Wellington United Salmon 3- University Unicorns 9

Wellington United Salmon 3- University Unicorns 9

Half time (0-4)

Melrose

Scorers

Craig (2)

Danny

MOM

Lane Nichols (3pts)

Michael Ashby (2pts)

Stephen Jessup (1pt)


Salmon turned up for round two on a grassy Melrose with many of the lads who drew with JJs away, meaning we had to call on Danny for a hand and had a very light subs bench, with Stephen Jessup taking the Whistle in the first half to warm up.


We managed to compete for a good 30 minutes or so, and only conceded after Adam misread a bouncing ball, letting it land at their striker’s feet. He duly dispatched it for 1-0.


There it stayed for a long while, and although we attacked down the right through Steve Westcott and the left through Ashby we didn’t manage a single shot all half. Uni on the other hand started to find a passing groove and scored three quick goals before the break to effectively kill of the tie; this was doubly the case as Salmon spirits were flagging and without a single shot it looked unlikely we’d come back.


The half time talk was all about forgetting the score line and getting stuck in and enjoying the game. It seemed to work, since within 5 minutes of the restart, we had mustered 3 chances.


All this was undone by a combination of the defence standing off to let their strikers run with the ball and their strikers having an unnerving ability to find the net. Three more quick goals had the Salmon reeling at 7-0.


That’s when the famed, but oft unseen, Salmon fighting spirit kicked in. The midfield started to gel, with Lane, Steve W and Danny all finding each other’s feet. A quick ball to Craig’s feet had him turn in the box and find the lower left corner for 7-1- an unlikely comeback perhaps? Craig soon enough hit the bar again and Danny was pinging range finders on target but within reach of their keeper.


Not to be, two more goals from their lot had us staring down the barrel of our fourth double figure hiding. This seemed inevitable when their ref awarded a 50-50 hand ball penalty, after some heated discussion their striker fluffed the chance, hitting the bar. This seemed to spark the salmon back to life. Danny was set free and slotted home past the keeper, before the Salmon finished the game with a goal fo real quality. Jessup started the move from right back, passing to a deep lying Craig who found Danny; Fulton and Ashby drew their defenders wide with good runs and Danny and Steve wall-passed into range before Steve rolled the ball into the Skippers path for a 20 yard screamer.


It was justly deserved and showed what we are capable of with a bit of wit and polish. Although the score sheet makes for sad reading those that were there were buoyed by the fight back.


Three MOM points to Lane who out himself about and battled for the 80 minutes he played, 2 points for Ashby who created plenty of chances. 1 point to Steve who reffed well and then showed plenty of positive attitude at right back in the 2nd half.


With a quick turn around against fellow cellar dwellers BNU this Wednesday we have to put the negatives out of mind and pick up the positives.

The Season kicks off- WU Salmon vs. Island Bay JJs

The 2012 season kicked off last night with the newly relegated Salmon debuting in Div 10 against the nomadic JJ's of Island Bay, formerly of Petone. Some new faces were joined by some old with the return of Tom Murphy to add steel to the defence.

Salmon had the better running of the first half but the skipper squandered three good chanes to score to leave it 0-0 at the break. New recruit Steve Westcott, formerly of Upper Hutt, scored a cracking solo goal from midfield, before JJ's big timber pulled one back from a pinpoint corner- there it ended 1-1, a good resuly and more a point earned in the end rather than 3 pts lost, as Richard Martin was the busier of the two keepers with many fine saves.

Island Bay JJ's 1- WU Salmon 1
Wakefield Park #1
(Half time 0-0)
Scorer: Steve Westcott
MOM: Steve Westcott (3pts)
Richard Martin (2pts)
Tom Murphy (1pt)

WU Salmon 4- WU Tuatara 5

Our last pre-season hit out was a narrow loss to the Masters 4 side. We now haven't won a preseason match in about 4 years!

Good news is Michael Ashby got on the scoresheet (finally!) with 2- Craig got the other 2.

First game for 2012

Salmon go down 4-1 against Elite in a pre-season friendly. Lots of positive signs-three new young 'uns and the return of Adam 'Manta' Ray.

Monkeys win Summer Football comp

Please don't feed the Monkeys, a team made up of current and ex-Salmon, led by the Orange Roughy Johnny Sneyd, won their first ever Twilight Footie cup, with an 8 match unbeaten run to final including a 5-0 win over the hapless Marist Skins (The team which failed to score against the Salmon in three times of trying in 2009!)

Well done Monkeys and thanks to Johnny

Wgtn Utd AGM 2011

Wgtn Utd AGM
Newtown Park Clubrooms
Wednesday 16 November
7-9pm

Usually ends with a cold lager or two and a pack of crisps

Be there or don't be a Diamond...

Salmon 2011 Season Wrap & Awards

Wgtn Utd Salmon 2011
League Placing= 7th/8, on goal difference, equal 6th/8 on points
Cup Placing= 6th

Player of the Season
Simon Healy- A consistently solid performer

Runner up=Jeremy Norman

Spirit of the Salmon
Warrick Jackson-Two goals and full of passion

Runners up= Craig Ireson/Richard Hallam

Fresh Fish- Best newcomer
Richard Martin- Great athleticism and organising, clever distribution

Runner up= Matthew Fulton

2011 Inductee into Order of the salmon- aka Life Membership:
Warrick Jackson

Who now joins:
Nic Preddle (2007)
Craig Ireson (2008)
Kahu Kirikiri (2009)
Adam Holloway (2010)

Golden Boot
Craig Ireson- 18 Goals

Silver Boot
Matthew Fulton-4 Goals

Lisa Simpson Award for Attendance
Craig Ireson/John Dow- 17 games each

Steve Austin Awards for commitment over and above
Warrick Jackson- Twice turning up injured or sick to play and/or ref (v.s Bears and v.s Karori)
Michael Ashby for restoring Salmon pride with a blinding, literally blinding, naked 400 metre spring and getting 2nd place.

Game of the Year

The last minute draw against Uni in the mud was very enjoyable, but not a pretty sight. The two draws against Legends, the first game of the Season and the cup draw, were also very enjoyable. But the last game of the league against the Bears, a 3-1 win was the game of the season. A scratch team playing out of position, an early goal to the Bears, a fight back, a sending off, a hattrick to the skipper and 3pts which put tipped us into double figures. What a game.

Goal of the Year

Take your pick from two of Rowan's- the first goal against the Legends,a top corner screamer, or his header against the Saints from a pin point Ireson cross, or Jeremy's top corner belter against the Saints (admittedly a very scant consolation goal). but really I'd personally find it hard to go past my own effort against the Terrace at Te Whaea. I have now scored 152 goals for the Salmon and this would be in the top three. A quick team move to set me free, then three cut backs inside to enter the box to unleash a chip into the far right corner. It was an important goal as well, taking us back into the lead after the Terrace started to gain some traction after a jammy equaliser.

Miss of the year
Runner Up-Ashby had a blinding chance to open his account against the Beavers at Nairnville- A Fulton cross having him 1 on 1 against their stand in keeper, but his first touch bounced it softly into the keepers gloves, when the whol goal beckoned.

Winner- Well, when you have scored 18 goals in a season you have to miss a few right? A lofted free kick from Simon against the Petoen Foresure at Wakefield bounced into my path 4 yards out. I missed. Petone won the game, Boo.

Orange Roughy Award for seeing red:
Ants the Cambodian Assasin with a round house swing against the Bears, which thankfully missed
Runner up: the original Orange Roughy Johnny Sneyd, with his hot temper against the Bears

Actually maybe the Bears are the link here?

Opposition of the Year
Seatoun Gulls
Very good team, and gracious with it, bet us both times we played although we gave them a run for their money

Word up! Cameo of the Year

Danny made three nice cameos, and Rowan played four games and scored four. Scott Dunkerly from the Ressies played twice and had a great game against the Bears. Craig Stewart scored in his only appearance against the Rovers.
I was going to give it to Rowan, but I think Dali was our cameo of the year. Two Games (v.s Legends and Vs. Bears) and he kept the step overs to a minimum and defended well. The best two games he has played for us.

Summary:
Not a great season, but not the worst- Great team spirit as always, some classic results, som stunnign goals, only two real capitulations, both against Upper Hutt. There is enough there to suggest that the best is yet to come from this team, so lets consolidate, keep fit, stay in touch and hit it hard next year.