Island Bay United AFC

Firstly, on behalf of the Premier Team and it's Management, we express our sincerest and deepest condolences to Jamie Milne and his family, as they farewell his father.

Bruce lost his battle with Cancer early on Saturday morning.

About the game:

What can I say? A week after receiving a mauling at the hands of Tawa, and we were a completely different team. Sure, we still conceded our standard early soft goal, but it didn't faze us.

Against Lower Hutt, we almost became South American's. We were simply going to score more than the other team did. It's called self-belief, and yesterday we played like a unit who believed in one another from the first whistle until the last, and it was magic!

15 minutes in, Lower Hutt's striker finished well with a lobbed header over a stranded keeper, after the Ref told us to stand still while he talked to one of our players, but then let Lower Hutt take the free kick early anyway. That was interesting.

We fought back by playing the ball out wide to both of our wingers, and were unlucky several times to be flagged back by the linesman for offside, as both wingers were destroying their markers. Mo Terlau latched onto a neat cross from Steve Davey (after Steve left the right back doing spinning dance moves) and scored from close range to level the game up.

Steve smashed one in only to be declared offside yet again, and Mo helped a ball which was running alongside him in with his hands, receiving a bright yellow card for his troubles.

At the other end, Lower Hutt scored again when a great save by Dave Plowright landed sweetly to one of their players who then slammed home through a crowded defence, seeing us into the break 2-1 down on the score sheet.

Plenty of chat in the changing rooms proved that we didn't believe the scoreline correctly reflected the game at all, and we were determined to switch the result around in our favour during the second half.

The first 20 minutes of the second half was all Island Bay. We pushed Lower Hutt as far back as possible, with them only being able to play on the counter. Steve was put through on goal by a deflection, and tucked the ball away from an acute angle to level the score up at 2-2.

Lower Hutt tried to come back, but at this point Pedro Garcia was their only real attacking option and he was having to make the plays as well, dropping deeper and deeper to pick up the ball in midfield.

Another great run by Steve gave him some space to cross the ball into the box, and Ian Paterson's magic left foot smashed the volley into the far corner, giving us the lead for the first time, with 15 minutes to go.

It was slightly disappointing to see us revert to kicking the ball away in the last spell rather than holding onto possession, and forcing Lower Hutt into more defensive mistakes, but despite their attempts to draw level, they ran out of time, and the game ended 3-2, seeing us back in winning form, and giving us a much needed 3 points!

In other important games, No. 1 Tawa played No. 2 Miramar (Miramar won 1-0, which sees them take the No.1 spot) and 4th placed Stop Out drew 2-2 with 5th placed Upper Hutt, giving Island Bay back 5th Place on the ladder, and yet only 1 win shy of 1st place.

Karori (presently in 4th) are really still in the driving seat though, with 2 games in hand, as they played Palmerston North End in the Chatham Cup, coming from behind to win 3-2 in Extra Time and getting them through to Round 4.

This weekend we play host to Stop Out, in another six point game which is sure to produce fireworks!

Shark Attack!

Labels: away, lower hutt, premier, won