Lights go out on Cup charge

Wellington United Salmon 1- Petone For Sure 3
(Half time 0-2)
Wakefield Park #1

Scorer: Craig

MOM points
Kahu Kirikiri- 3 pts
Richard Hallam - 2 pts
Simon Healy 1 pt

Match report by Mr J. Dow

LIGHTS GO OUT ON SALMON CUP CHARGE

The sometimes mighty Salmon faced the Petone For Sure team in a must win Cup match at the salubrious Wakefield Park under lights on a still crisp Monday night.

The Petone team turned up early looking keen and eager and with a large squad determined to get the win which would push them in to a coveted Cup Final appearance, whilst the Salmon looked confident and relaxed pre match.

The Salmon started the match bright and urgent and initially looked the more likely team with the good playing surface conducive to moving the ball accurately and at pace causing Petone some early problems.

However, when a Salmon goalkick landed near the half way line and no one challenged for the ball a Petone fullback hoofed the ball forward and a clever flick on from their striker was suddenly heading for the back of the net for a lucky opening goal. Petone 1-0.

Petone had got the advantage and their confidence suddenly grew, their midfield battled hard, defenders took no prisoners and a couple of awkward but committed strikers were able to hold on to the ball and cause the Salmon defence a series of problems whenever they got the ball.

The Salmon pushed forward looking for the equilizer, Squirt was getting time on the ball in the middle of the park and was able to make a few runs forward, including unleashing a few long range efforts goalwards but off target.

Captain Craig was busily putting pressure on the Petone defenders and their keeper was looking a bit shaky, he was then injured going for a through ball and substituted off.

A tantalising Simon freekick found its way into the area and Captain Craig was clean through for what looked like a certain goal, but the bounce and speed of the ball saw him nudge it over the bar with the goalie completely beaten.

Wazza and Jeremy were working hard to get some ascendancy in the middle of the park with Kahu pushing forward to add support and Simon was constantly under pressure from their large and physical strikers, but keeping them at bay.

Richard H. and James had players running at them down the wings but generally held their own and broke up play before it became a real problem.

Fulton was getting some space on the right wing and on occassions got in behind the fullback and stretched the Petone defence.

The play was often going Petone’s way, aided by some strange refereeing decisions. A dubious foul throw against John D., a freekick against Squirt as he battled to win a corner and then a serious oversight when Captain Craig broke clear and was heading for goal only to be stopped for an “offside” which it clearly wasn’t.

Danny and Dave entered the fray out on the flanks and the Salmon continued to push forward. Dave covering huge amounts of ground with real purpose and urgency. Danny showed his ball playing ability and game awareness to find plenty of quality space which he exploited superbly.

Time and again Danny took players on and made progress, delivering passes at the end of a run that asked serious questions of Petone’s defenders, however despite forcing a couple of corners and freekicks, including one when Captain Craig was chopped on the edge of the box, the Salmon were simply not creating clear scoring opportunities and Petone kept hoofing the ball away up field.

Football can be a cruel mistress and Petone were relishing things going their way when a slow and indecisive clearance from the Salmon defence gifted them their second goal. Petone 2-0.

With their confidence boosted again, Petone laid siege to the Salmon goal, forcing corners, hitting the post twice, as well as forcing Richie Hallam to clear off the line, and generally making Richard Martin work overtime pulling off saves but failing to net a decisive third goal before the half time whistle.

Down 2-0 at the break, the Salmon had some hard work ahead of them to get back into the game.

Petone had their tails up and sensed a win was on offer, when a probing run down their left flank saw their winger clear in behind and a good cut back produced a shot that gave Richard in goal no chance. Petone 3-0 and was the Salmon dream over ?

With nothing to lose the Salmon lifted their intensity and urgency.

Danny kept making dangerous marauding runs forward, Squirt after some time on the bench reasserted himself and Captain Craig with some help from Fulton was pushing the Petone defence hard and gaps were starting to show.

Ashby, fresh from his Asian sojourn, had plenty of legs in the midfield to complement the industrious Jeremy and the Salmon were looking more dangerous and still in the game.

Kahu with an eye for the attacking option knocked a long ball into the path of Captain Craig, who with an excellent turn of pace out stripped the fullback, got himself into an excellent scoring position and duly converted the goal. Salmon 3-1 down but the dream was alive.

Suddenly the game was all on and when Wazza re emerged from the sidelines his swashbuckling style put Petone’s midfield under real pressure and Salmon were winning plenty of the ball and getting forward with a new found enthusiasm.

Richard in goal was directing the traffic at the back with confidence and purpose and with Simon as solid as ever the defensive platform was set for a late surge home and the Salmon went after the game.

Captain Craig knocked a ball through for John D. and the subsequent cut back didn’t produce the shot on target it should have. Craig then went through himself and got pushed wide before his cross/shot flew across the goalmouth and away to safety. John D. clipped a ball over the defence into space in the penalty area which neither Craig or Danny could just quite reach when a goal beckoned.

Still the Salmon battled hard to score again whilst Petone looked to break quickly but to no avail as the Salmon defence held firm.

Then with 5 minutes still on the clock, the lights and the Salmon’s brave Cup run with them, were extinguished.

As darkness descended on Wakefield Park and the reality of what was happening set in, Captain Craig with heavy heart and in deep distress made the honourable decision to concede the game, result and the Salmon’s victorious march to the 2011 Cup Final was well and truly over.

As the shell shocked Salmon troops traipsed off the park, Petone celebrated their team’s greatest achievement to date.

However, all was not lost, as the Salmon players were treated to some outstandingly high quality Beer in the changing rooms, courtesy of Steve Jessup and after some Moa Ale and Emerson Pilsener, it was widely agreed that life wasn’t so bad afterall, and on another day with a kinder and more sympathetic bounce of the ball, it could easily have been the occasionally mighty Salmon who would be preparing for a Cup Final appearance next week.