 22, H Takahashi 47 penalty