MATCH REPORT: Round 21 vs Ellerslie
NRFL Men's First Team Round 21 Match Report – Ellerslie FC vs East Coast Bays, Michaels Avenue Reserve, Ellerslie - Saturday 27th August 2022.
Gritty win moves Bays back up into 3rd Place
East Coast Bays travelled over the bridge to take on Ellerslie in the hope of getting back on the winning trail after the disappointment of the previous week’s loss to Manurewa. Plenty of changes to the starting eleven. Mikey Williams was in goal for his first game in 4 months, with Louie on the bench. James and Mikey G started and Macca & Dan were back on the bench.
Ellerslie started off well and after only three minutes a cross in from Oostenhof was cleared to safety by Mikey K. Bays then scored with pretty much their first attack of the game. A ball from Liam found Thompson who played the ball off for Keegan to shoot right footed into the bottom right corner. Yet another early strike by Bays main marksman and it was 1-0 after only 4 minutes. Five minutes later a great diagonal ball by Logan found Liam but as he shot home he was flagged for offside. Two minutes later Mikey G had a fantastic chance to score his first of the season but he headed over from Nicolai’s great cross.
Two minutes later a break down the right by Keegan lead to a corner played in by Nicolai, that was punched clear. Logan then played in Liam but he shot wide. Nicolai then intercepted a stray pass from the Ellerslie defence & his cross was blocked for a corner. From Nicolai’s corner Liam had a free header that he put wide. Some great link up play between Nick & Callum lead to a break down the right by Mikey G. His pass lead to a shot by Nicolai that was saved low down by the Ellerslie keeper. Logan then strode forward from the back and was fouled just outside the box and then Nicolai’s free kick went well wide.
Completely against the run of play Ellerslie equalized from the penalty spot when James was adjudged to have fouled the Ellerslie player just inside the box when it looked like a shoulder to shoulder challenge. Durkin stepped up and drilled the penalty past Mikey W low down into the corner to make the score 1-1. Two minutes later Mikey G fouled an Ellerslie player with a push in the back and was shown a yellow card for dissent. Luckily nothing eventuated from the free kick. Ellerslie now had their heads up and Kessell played in Corbett, who turned & shot over.
Bays should have doubled their tally when Keegan was fouled out wide on the right hand side. Callum’s free kick was headed behind for a corner and from that Logan had a free header at the back post that went wide. Nicolai then made a run from the right flank to the centre where Nick had a left footer go across the face of the goal. At the other end a poor defensive header found Corbett who shot straight at Mikey W. Just on half time a cross from Mikey G on the right was cleared for a corner. Callum’s corner reached the centre but the referee blew for a foul by James. The half time whistle went with the sides tied at 1-1. Bays had many changes in the first half but were a bit wasteful in front of goal.
Bays made a change at half time with Dan Morgan coming on for Mikey G. For some reason Ellerslie’s players were very late coming out of the changing sheds so the second half started very late. Ellerslie made a break down the right, a cross came in, and Durkin shot over. Nicolai then played a ball in and after being cleared by the defence Callum was in space but shot high, wide & handsome!!!! Corbett was then booked for a late tackle from behind on Keegan. Nicolai then played in a great ball that was cleared right under the crossbar. Bays then turned up the tempo with shots by Nicolai, Liam & Keegan all blocked.
Bays were almost their own worst enemy when a ball played down the middle for Corbett caused confusion in the defence. A poor clearing header was pounced on by Corbett but Mikey W saved well. After 64 minutes Bays made their second change with Oscar coming on for Thompson, who had taken a slight knock. Ellerslie made two changes with McBride & Morrow coming on for Rezaie & Oostenhof. Ellerslie then put in a cross that was put behind by James. The corner was cleared as far as Corbett who shot wide.
Just when it looked like Ellerslie were getting back into the game Bays made a fast break down the right hand side. Oscar played the ball forward to Nicolai, who turned inside his defender, and floated a perfect cross to the back post for Captain Liam to head home for 2-1 to Bays. Corbett then had another shot go wide (one of many for the afternoon) and Dan had a left foot shot saved at his feet by the Ellerslie keeper. Morrow was then yellow carded for a late tackle on Dan. In the 78th minute Bays brought on Daewook for James and the Macca attacker for Nick. Bays were then almost guilty of some sloppy defending with Daewook losing the ball before Mikey K put the ball out for a corner under pressure from Morrow.
In the 82nd minute Bays made another quick break down the right hand flank. Callum played the ball down the line to Oscar, who travelled forward, before launching another excellent cross to the back post for Dan to head home for 3-1 to Bays. Oscar then made another fast break down the right and his pass found Dan. His shot was blocked for a corner and from that Daewook was called for a pushing foul. Ellerslie should have scored their second when a ball right down the middle found Corbett who shot right across the goalmouth & wide again. At the other end a Nicolai cross found Dan who headed on to Keegan who headed on to the post. Nicolai then had a long range drive comfortably saved by the keeper.
Shortly after, the final whistle went and Bays had ground out a hard fought 3-1 win to go back up to 3rd in the table. It was a good response by the lads with the positive play & result after last week’s major disappointment. But at times the lads made it hard going for us supporters watching. A number of chances were wasted & some pretty crazy defending at times. But the result was what mattered the most. Callum was named Bays player of the day and an honorable mention must go to Gisbo who wasn’t the one who didn’t have the key to the changing rooms at the end of the match!!! Not a single Shape to be heard most of the day from Louie !!! but we tried to make up for that from the sideline. Next week it is the last game of the season as Bays travel to McFetridge Park to take on local rivals Northern Rovers and hopefully a positive finish to the season.
Final Score: Ellerslie 1 vs East Coast Bays 3
Line Ups: Ellerslie FC: K Hansen, J Bresler, C Kessell, A Scott, T Durkin, P Gray, J Rathbone, S Poleman, R Corbett, S Rezaie (R Morrow 64), J Oostenhof (A McBride 64)
East Coast Bays: M Williams, J Edgeler (D W Kim 78), K Kelly, C Simmonds, N Berry, N Gaze (J McKeown 78), M Kolston, T Nkoy (O Garcia 64), L Andersen, M Gaze (D Morgan 46), L Archer
Scorers: Ellerslie FC: T Durkin 33pen
East Coast Bays: K Kelly 4, L Andersen 68, D Morgan 82
Official attendance: 18,002