Waitakere United

YoungHeart Manawatu

6

1

Rory Turner 1', 46'
Ryan de Vries 28'
Allan Pearce 33', 44'
Sean Lovemore 78' 

Nathan Cooksley 7'

by Bob Pearce at Fred Taylor Park, Whenuapai
asbpremiership.co.nz

WHENUAPAI -YoungHeart Manawatu coach Stu Jacobs’ season from hell came to an end yesterday with a 6-1 defeat by Waitakere United at Fred Taylor Park in the final round of the ASB Premiership.

The club finished without a win in 14 games, conceding a massive 61 goals in 14 games and scoring just 12.
 
Jacobs, who enjoyed success with Miramar and New Zealand age group teams, described it as “my toughest year in coaching by a long stretch. But I believe it makes you a better person as you handle the downs as well as the ups.”

And he remains positive about next season.
 
“Behind the scenes we were in dire straits right up to the start of this season. But now we’re in a positive state and next season we’ll change things. We need three or four quality players and they’ve got to reside in Palmerston North. We started this season with five players coming from Wellington and we got that down to two.
 
“It’s a challenge but we’ll address it in the off-season and I’m positive we can come back again.”

The win for Waitakere firms up next week’s semifinals of the Premiership. Waitakere will be back at Fred Taylor on Sunday to play Canterbury United in a reprise of the clash last month that denied Waitakere a shot at second place.

Minor championship winners Auckland City will travel to Wellington in the other semifinal first leg.

All the odds were on Waitakere yesterday and with a depleted lineup they produced a display that coach Neil Emblen described as “adequate” in a game that rarely rose to great heights.

But there was a personal highlight for one Waitakere player, 17-year-old Auckland Grammar student Rory Turner. Making his first start in the Premiership he scored after 1 minute and 24 seconds, fastening on to a cross from Ryan de Vries. He made it a two-goal debut with a second in very similar circumstances just before halftime.

His father Chris, a former New Zealand international, was poised with his wallet to shout the bar for a hat-trick but the chances went begging.

Manawatu hit back quickly after that early setback, drawing level in the seventh minute when a long throw from Michael Fraser found captain Nathan Cooksley, whose acrobatic shot had the defence transfixed in admiration.

But for much of the rest of the half it was one-way traffic. De Vries made it 2-1 in the 28th minute and Allan Pearce poached goals in the 33rd and 44th before young Turner’s closer for a 5-1 halftime advantage.

There was only one goal in the second half from substitute Sean Lovemore in the 78th minute with the best strike of the game.

Emblen, who came on as a sub late in the game, was happy to have achieved what was needed to cement third place, but well aware of tougher challenges ahead.
 
“We did what we had to do but we’ve not come off totally satisfied,” he said, "next week against Canterbury will be a typical full-throttle game. They’re always in your face and we expect nothing less.”

Waitakere United

V

YoungHeart Manawatu

1 Danny Robinson (GK)

1 Ben Wilkes (GK)

2 Jason Rowley

22 Hamish McKay

3 Aaron Scott

3 Josh Chettleburgh (McKnight 54)

4 Tim Myers

4 Jamie O'Connor

7 Martin Bullock

6 Matt Kennedy

10 Allan Pearce

8 Nathan Cooksley

17 Jake Butler

16 Michael Fraser

20 Ryan de Vries (Lovemore 62)

17 Jordon Martens

27 Ross Haviland (Lambert 45)

21 Tomas Mosquera

29 Jordan Vale

23 Barry Lewis

30 Rory Turner

25 Wade Randle

Substitutes

Substitutes

25 Sean Lovemore

12 Michael Sheridan

26 Reece Lambert

14 Pablo Moya

16 Neil Emblen

24 Michael McKnight

=goal

=yellow card

=2 yellow cards

= red card

0 mins

Perfect autumn day in West Auckland with sunshine, some high cloud and a little breeze. This is the weather we didn't have all summer.

0 mins

Both teams thin on numbers, only three bench players, including coach Emblen for the home team.

Travel arrangements mean a slightly early start and a short halftime.

We're under way with Waitakere playing towards Kumeu

1 mins

GOAL! Waitakere's first attack and after 1m 24s Rory Turner urns in a pass from de Vries.

3 mins

Jake Butler snap shot from edge of area, just over

7 mins

Half chance for Mosquera but Haviland blocks

7 mins

GOAL! Manawatu are level! Long throw finds Cooksley, who chips ove Robinson with a bicycle kick. Defence stood and admired.

11 mins

Yellow card Cooksley for tackle on Pearce

15 mins

Michael Fraser down injured after accidental smack in the face.

17 mins

Quick freekick by Waitakere after handball opens up defence but goalie intervenes well

20 mins

Mosquera finds himself in the clear but his long range shot is a fizzer.

21 mins

First corner fo Watakere, spilledout to Haviland whose shot is regathred by Wilkes

24 mins

Another corner fo Waitakere comes to nothing.

25 mins

Corner fo Manawatu fielded by Robinson.

28 mins

GOAL! De Vries is thwarted once but finally turns expertly to find the back of the net. 

32mins

Pearce crosses from left, but the ball floats tantalising away from the strikers.

33mins

GOAL! Long ball finds Pearce who scores well from acute angle.

40 mins

Pearce hits underside of crossbar but the ball bounces out and is cleared

44mins

 GOAL! Solo effort by Peace, who squirms past several defenders and finishes powerfully.

45 plus one

GOAL! De Vries provides the cross, Turner adds the finish. His second.

Halftime 5-1 and more goals seem likely.

We're off again, Lambert replaces Haviland for Waitakere

47m

Turner has chance for hat-trick but fires over top

50 m

De Vries wastes good work with poor shot instead of pass. Pearce unmarked and ready.

53 m

Chettleburgh off, McKnight on.

60 m

McKay makes good ground on right and Cooksley makes a valiant effort to ge his head on theball but it flies well.

62 mins

Freekick to Waitakere on edge of area, but first a sub, de Vries off and Lovemore on. Freekick goes behind. 

65 mins

Manawatu have retreated into a nine-man defence and Waitakere just can't find the mark.

66 mins

Sub Manawatu, Moya on for Martens.

67 mins

Yellow card for Kennedy after late tackle on Myer.

69 mins

Left wing corner Waitakere, Pearce takes, another corner.

72 mins

Yellow for Wilkes after he runs out of area to stifle attack but ruled to handle in. Freekick defended.

74 mins

Coach Emblen warming up on sideline. The secret weapon is poised for launch

77 mins

Sheridan for McKay

78 mins

GOAL! First time strike by sub Lovemore, best of the game.

79 mins

Yellow card Bullock

81 mins

Emblen on for Scott in defence.

85 mins

Rare second half shot by Fraser, well held by Robinson.

86 mins

Pearce treads way through defence but his hat-trick shot hits the upright and stays out.

89 mins

Good shot by McKnight, diving save by Robinson.

90 mins

Right wing corner Waitakere, headed clear.

Fulltime whistle, 6-1 to Waitakere.