Match Report: Round 09 vs Manurewa AFC
Dettol Northern League Round 09 Match Report: East Coast Bays vs Manurewa, Bay City Park, Saturday 10th May 2025.
First Home Win of the Season was a narrow win but brought home a vital three points
Bays returned home after back-to-back away games and the huge win down in Tauranga last weekend. One change to the side saw Matt return to the starting 11 and Ryusei drop out of the squad. Devin also returned from injury to take his place on the substitutes bench.
In the opening couple of minutes Bays were sloppy in giving the ball away cheaply. From the second one of these the ball was lost just outside of the box and Mandizvidza shot straight at Louie. Good link up play between Damion & James Elder saw James burst forward and his shot was blocked for a corner. Orlando’s corner was punched away by the Rewa keeper and from just outside the box Damion saw his shot blocked. From the rebound a wild sliced shot from Jack went well wide. Guy played a great switch ball from the right wing to Liam on the left wing and his cross right across the goal face just failed to be touched in by Matt. A long ball forward saw James Elder away again and in the one-on-one situation James tried to bluff the keeper by shooting across him. But the keeper guessed correctly and made the save to thwart James.
Bays made the breakthrough in the 12th minute when some excellent team play between a number of players saw an excellent ball through by Liam to Orlando on the charge forward. Orlando dummied the keeper and sent his left foot shot under the keeper at the near post. After only 12 minutes the score read EC Bays 1 Manurewa 0. Bays should have doubled their lead two minutes later when Billy sent Guy down the right wing and his cross into the middle was sliced wide by Orlando. Bays had complete dominance of the game at this stage of the game but from time to time there was still a bit of a wake-up call when caught on the break. Manizvidza burst forward and his right foot shot only just fizzed past the right-hand post of Louie’s goal.
Jack then played a long ball forward to James Elder and he tried to play Orlando through again. But the ball was just a fraction too far forward ahead of Lando. A long throw down the left wing saw James Elder away again and he set up Matt, but his shot lacked power and went straight to the keeper. Guy then made another run down the right wing, but his cross was way too long over the Bays players in the middle. James picked up the ball, turned his defender and sent a right foot shot wide. Guy was then shown a yellow card for a follow through foul. James made another burst forward and went down in the box. Instead of a penalty James was shown a yellow card for diving/simulation.
Bays then had a very lucky escape when Guy lost his man. Laing-McConnell got away to the by-line and laid the ball back for Mandizvidza to power a shot at goal. Louie was completely beaten but the ball crashed into the underside of the crossbar and bounced clear to safety. Liam went a great run forward from his wingback position but just lost control of the ball just before shooting. James Elder was then away again when he was held back by his shirt. Orlando’s free kick to the back post was cleared for a second corner. Orlando’s next corner found Jack at the back post but not enough power with the header and straight at the Rewa keeper.
James Elder was a constant threat to the Manurewa defence. He went on another mazy run and beat a number of defenders before having the ball taken off him just before shooting. Billy won yet another duel in midfield and the ball found it’s way to the right wing. Matt’s cross into the middle was low and wasn’t initially cut out so James wasn’t expecting it at the back post. The half time whistle went, and the score was EC Bays 1 Manurewa 0. Bays were good value for their lead at halftime and probably should have been two or three up but had to be wary of Manurewa’s quick breaks.
The second half started off like the first half with a ball given away down the left wing, but the cross in was eventually cleared at the second attempt. Adam gave away a free kick just outside the box but luckily the cross in was cleared to safety. Manizvidza made a fast break down the left wing. He found Laing-McConnell who set up Paez for a shot that was blocked. Down the other end of the field Liam played in James Elder and he set up Guy for a right foot shot that went well wide. Another ball down the Bays left wing saw Manizvidza cross in and Adam was forced to concede a corner.
Bays made two changes in the 68th minute with Jack Young coming on for James Edgeler and Devin coming on for Matt. With two defenders on Guy was pushed up front. Adam was robbed of the ball just outside the box and Dougherty shot wildly over the crossbar. Yugov came on for Manurewa in the 74th minute and Rewa made a second change near the end with Alhamden coming on. Bays made two changes at the end with Nathan & Peter coming on in the 88th Minute.
My apologies, as I had to leave the game with 15 minutes to go so no notes for the last part of the game. But a great final result and a vital three points to keep away from the bottom group on the table. Final score read EC Bays 1 Manurewa 0. Next up for Bays is another home game at Bay City Park against Auckland City with a 5.30pm kick off on the bottom pitch under the floodlights.
Final Score: East Coast Bays 1 vs Manurewa 0
East Coast Bays: L Caunter, J Edgeler, A Huskic, J Elder, O Thorpe, D Kim, GFE Penda, B Jones, L Andersen, M Matanyayire, J Caunter
Subs: J Young & D Slingsby 68, N Maisey & P Harrison 88
Manurewa: V Patkevych, N Blassou, E Rahimi, E Paez, K Mandizvidza, A Zara, D Laing-McConnell, C Rodriguez, S Rezaie, J Singh, R Dougherty
Subs: S Yougov 74, Y Alhamden 88
Goals: EC Bays: O Thorpe 12
Unofficial attendance: 48,753