Team Wellington

Otago United

2

2

Own goal (Tristan Prattley) 25'
Karl Whalen 55'

Ant Hancock 1'
Darren Overton 11'

MATCH SUBSEQUENTLY AWARD AS A 2-0 WIN TO WELLINGTON DUE TO OTAGO FILEDING AN INELIGIBLE PLAYER - see NZF statement

by Cameron Russell at David Farrington Park
asbpremiership.co.nz

Team Wellington fought back from two goals down to earn themselves a point in a 2-2 draw with Otago United at Dave Farrington Park on Sunday.

Otago were two goals to the god within 11 minutes but their great start was wiped clean in the second half, and the hosts might count themselves unlucky not to have found a winner after a one sided second spell.

Matt Calcott handed debuts to five players, including a new look strike-force of Ethan Galbraith and Tyson Holmes, but it was the visitors who got off to the dream start after Hancock buried a second chance effort within the first minute.

Otago broke down the left wing, and Hancock’s original shot that was parried by Phil Imray fell for the striker to knock it home at the second attempt.

The home side were yet to kick into action, and Otago doubled their advantage on 10 minutes when an uncleared corner came back off the post and fell for Darren Overton to slot the second.

Otago were looking dangerous down the wings and Wellington were lucky to keep it at 2-0 when Hancock’s cross just alluded an Otago touch at the back post.

Wellington pulled a goal back in the 25th minute when an agile Ethan Galbraith rounded goalkeeper Callum Flaws before Otago defender Tristian Prattley’s last-ditch tackle unfortunately knocked the ball into an empty net.

A hopeful Wellington long ball produced a moment of madness for the Otago backline as the referee dubbed a miss kick as a back pass on the edge of the six-yard box. Otago put seven men in the wall, and Patrick Flemings drilled shot was pushed away by Flaws to maintain Otago’s 2-1 lead at the break.

Team Wellington came out in the second half a changed side and played with a raised intensity all over the park.

Numerous Wellington attempts were denied by great saves and fluffed chances. Galbraith came the closest when fancy footwork turned two players before his shot was pushed around the post by Flaws.

Otago eventually cracked 55 minutes in when Nick Branch headed back a Darren Cheriton free kick for Karl Whalen to latch onto making it 2-2.

Otago suffered another setback in the 67th minute when Craig Ferguson was sent off for picking up a second yellow after taking down Louis Fenton.

Wellington with the man advantage pushed forward in search of a winning goal, but Flaws couldn’t be beaten in goal for a third time.

Team Wellington coach Matt Calcott was disappointed his side couldn’t find a winner, but praised their turn around after a shell-shocked start. “Being 2-0 down with a new team you’re not sure how they’re going to react, but in the second half they reacted well, I guess it was just a case of too little to late really”.

“At halftime we talked about pushing up higher on Otago and to be more patient with our passing. We created plenty of chances in the end, but we just didn‘t react well in the first 15 or 20 minutes” said Calcott.

Matt Calcott was happy with the new players in the side, but says after given time to gel we will see a much more potent side. “We can’t throw them in for 90 minutes and expect them to react and this level, so I think in 3 to 4 weeks they will have found their feet and then you’ll see a much better squad after we get some time in on the training pitch”.

Otago coach Richard Murray believes a draw was a fair result in the end, and acknowledged his team fought hard for the result.

“Having a man sent off and playing with 10 for the last 20 minutes, I asked the boys to play with a bit of fight and they did that, so 2-2 was a fair reflection.”

Murray believes that the good start was down to the fact that Otago didn’t just sit back and let Wellington control game at home.

“You go into every game to win, and if you don’t have that attitude then your not going to get it. After going 2-0 I was ecstatic, but I think we lacked discipline and still 2-1 at halftime I thought we had something in it and if we carried on that half with 11 men we may have got something more”.

Team Wellington

V

Otago United

1. Phil Imray

22. Peter Evans

2. Tim Schaeffers

3. Tristan Prattley (o.g)

3. Jamie Duncan

4. Jude Fitzpatrick (Joy 57')

4. Michael Eager (Musa 83')

8. Seamus Ryder

5. Nick Branch

9. Donnie MacGregor (Stevens 73)

6. Darren Cheriton

10. Ant Hancock

9. Patrick Fleming (White 45')

14. Sam Mepham

11. Tyson Holmes

15. Darren Overton

12. Ethan Galbraith

21. Michael Cunningham

13. Karl Whalen

25. Craig Ferguson

23. Louis Fenton (Mason-Smith 83')

27. Tom Connor

Substitutes

Substitutes

8. Michael White (on 45')

1. Callum Holmes

15. Sam Mason-Smith (on 83')

5. Matt Joy (on 57')

19. James Musa (on 83')

13. Jackson Mitchell

22. Justin Gulley

23. Joel Stevens (on 73')

=goal

=yellow card

=2 yellow cards

= red card

Welcome to an overcast day here at Farrington Field.  The pitch is a little damp but looks solid underfoot.  The goalmouths have not quite recovered from winter action.

Both sides out warming up and the cloud lifting so while humid there appears to be limited chance of rain.

The sides are out with Team Wellington in a vaguely familiar strip of clack and yelow stripes.

1 Min

Within in a minute Otago are in front.  Ant Hancock with the goal. Crossed in from the left Hancock shoots, hits Phil Imray in the face from close range and taps away the goal past the stunned keeper.

5 Min

Tyson Holmes pulled down wide left.  Resulting free kick from Fleming is dangerous but taken by Evans in the Otago goal.

7 Min

Prattley shielding a ball out, Holmes steals it but can't stop the ball going for a goal kick.

8 Min

Holmes offside after some great play from Louis Fenton.  Team Wellington dominating but not quite able to get the final shot in.

11 Min

Otago Corner.  Cleared by Schaeffers.  Knocked back across, Hancok volleys but hits the post and Overton is there to place a shot past a stranded Imray.

16 Min

Team Wellington doing some nice things but wide defence isn't one of them.  Have had to scramble a couple more times. in their own half after foolish give-aways.

17 Min

Otago Corner, Imray comes for the high ball but misses.  Fitzpatrick with the header gets no power on it and puts it wide.

19 Min

In other news.  No Frozen Coke today... not impressed.

21 Min

Lovely turn by Galbraith but scrambled defence from Otago blocks the resulting chance for the home side.

22 Min

Eager dispossessed down Otago's left as Hancock get's to the line but his cross is deep. The right side is causing all sorts of problems for Team Wellington

25 Min

Ethan Galbraith plays the ball through with his chest, Cheriton goes around the keeper and as he's trying to clear the ball former Yellow Fever Scholarship winner Tristan Prattley taps it home for Team Wellington.

29 Min

Galbraith dances along the byline and cuts it back but blocked out by the sheer number of Otago defenders.  Holmes shot is blocked.

30 Min

Hancock pushes through the middle but Imray well down to stop it it.

31 Min

Team Wellington corner. Well won by Fenton but the resulting corner is easily cleared by the Otago defence.

37 Min

Game a bit of a midfield battle here.  Neither side fashioning an opportunity. Jamie Duncan having a bit of a 'mare.  Firstly slipping and then collecting a lappy from Ants Hancock. 

44 Min

Otago penalised for a passback.  Fenton beats the trap, cuts the ball back and the Otago players knowck it in the keepers direction who picks it up.  Team Wellington try to take it quickly by referee Bernishke says no.

45 Min

Otago lined up a 7 man wall on the line.  Ferguson earns a card for pushing and shoving.  Fleming shoots it under the wall but the keeper sees it , deflects wide and from the other side Eager shoots but Evans has scrambled across.  That's the half 1-2 to the visitors.

HT

Sausage review: Not great value for money.  $2.00 Sausages and very small.  A generous 2/5

Substitute for Team Wellington.  Michael White for Patrick Fleming.

47 Min

Tyson Holmes with the first shot of the half.  Scheffers won the ball deep on the Wellington right and psuhed it Fenton who ran at the defence before cutting the ball across to the top of the area but Holmes shoots straight at the keeper.

49 Min

Seamus Ryder with a great turn in the area but he shoots over

50 Min

Galbraith turns 3 Otago players inside the area but his final left footed shot is pushed wide by the keeper.  Resulting corner falls to Galbraith 3 feet out who puts it over.

51 Min

All Wellington since the start of the half.

52 Min

Team Wellington throw left side.  Nice interplay and Schaeffers beats his man but is clipped.  Free kick 10 yards from the byline.  Otago keeper gets to it and deflects it for a corner on the right.  What should have been another corner is called a goal kick.

54 Min

Galbraith makes a great run down the left, Prattley goes to ground and gets Galbraith's knee in the face and looks second hand.

55 Min

Free kick is taken by Cheriton, Branch headed it across the area.  Tyson Holmes touch to Karl Whalen who laces it home.  2-2.

57 Min

Sub for Otago.  Jude Fitzpatrick off.  Matt Joy on.

57 Min

All Wellington here.  First Louis Fenton shoots across the area then Holmes breaks but is called back for a foul as he broke free of his marker.

64 Min

Great switch from Holmes and White cuts in beating his man with quick feet but ends up shooting across the area.  Next up it's Holmes' turn as he breaks in to the area and ends up on the ground with Matt Joy on top of him but no penalty. 

67 Min

Craig Ferguson sent off.  He earns his 2nd yellow for a foul on Louis Fenton and he's gone.  The resulting free kick is into the hands of Evans.

69 Min

Galbraith once again on the break, cuts along byline, cuts it back to Holmes who shoots, Evans stops with his chest and it deflects to Michael WHite who shoots two feet wide.  The home side all over them here.

71 Min

Fenton tearing it up down the right, this time his cross to Galbraith is put over by the big man who has been a key to so much of what team Wellington have done well.

74 Min

Team Wellington have it in the back of the net again.  Shot from distance is parried by the keeper and Holmes and White race in to finish but Referee Bernischke sees a fould and gives a free kick to the visitors, much to the confusion of most at the ground.

76 Min

...and again Team Wellington.  Fenton ball in not cleared properly by Otago and Holmes get's up to it but heads it straight to Evans.

77 Min

Galbraith knocks it across the area and Holmes can't wuite connect to put it in the net.  One way traffic here.

81 Min

Ryder wins possession to Jpoel Stephens shoots on the turn but Imray puts it out for a corner.  Resulting Corner straight to Imray

82 Min

Evans makes a good save.

83 Min

Sam Mepham talks his way in to the refereess book,  Meanwhile Louis Fenton is replaced by Sam Mason-Smith.  James Musa on in midfield for Napolean Dynamite (sorry, Michael Eager).

84 Min. 

Prattley throws a leg at aMason-Smith cross and Evans is left scrambling back but stops it.  This is followed by Mason-Smith making a break in the area but shoots across the Otago goal.

87 Min

Schaeffers breaks in to the area but is smothered by the defence and the ball goes for a throw. Next up Duncan makes the run, the ball is put in ust behind the Team Wellington attackers, Holmes tracks back, send it wide for Mason-Smith but his cheeky chip is just over the cross bar and onto the top of the net.

89 Min

Otago scrambling again.  Schaeffers beats three men again but no one can get on the end of the ball.  Bounces around the area before Cunningham scrambles clear.

90 Min

...and that's all.  Team Wellington entirely dominant for 45 minutes but could not finish the myriad of chances they made.

From your commentary team here at Farrington Field we wish you a good afternoon and good luck to the NZ sides playing in various Mickey Mouse competitions this evening.