MATCH REPORT: Round 2 vs Mt Albert Ponsonby
Todays match report comes from ECB's roving match reporter Ian Overton – East Coast Bays vs Mt Albert Ponsonby, Saturday 2nd April 2022.
Final Score: East Coast Bays 3 vs Mt Albert Ponsonby 3
A highly entertaining high scoring draw.
Match day two saw a number of changes in the EC Bays line up with James Edgeler in for Logan Archer, who is out injured for 10-12 weeks, Declan Sweeney in for the suspended Daewook and Oscar Garcia starting in place of Ryan Singh. And a return to the bench of former sharpshooter Judd Baker.
Bays attacked from the offset and after 5 minutes a through ball by Callum found Liam, but the ball bobbled before Liam could shoot. A minute later MAP’s H Streamer had a shot that was comfortably saved by Louie. Three minutes later Zane had a shot blocked for a corner. Nicolai was next up to have a shot comfortably saved. Keegan then received a ball in the box, twisted & turned but the ball was hacked away. At the other end, a MAP long throw was headed away by James for a corner. The corner was played to the back post & saved by Louie. 4 Minutes later a great run down the right by Oscar led to a cross but Keegan lost the ball. MAP’s turn next as a cross by S Gilbert was cleared behind for another corner. Another break by Oscar led to a cross by Nicolai that was headed over by Liam.
The breakthrough came a minute later when a poor pass across field went straight to Nicolai whose right foot shot went under the keeper for 1-0 to Bays. 5 minutes later a cross from Keegan led to a shot wide of the far post by Oscar. Bays were almost caught out 2 minutes later when a long ball down the left was met by Billings and was lobbed over the Bays goal. A left footed curling shot by Hindson was saved and another shot by Jared Colligan was wide. A cross by Liam to the back post was dropped by the MAP keeper but was safely cleared by the defence. MAP replaced right back S Gilbert after 37 minutes with R Garcia after he was given a bit of a torrid time by Liam. Another break down the right by Nicolai led to another shot over the goal by Liam. Two minutes before half time Oscar intercepted a stray pass, turned inside & was held back by L Smith who was yellow carded. Just on half time a free kick from Nicolai sailed well over the goal.
For all their possession and shots Bays should have been 3 or 4 up but the half time scored only read EC Bays 1 Mt Albert Ponsonby 0. The second half started off the same as the first with Liam breaking down the left wing and his cross was blocked for a corner that was cleared. Another break down the left saw the ball missed by a MAP defender, But Nicolai shot past the right-hand post. At the other end, a long field ball was headed behind for a corner by Liam. The corner was played to the back post where it was headed wide by Billings. Another run & cross by Oscar was once again headed over by Liam. After 59 minutes MAP replaced Billings with Tom Picken. Two minutes later Bays replaced Zane & Liam with Ryan Singh & the Macca Attacker. Another free kick was cleared for a corner and that was headed over by Bailey.
Against the run of play MAP equalized in the 72nd minute when the first shot was blocked the ball fell to Nick Hindson whose left foot drive sailed past Louie for 1-1. Two minutes late MAP were in front when a through ball was sent through the Bays defence. Two players both collided going for the same ball and the ball ended up with Tom Picken whose right foot shot ended up in the bottom corner for 1-2. Immediately after this Mikey Kolston was replaced by Judd Baker. MAP then had a free kick that was headed away by Macca. Streamer was then booked for a forearm smash into Oscar. A Nicolai free kick was headed away for a corner, but the corner was cleared by the MAP defence. Nicolai went on one of his mazy runs beating 4 or 5 defenders before being crowded out just outside the box. With 5 minutes to go another Bays corner was cleared out to James whose shot ricocheted off a MAP defender. Another free kick and Nicolai looked like he was fouled in the box. No Penalty. Then with a minute to go a break down the left by Judd led to a cross to the middle that was powered home by Keegan for 2-2.
Surely that was it but a minute into injury time MAP were awarded a free kick ten yards outside the Bays box but directly straight out from the goal. Up stepped Jared Colligan to hit a shot that took a deflection off the outside of the ball and went under Louie & into the bottom corner. MAP now led 3-2 with a couple minutes of injury time left. Could Bays salvage a draw. The answer was yes when in the fourth minute of stoppage time another break down the left led to another cross. Keegan’s original shot was saved by the keeper, but the rebound fell nicely for Judd to tuck home into the bottom corner for 3-3. Shortly after the final whistle went and a number of Bays supporters were mightily relieved with the draw. What a final 20 minutes of non-stop action.
So, a deserved draw even though with all the first half chances Bays should have won the game. But credit to an incredibly young side who battled right through the game and fought back so well from being behind twice. Callum was Man of the Match. Next up it is our first away game out west against West Coast Rangers.
Line Ups: EC Bays: L Caunter, B Stevenson, J Edgeler, M Kolston ( J Baker 76) , C Simmonds, Z Olla (R Singh 61), D Sweeney, L Anderson (J McKeown 61), N Berry, K Kelly, O Garcia
Mt Albert Ponsonby: L Smith, A Martin, J Moody, B Billings (T Picken 59), H Streamer, N Hindson, J Cantle, M Gurney, S Gilbert (R Garcia 37), L Black, J Colligan
Scorers: EC Bays: N Berry 23, K Kelly 89, J Baker 94
Mt Albert Ponsonby: N Hindson 72, T Picken 74, J Colligan