Team Wellington

Otago United

0

2

Dan Ede 48
David Dugdale 83

by David Cross at Newtown Park
nzfc.co.nz

Team Wellington's disastrous start to the NZFC season continued as they slumped to a third straight home defeat at the hands of an energetic Otago United side in Wellington today.

The home side made two changes from the side that lost to Auckland City last weekend with All Whites Andy Barron and James Bannatyne returning for Cole Peverley and Jake Gleeson respectively. 

Otago meanwhile made changes following an unlucky defeat at Hawke’s Bay, welcoming home striker Nathan Knox from the USA.

In calm, chilly conditions, Otago created an early chance from a set piece that keeper Bannatyne pushed out for a corner. 

The opening ten minutes for Team Wellington looked promising with a number of fast-break counter attacks - the clearest chance falling to Roddy Brown who scuffed his shot after Greg Draper delivered a low cross for him.

Soon after Team Wellington looked to have the ball over the line but referee Chris Kerr spotted an infringement.

The rest of the half followed a similar pattern. Team Wellington perhaps shaded possession but the genuine scoring chances fell to Otago United. 

Stu Kelly – playing in the midfield – was at the heart of much of it with some dangerous set pieces and through balls. 

Perhaps the best chance of the half came in the 35th minute with an Otago corner headed down and on target only for Bannatyne to acrobatically tip it over the bar.

Coach Stu Jacobs had obviously seen enough at the half and rang the changes with Jyler Noviello on for Michael Fifii and Cole Peverley on for Roddy Brown. 

It looked to have been a successful intervention with Wellington creating a dangerous chance for Andy Barron that a desperate Otago rearguard just managed to scramble away.
   
Then the moment Otago United had been threatening arrived when Dan Ede calmly finished inside the right post after a ball crossed from the right was controlled by Ede before he stepped right to finish amid a crowded penalty area.

As the second half developed, Team Wellington started mounting more concerted attacks in an attempt to equalise, with Otago keeper James Waggit pulling of a number of excellent saves, including a point blank header that clipped the crossbar and a save at Greg Draper’s feet after the former Wellington Phoenix striker was put through on goal after a defence splitting pass from Peverley. 

All this endeavour failed to provide a goal and it was Otago who wrapped the match up after a lapse in concentration at the back by Wellington.

Team Wellington's Trent Watson mistakenly let the ball bounce that left David Dugdale through on goal with only James Bannatyne to beat. 

Bannatyne came for the ball and while attempting to save clipped Dugdale's legs. 

Referee Chris Kerr pointed to the penalty spot. Dugdale calmly converted the penalty to seal an important away victory for Malcolm Fleming’s team.

Otago coach Fleming was understandably impressed with his sides effort.  "Obviously we're very happy".

"Wellington are a good side, they shouldn't be where they are, and we had to come here and get some points.  We'd have been happy with a point today, to get three was fantastic".

Fleming had praise for his team.

"It was a lot like the endeavour and effort we showed against Auckland City.  Apart from the first ten and last fifteen or twenty minutes of today’s match, we've had the game under control. 

Our keeper has pulled off a couple of great saves to keep us in it but we've created enough ourselves as well,” Fleming said.

Team Wellington captain James Bannatyne was understandably less impressed.

"That was thoroughly disappointing. Lot's of endeavour and effort, but no quality" was his indictment on the home side who have so far failed to deliver on the promise of the off-season.

Photos: Dave Lintott, Photosport 

Team Wellington

V

Otago United

1. James Bannatyne

1. James Waggett

3. Jamie Duncan

3. Tristan Prattley

4. Chris Bale (55)

5. Chris Jenkinson

5. Michael Winsauer

6. Tom Sadd

6. Chris Davies

8. Stu Kelly

9. Greg Draper

9. Ryan Fachnie

14. Darren Cheriton

10. David Dugdale

18. Trent Watson

14. Dan Ede

19. Andy Barron

16. Morgan Day (75)

22. Michael Fifii (45)

17. Tim Horner

26. Roddy Brown (45)

18. Nathan Knox (65)

Substitutes

Substitutes

23. James McPeake (GK)

11. Andy Coburn (65)

2. Adam Birch

13. Brian Brown (Gk)

7. Cole Peverley (45)

15. Tom Connor (75)

11. Jyler Noviello (45)

12. Bryan Little (55)

=goal

=yellow card

=2 yellow cards

= red card

Welcome to Newtown Park for this round 3 fixture.  High cloud, light winds greet the two sides as we await the Otago teamlist.  And here it is.

In the opener, the Capital women won 3-0 over SoccerSouth.  All three goals to Renee Leota.

Otago United with the kick-off, Team Wellington playing towards the zoo end.

1 Min

Otago win a free kick wide right, heading back across goal and scrambled out for a corner by Bannatyne.

3 Min

Otago Corner, dangerous volley but it hits Dugdale in the area and deflects out.

6 Min

Team Wellington break, Draper sends it across the Otago goal mouth but Roddy Brown scuffs his shot.

12 Min

Team Wellington have it over the line but referee Kerr has seen an infringement.  Fifii causing some probelms wide for Otago.

13 Min

After some early dominance from Otago, Team Wellington are finding a rhythm now, both sides guilty of passing to short and leaving men stranded.

15 Min

Stu Kelly bundled over just outside the D.  The resulting fee kick hit straight in to the Team Wellington wall.

19 Min

Roddy Brown gives the ball away on halfway and Otago break.  Scrambling defence from Brown prevents the resulting shot, and it goes out for a corner.

20 Min

Resulting corner is headed over by Otago

23 Min

Kelly shot from well outside the area, easily handled by Bannatyne.

27 Min

Team Wellington controlling possession as Otago get more men behind the ball.  TW still struggling with the final ball though.

29 Min

Cheriton heads over from the far post after a curling cross from Duncan.

35 Min

Nathan Knox Gets a Yellow for dragging Darren Cheriton back by the shirt.

36 Min

Otago corner.  Threatening delivery headed down, Bannatyne does well to reach behind him and tip it over.  Following corner, cleared, but not so convincingly.

37 Min

Morgan Day blazes over Bannatyne's goal from well out.

38 Min

While Team Wellington have probably shaded possession so far the genuine chances have fallen to Otago.

41 Min

Team Wellington shot deflected just wide after an initial shot is blocked by Otago.

44 Min

Fifii goes in the referees book for an agricultural challenges 5 yards outside the Team Wellington box.

44 Min

Resulting free kick sent well over.

45 Min

0-0 at the half.  Not the most inspiring 45 minutes of football.

Changes at the half for Team Wellington.  Jyler Noviello on for Michael Fifii and Cole Peverley on for Roddy Brown.

47 Min

Otago defence all at sea but scramble to defend a Barron shot.

48 Min

GOAL! Otago score.  Dan Ede Calmly finishes inside the right post, ball crossed from the right controlled by Ede and he steps right to finish through bodies.

48 Min

Morgan Day booked for a shirt pull on Darren Cheriton on th edge of the Otago area.  Resulting free kick punched clear by Waggitt.

51 Min

Goalscorere Ede slides a through ball to David Dugdale leaing him one on one, saved by the onrushing Bannatyne.

53 Min

Otago have the ball in the back of the net, only for Dugdale to be ruled offside.  Tight call.

55 Min

Team Wellington playing with ten as Bale has pulled up injured.  Bryan Bryan Little on to replace him.

60 Min

Team Wellington corner tipped on to the crossbar.  Great save.  Dangerous header.  Followed by Andy Barron hitting with a long distance volley the sidenetting causing premature celebrations from the small but vocal crowd.

63 Min

Team Wellington fail to deal with a corner as it slides through the area.  Otago can't get a final touch to it though.

67 Min

Michael Winsauer heads wide from a Team Wellington corner.

68 Min

Chris Davies goes to ground in the area.  Some debate as to if he was touched.

69 Min

Noviello sneaks through the Otago defence and tries to finish around the keeper but again Team Wellington hit the side netting.

70 Min

Team Wellington dominating but unable to score.  Goal line tackle by Tim Horner denies Noviello rebounds to Draper and well saved by Wiggitt.

73 Min

Chris Davies in the book.  A dangerous high tackle on Tim Horner.

75 Min

Tom Connor on for Morgan Day.

78 Min

Great through ball from Peverley leaves Draper with the keeper to beat.  Well stopped by Wiggit's foot. 

78 Min

Dan Ede goes right through Wellington's Winsauer and earns himself a yellow.

82 Min

Trent Watson lets the ball bounce leaving Dugdale through on the keeper.  Bannatyne comes out and brings him down.  Penalty.

83 Min

GOAL! Dugdale converts the penalty. 2-0.

85 Min

Team Wellington head wide from a corner.

90 Min

...and that's all she wrote.  Otago deserved winners in the end. 2-0.