The Premmy Files: Round 15
We’re into that weird part of the season where they split a round in order to fit in some Champions League qualifying and some rearrangements without losing out on that sweet, sweet publicity. Mate, that’s what The Niche Cache is here for. Four games this week, four next… meaning there was nothing to do but enjoy the warm, dry indoors for Waitakere United and Hamilton Wanderers (back to back weeks without a loss for the Tron Wands!) in Round 15, Pt 1.
Most of these games took part in horrible weather, the kiwi summer having turned into a cyclonic mess. Just take a look at the scenes at Bill McKinley Park in Auckland where Eastern Suburbs took on Tasman in the televised game. She’s not the most welcoming - that's an artificial surface by the way.
Neither was the ref, actually, when he and his assistant decided to give Michael Built the opening goal for a second half thumper that came down off the underside of the crossbar and seemed to bounce on the line and clear but what the hell would we all know, right? Just because it was kinda obvious on the TV coverage. Jordan Vale had already missed a sitter earlier and Suburbs were creating far more on attack so it was only a matter of time but it sucks to concede a dodgy one.
There was nothing dodgy about the next two. Tristan Prattley slammed in a free kick with that ox of a left boot of his and then sub Max Mata and Derek Tieku combined nicely for a late third, Mata sliding it past Corey Wilson in goal. Tassie stuck in there at 0-0 until half-time but Built scored very soon after the restart (how about that guy, he’s been a massive boost since he moved north from Hamilton). No less than Suburbs deserved. Andre de Jong was up front again with Mata not ready for ninety yet and he was once again just a step above. If we’re looking at a Player of the Season thing then he’s on that shortlist for sure. Along with old mate Tade, probably a couple Team Welly reps and maybe a dash of Paul Ifill for the goals.
Which makes it 10-1 combined over the last two weeks for ES. Goals a-plenty and some solid defence with Kelvin Kalua having settled in nicely – this the youngster’s seventh straight national league start – alongside the dependable Tim Payne and spare a clap for Max Mata who broke his goal-drought here. He’d gone nine starts without a goal before missing last week with injury and all it took was a ten minute cameo to end that. Tasman, meanwhile, are basically out of semi-final contention now too. Three games left and they’re six points back and Canterbury have a game in hand. Although if things do break for them, they close the season at home to The Dragons which could be massive… but probably won’t be. Even if there is fourth place on the line, Canty beat them 6-0 last time they played. Suburbs need just one point to guarantee semis… but with their goal difference they’ll probably make it either way.
Can’t give unfiltered praise to Eastern Suburbs without mentioning Moses Dyer’s silly billy red card though. Already beyond the allotted three mins of injury time and up 3-0, Suburbs nevertheless decided to take the ball to the corner to kill things off. A bit negative… but they’d earned the right. Except then they lost the ball and Tassie tried to dash up field for one last gasp at a consolation goal… and Moses trips a bugger up. He’s on a yellow as it is and the second means he misses their next game (against Waitakere). For a player with double-digit international caps, that was remarkably dumb. Just let him run, bro! Worst thing that can happen is that you win 3-1. Most likely the whistle goes when the ball crosses halfway. But hey, it’s the ISPS Handa Rotating Sponsor Kiwi National League Premiership and that’s why we bloody love it. GET IN!
Nothing much happened at the top of the table. Auckland City took on Hawke’s Bay and they whupped ‘em 3-0. Goals for Alfie Rogers, Micah Lea’alafa and Callum McCowatt. The latter bloke set up the first goal with a shot that came back off the post as well, a quality outing from him. Fifth goal of the season for the teenager and he’s threatened to add plenty more to that tally but for those pesky goalposts. No goals for Emiliano Tade however, that’s three games in a row. Somebody check if he’s okay.
Not much to say about The Bay. They mixed things up to try and absorb the inevitable Auckland City pressure without sacrificing their counter-attacking abilities but they couldn’t really make it happen and they were 2-0 down after half an hour. A couple half-time subs maybe eased the pressure but mostly ACFC eased it off themselves with a controllable lead in hand. No need to panic, they do that to everyone. Fifth straight clean sheet for City.
Team Wellington had a bit more of a scare. Roy Kayara put them ahead in the 18th minute only for Garbhan Coughlin to level things right back up. Southern don’t win a lot of games (and when they do it’s a late, late winner) but they’ve been competitive with the top teams all season. Two draws with Auckland City and a 0-0 with Team Welly when they last met… except the TeeDubs have been hot stuff this last month or so. They’re not fazed by the odd goal conceded and in the second half they flexed.
Jack-Henry Sinclair scored yet again for his fifth of the season in his seventh start. That dude is bringing the goods these days. Then Ross Allen added the third because he’s Ross Allen and he always scores goals. Three in four for him. So… apparently losing Joel Stevens doesn’t even matter. 3-1 to Team Wellington and they keep pace with City at the peak. Those two and Eastern Suburbs are guaranteed playoffs spots now.
Which leaves another thriller involving Canterbury United. A couple weeks ago they played the Wellington Phoenix reserves and came from 2-0 down to win 3-2. Flippin’ marvellous stuff and they one-upped that here. Logan Rogerson scored immediately, tapping home from close range. First minute of the damned thing. Then Billy Ebbinge made it 2-0 to the Nix after ten mins. George King brought it back before the break but then Ebbinge added another and she was 3-1 to the WeeNix. Time for a Gary Ogilvie penalty then. Hey and that Steve Hoyle lad hasn’t scored in a while, he must be due? Yup, 59th minute equaliser. And just as things got frisky, Tom Schwarz put Canty in the lead with eight mins left and Ogilvie added a fifth in injury time. 5-3 to the Dragons, what a spectacle.
The Wee Nix only scored twice in their first four games but haven’t failed to hit the back of the net since, which is handy. But that handiness is kinda spoiled when you go and concede 24 goals in the space of six games. Auckland City has conceded once in their past six games, the Wellington Phoenix have conceded 24 times. Tasman are leaking goals all over too but only for 21 goals. Some of these defences, man. The WeeNix have been gutted though, you know all about that from last week’s Premmy Files.
Next week we’ve got Auckland City travelling to Tasman on Saturday arvo, which ought to end Tassie’s playoff hopes once and for all before Southern hosts the WeeNix (that fixture was 2-2 in the reverse), Team Wellington give Waitakere Utd what for and then Hamilton Wanderers host Canterbury Utd in the telly game. It all gets a bit stretched from here, some teams only have three games left but it’s more than a month until the semis. There are only three games across two weeks after Round 15, Pt. 2. Best savour it all.
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