Island Bay United AFC

Having lost to Lower Hutt both times last year, and to their Central League side in the Chatham Cup, we knew they weren't going to be pushovers this time around.

The game was played in the pouring rain, which at times turned the game into a theatrical event, rather than a footy game, both sides overrunning the ball as it stuck in pools of water, and having the ball bounce 20 feet overhead whenever it hit a hard patch.

After 15 minutes of first game jitters, the pre-season training and effort that the squad and management had put in paid off, and we settled into a rhythm with lots of precise passing and good ball control. One particularly nice set of passes later Lucci had rounded the keeper and we were up 1-0.

From then on we maintained possession, and played in Lower Hutt's end of the field for the most part of the first half, occasionally letting them out for a quick break, or a hopeful long ball over the top of our defense. Hicham Kamri, one of our new faces, struck twice, both times receiving the ball with his back to goal, spinning his man and tucking the ball into the corner of the goal from the edge of the area.

The halftime talk was simple, "It's 3-0, and the game should be in the bag, so lets make sure!"

Lower Hutt obviously had a rev up at the break, and came out looking to peg us back, but aside from the odd perfect through ball, and a few fast breaks the length of the field, failed to get a shot on target.

Hicham's strength saw him latch onto a massive punt from Chemo, and slot under their keeper to complete his hat trick and effectively kill the match off with 10 minutes to go.

This week we're away to Marist at Kilbirnie Park. Good Luck to all the Island bay teams.

Go Sharks!

Labels: home, lower hutt, premier, won