MENS FIRST TEAM, ROUND 7 MATCH REPORT

ECBAFC. 5.   Waitemata. 6.

Crazy, bonkers, insane, unreal - some of the words uttered at the conclusion of this game
which saw three goals scored in stoppage time.

It had all started so well, in a game that saw leading goalscorer, Dylan Stansfield out injured
and 15-year-old Freddie Martin making his debut in goal. Martin immediately showed his
credentials, pulling off a smart save to deny Oliver Moxham while at the other end, Matt
Guy saved a Nicolai Berry drive.

In the 8th minute, Bays won a corner and Kieran McMinn placed the cross in the back of the
net to give Bays the lead. This was doubled two minutes later when Declan Sweeney let go a
drive from the edge of the box which the keeper watched sail over his head into the top of
the net.

Waitemata kicked off, surged forward, found the Bays defence all over the place and Arnold
Kochasira picked his spot and it was 2-1. A forerunner of things to come?

Play settled down for the next twenty minutes, with neither side able to take control. Oscar
Garcia went on a good run but saw his effort cleared off the line, while at the other end a
good save by Martin denied Waitemata.

With 36 minutes gone, the ball was cleared from a Waitemata corner, found Miles Palmer
who went on a run and finished with a great strike into the top of the net to restore Bays
two-goal lead.

It got even better four minutes later when another Palmer drive ended up in the back of the
net to make it 4-1.

Waitemata wouldn’t lie down and an attack right on halftime saw an initial great save by
Martin, the rebound was driven goalwards, hitting Palmer on the hand. Waitemata
appealed, the referee consulted his assistant, awarding a penalty and sending Palmer off for
denying a goalscoring opportunity. Peter Norris converted from the spot and it was 4-2 at
the break.

Bays have performed well with ten men in the past and so it proved for the first 25 minutes
as they held Waitemata. However passes were going astray, the ball being given away in
both goalscoring and defensive positions and the visitors growing in confidence.
John Hight pulled one back for Waitemata in the 70th minute and five minutes later Moxham
made it 4-4 and Bays were on the ropes.

Waitemata squandered two good chances as the clock wound down and the game went
into stoppage time. A Waitemata free kick on the edge of the penalty area was blasted over
the bar, Guy denied Bays with a good save and a loose ball given away by Bays was
squandered.

Three minutes of time we're up on the clock, Waitemata were attacking and Junho Hong got
the ball struck it wide of Martin and the visitors were in the lead for the first time.
Bays kicked off, surged downfield, a cross came in from the right and the smallest player
on the field, Jayden Scott outjumped the defence to head then ball into the corner of the
net as the Bays supporters erupted.

Elation immediately turned to despair as Waitemata kicked off, took the ball deep into the
Bays defensive area and Tom Mosquera finished off to give Waitemata a 6-5 victory in the
96th minute.

An impressive debut from Freddie Martin, but again a disappointing second half in which we
were outplayed for much of the time.

Team: Martin, Simmonds, Kim, Forrester, Gaze, Palmer, Ireland (Taylor 67), Sweeney, Garcia
(Scott 59), McMinn, Berry
Goals: McMinn 8, Sweeney 10, Palmer 36, 40, Scott 94