Island Bay United AFC

Gameday 18.
The last of the season.
Last position only on goal difference.
Beautiful day.
Quality pitch.
The opposition a team we've already beaten this season.

The scene was set for us to prove our quality and get out of that dreaded auto relegation spot.

Dave Wiggins took his spot in the centre of defence, despite a slight scare after training on Thursday. It was double good news, as it meant a consistent back four and also that Milney could be released up front.

And it wasn't long before Milney got the opening goal. We had kicked off into the sun and immediately took hold of the game. We worked the ball down the wings and had threatened a couple of times through crosses and corners.

Merrick has been keen for us to use our set pieces better all season and it may have taken all season but it looks like we have finally got there! After about 15 minutes Kev Mills, being welcomed back after a holiday to Canada, knocked in a quality corner and Milney was right there to nod it goal bound. The 'keeper was beaten but the Petone player on the post got across to let loose a fly kick, clearing the ball. The ref was well placed though and ruled the ball had already crossed the line. A big call, but apparently the right one.

It was the start we needed, knowing that 3 points was the minimum required result, to hopefully jump ahead of Brooklyn (who were playing Stokes Valley back at Wakefield park). But we were also conscious our fate could be decided on goal difference so we couldn't sit back happy with a 1 goal lead.

Shortly, Milney was celebrating wildly for a second time. We'd won a free kick about 25 yards out and Milney was straight on the ball, demanding he take it. The rest of us got forward, in case of a half block, but knew full well where this kick was going...

Milney hit it well, but straight at the wall and a hefty deflection made it sail into the goal, just under the crossbar. Maybe a little lucky, but Milney wasn't worried and neither were the rest of us!

2 nil is how it stayed till the halftime break and we went into the sheds a little anxious at how the Brooklyn game was going but also knowing we were best just to focus on our own game.
We did find out Brooklyn were 2-2 with Stokes Valley at halftime, so there was definitely no sitting back.

We had looked good in the first half, and were sure more opportunities would follow. It was also important to keep our D solid, as the pace of Petone's attack had turned us round a few times, and Adam had already made two amazing saves to keep our buffer. One of them he came from nowhere to get the slightest of touches on, which was just enough to have the ball hit the post and rebound away.

So as we turned around and the Sun lowered directly into Petone's faces there was plenty of chatter to make sure we tested their 'keeper and defence with the kind of tricky long balls we received in the first half.

We continued in the same vain in which we ended the first half, with Mills controlling the midfield well and our wide players, Mitch, Luciano, Matt W and Steelo creating and using the space well to deliver quality crosses.

Corners and free kicks were plentiful as Steve Davey was charging around the pitch like a teenager and it was another set piece that gave us our third. This time from the right hand side, Mitch swung in a pinpoint corner to Steelo's noggin and Steelo would not waste this opportunity to get his first open field goal of the season to add to his multiple penalties. Up goes the trademark shark fin, but we were still conscious three mightn't be enough to save us from auto relegation so we continued to push forward.

And on such a roll with set pieces it wasn't surprising that no 4 also came from one. This time Mills was over the ball, about 35 out and got the free kick into the mixer. The Sun was right behind him and as the ball came down the 'keeper must've lost it in the brightness and meekly fell half on it. It popped out the back though, where an excited Luciano was waiting to sweep the ball into the empty net.
Assist no3 for Mills apparently - after he claimed ownership for 'creating' the hole in the wall for Milney's free kick - yeah right!

4 zip, and while we were still being tested every now and then at the back, good cover from Josh as well as scrambling from the back four was evidence of our determination to keep that clean sheet.

Josh was eventually replaced by a wired Jimmy, who went up front, and that resulted in a couple of great chances for Jimmy. First, he couldn't quite get on top of a top notch cross from Looch, and second, he got it his header on target, but not with the contact he needed and the 'keeper cleaned it up.

So 4 nil it stayed and we went into the sheds satisfied but intrigued as to how Brooklyn had fared against Stokes Valley. And after a painful 10 minutes or so when we couldn't get hold of anyone, the call finally came through. And boy was it interesting. We got the full story of how the game panned out and in the end it was probably good we never had any progress reports. Brooklyn apparently went 2 nil up, and Stokes Valley clawed back to 2-2, but then then had a man sent off. Much to our relief though, they still managed a third and also to hold out Brooklyn. Wahoo! We'll get that chance to prove we belong in Cap 1 and build on our year, with a playoff.

Congratulations to Marist on taking the League (just, on goal difference), and earning direct promotion back to Cap Premier at their first attempt. With a stingy defence conceding less than a goal a game to go with an attack that scored just enough when required, you deserve it.

Also congrats to Olympic who will get another well deserved crack at promotion, after last year losing the corresponding playoff fixture to Miramar. This year it'll be against Naenae who were only last year promoted from Cap 1.

I feel a bit for Brooklyn as it was a very close league and I don't really think either of us were far off the pace that Marist, Olympic and the Dreamers had set all season. But someone had to come last and I'm just stoked it wasn't us.

After a fair amount of disruptions from the year before this year turned into a rebuilding one for the club and it's great that our destiny is in our own hands with a possible playoff to come against one of Miramar, Olympic and Tawa, depending on results in the final week of Cap 2.

It means the season isn't quite over and we'll continue to train with purpose, knowing we deserve another crack at Cap 1 and that given that chance, we can even give the title a good nudge next year.

Shark Attack!

Labels: away, capital 1, clean sheet, Petone, win