Match Report: Round 15 vs Auckland FC Reserves
Dettol Northern League Round 15 Match Report: East Coast Bays vs Auckland FC Reserves, Bay City Park, Saturday 28th June 2025.
Guy to the Rescue, very late on, for another crucial Bays win
After the very late action in the away win the previous week at Fencibles, Bays returned home to Bay City Park to take on Auckland FC Reserves under the lights on the #2 field. One change to the starting line saw Chase Taylor start and Damion Kim on the substitutes bench. Also, it was a huge welcome back to club stalwart Nicolai Berry who was FINALLY back after a long injury lay off plus illness. Nicolai was on the bench ready to FINALLY make his 100th appearance for the Bays 1st team. And it was welcome back to the club for former Bays players Nick Gaze & Codey Phoenix.
Bays played to the far end of the field in the first half and were quickly on the front foot. A ball was played down the left wing and Nathan just slightly overhit his pass too far in front of Matt. AFC also had a break down the left wing and a cross to the back post was cleared away by Nathan. From the corner Adam H headed the cross away and Bays were on for a quick break before the keeper just got to the ball in front of Matt to clear it away. A foul by Chase saw a free kick played into the middle for Nathan to head over his own goal. The corner was headed away and a long range shot sailed way over the top of the Bays goal.
James Elder made a great break down the right wing and set up Matt but unfortunately, he couldn’t keep his feet and lost the ball just inside the box. Billy played a long ball down the right wing to Matt, and he switched play to the left wing. Nathan was in plenty of space but his cross flashed right across the face of goal without getting any touch from a Bays attacker. Liam played a ball forward and after it went into the box Matt was tripped inside the box and the referee awarded Bays a penalty in the 24th minute. Our esteemed match announcer Gordy made it known very clearly that it was a deserved penalty!!! After what seemed like an age while the referee was having a word to a couple of players Jack stepped up to place his left foot shot into the far-right corner with the Auckland FC keeper diving the opposite way. After 26 minutes gone the score was East Coast Bays 1 Auckland FC Reserves 0.
Another Auckland FC break down the left wing saw a cross to the back post that was headed behind by Nathan for what seemed would be a corner. But the assistant referee flagged that the ball had crossed the back line before being crossed so a goal kick was now given. A poor pass forward from Adam H to Orlando was picked off and this led to another long range shot over the crossbar. Down the other end a corner by Orlando was headed clear and then a break down the right wing saw a shot over by Matt. A break down the left saw Nathan & Matt combine and when the ball did eventually break Orlando had a shot charged down.
Shortly after, the half time whistle went, and the score was East Coast Bays 1 Auckland FC Reserves 0. Bays held a deserved lead on slightly better chances created but in what was quite an even battle neither keeper had to make a proper save in the first half with only six shots of any note in total. The second half saw Orlando lose possession of the ball which led to a quick break away by Auckland FC. A break down the right wing saw a cross intercepted & cleared away. Nathan played a ball forward to Adam P and his right foot shot sailed high & wide of the goal. Nathan was clear away down the left wing and his cross was only just missed by James Elder who just missed a glancing header from the cross.
A free kick for a foul on Adam P saw Jack’s free kick into the middle eventually get cleared away. After 58 minutes played Bays made two changes with Cam & Damion coming on for Liam & Chase. A break down Bays left wing saw a cross come in that was taken comfortably by Louie. After 63 minutes played Auckland FC Reserves made two changes with Perez-Baldoni and Codey Phoenix coming on. O’Leary was then shown a yellow card for a tackle from behind on Matt. A cross in from Nathan was headed behind for a corner. From Orlando’s corner the combination of defence & keeper just got the ball clear just ahead of Adam H, who was looking after more goals after last week’s heroics.
Bays were looking for the second killer goal and came close when a shot on the turn by James Elder was pushed away with a smart save by the keeper. After 72 minutes Auckland FC Reserves made another change with Sykes coming on and Bays made a further two changes with Guy & Nicolai coming on for James Elder and Adam P. Nicolai was straight into the action when Matt set him up for a left foot shot that went just wide. The second goal almost materialised when Billy played a long ball forward down the right wing. Codey Phoenix tried to shield the ball for a goal kick but Cam got a toe on it and the ball headed closer to goal. Guy picked up the loose ball and after a smart turn he sent a left foot shot just wide of the goal. Nicolai then played a ball into Guy who shielded it nicely before laying it back for Orlando to shoot wide.
Bays made their last change in the 83rd minute with Moses coming on for Orlando. O’Leary was lucky not to be shown a second yellow card for another poor tackle from behind on Guy. Guy’s frustration showed as he chased back but pushed his opponent over for an Auckland FC free kick. The ball was delivered perfectly to the back post where Perez-Baldoni sent a powerful header into the far corner that Louie had little chance of saving. A very good finish indeed. After 87 minutes gone the score was now East Coast Bays 1 Auckland FC Reserves 1.
A throw in on the right-hand side from Cam to Damion saw a return pass that led to a cross that sailed over the goal for a goal kick. Billy played a reverse ball to Jack and his cross in from the left wing was headed behind by Codey. Jack’s corner was headed away with all the Bays defenders up front searching for the winner. Three minutes into injury time Bays did indeed get the winner. A break down the left saw Matt play the ball across to Damion and he threaded the ball through to Guy who was just onside. Guy took a couple of strides forward and then struck his left foot shot across the keeper into the far corner. Auckland FC kicked off and immediately the final whistle went. Final score read East Coast Bays 2 Auckland FC Reserves 1.
Credit to Auckland FC Reserves for fighting their way back into the game in the second half but credit also to the Bays players for fighting for the win at the end. The three points were crucial as Bays moved ahead of both Tauranga & Auckland Utd from 7th place on the table to 5th place. Nathan was named Bays player of the day and a big congratulations must also go to Nicolai for playing his 100th game for the Bays First team after playing game # 99 thirteen months ago. Well done, mate. There is no game next weekend because of Chatham Cup action so our next game is at home again on Saturday 12th July against Bay Olympic with a 3pm kick off. See you all then.
Final Score: East Coast Bays 2 vs Auckland FC Reserves 1
East Coast Bays: L Caunter, N Maisey, A Huskic, J Elder (N Berry 72), O Thorpe (M Akimana 83), B Jones, C Taylor (D Kim 58), A Paulsen (GFE Penda 72), L Andersen (C Brown 58), M Matanyayire, J Caunter
Auckland FC Reserves: C Ranui, R Rutherford, N Gaze, J Taylor, B Callinan, E O’Leary, S Nabenu, M D’Hotman, J Mitchell, D Naidoo, N Martin
Subs: B Perez Baldoni & C Phoenix 62, C Sykes 72
Goals: East Coast Bays: J Caunter 25 Penalty, GFE Penda 93
Auckland FC Reserves: B Perez Baldoni 87
