The Premmy Files – Week 11
We begin things this week way down south as the two teams at the bottom of the country faced off to try and stop their recent slides towards the bottom of the table. Southern United versus Canterbury United, in Dunedin, Southern having gone five games without a win and the Dragons with only one win from their last eight.
And there was some funkiness for both sides too. Southern didn’t have the services of Erik Panzer at the back, with 18 year old Andrew Cromb starting a fifth straight game and his fourth of those five at CB. Conor O’Keeffe was back at right back with Tim O’Farrell on the left having been tried further forward recently as this side look for answers in the creativity stakes (only scored two goals in their last four games), this time it was Jordan Spain’s chance to try his hand amongst the attackers. Cam McKenzie dropped deeper next to Danny Ledwith. Otherwise the same team as the nightmare in Tasman seven days earlier. Adam Hewson and Stephen Lawless with their second starts of the term. On the other side the Cantabs were also without one of their shiniest names at the back in Sean Liddicoat so Tom Scott got his first start of 2020 while Dan Schwarz also came in for Jake Richards who dropped to the bench.
Canterbury had a little more of the ball in the early stages of this game but both teams had their share of head-in-hands moments as crosses and cut backs flew or rolled into dangerous areas with absolutely nobody there. You know, the kind of chances that aren’t actually chances. Right up until the Dragons took the lead. 23 minutes played, free kick on the edge of the area... and George King whacks in a ripper of a strike off his left foot. Liam Little got a hand to it as he dove across but not enough to deny it it’s rightful place in the top corner of the goal. A supreme strike for his fourth of the season.
The Dragons had been pumped 6-1 by Eastern Suburbs last week while Southern were lucky to only lose 5-0 against Tasman so both of these sides will have been low on confidence but with a point to prove and it was that sort of game as neither team seemed to have that cutting edge and if the goal was supposed to open things up then it didn’t. Which was fine for the Dragons who already had the lead and looked more likely to add what would have been a crucial second. Southern’s creativity has been an issue for several weeks, I don’t wanna drag Joel Stevens’ name into this again but with Al-Kalisy also missing this was another extremely inexperienced attacking group around Garbhan Coughlan, who keeps either finding himself marked out of space in the box or dropping way deep just to get involved. Again here the Southerners just didn’t seem to have the combinations. They didn’t have the pace of play to break down a set defence. But right as it was feeling like fading towards another disappointing afternoon, about an hour into things... Danny Ledwith went bang.
Hell of a goal, it really was. He thumped it from way out and it flew past Danny Knight and into the underside of the crossbar and caused a minor geological incident as it came down upon the ground. There was confusion at first as to whether it had crossed the line but the lino flagged for a goal straight away and after a brief moment of confusion, Southern could roll away in celebration with their equaliser.
From there on the game changed drastically. The hosts had found a bit of their mojo and as the subs rolled out for both teams it was suddenly anyone’s game. Which makes the challenge from sub James Pendrigh on Garbhan Coughlan even sillier, as he left a few sprigs up in the 80th minute and drew a red card for his indiscretion. Coughlan needed a bit of treatment after that and is apparently in doubt for the game against Eastern Suburbs next week. Andrew Cromb would go on to slam in an 86th minute winner after a corner wasn’t quite punched clear by Danny Knight and incredibly Southern United ended up with the 2-1 win.
That’s the second time that Cromb has scored this season. Both came from set piece situations and combined they’ve been worth three points – with the other being the equaliser against the WeeNix two weeks back. Paul O’Reilly has filtered through a lot of his youth options this season to varying degrees of success but Cromb is proving to be one of the brightest bulbs in the batch. A very overdue win for Southern and a crucial derby win to help ease the memories of last week. But that’s three defeats in a row for Canterbury who, after other results, now sit dead last on the table. It’s a reflection of what a mental season it is that a couple wins could quickly see them rise... but they don’t seem to know how to do that at the moment. The Dragons have scored first in each of their last three and lost the lot of them. That’s... not ideal. Although the way this league is going they’ll probably win 4-0 next week on telly against Waitakere.
Speaking of Waitakere, they had a fine old win themselves to back it up after last week’s dramatic stoppage time victory over the WeeNix. This time Tasman were the victims, although not without a substantial fight. This game was pushed back an hour for a 5pm Saturday night kickoff after travel delays in getting up to Auckland for the visitors but that didn’t prevent another thrilling contest involving old mates Waitakere.
The Waitaks made one change to last week’s team with Lachie McIsaac only on the bench having started every single game prior to this, Flynn O’Brien came in for him after missing the last four games. No sign of second top scorer Alex Connor-McClean either, who lost his starting spot last week but came on as a sub to score the winning goal. Otherwise a typically settled young team. As for Tasman they were predictably unchanged from that big win over Southern. Nothing broke, no need for fixin’. And it only took them about three minutes before they were winning. Jean-Philippe Saiko scored for the third game in a row after Waitakere had given the ball away cheaply. Saiko unleashed an unstoppable shot low and into the net, get in there, have some, go on my son.
In contrast to the other Saturday game, this one had two teams feeling good about things and began at a pretty rapid clip with each team creating chances. Nic Zambrano came close to levelling from close range but, typical Tasman, they had numbers back to close him down. Saiko also went close to a second goal however his cheeky effort only caught the post. Obviously it was pretty hot on the turf at Seddon Fields so the game was always gonna slow down after the frantic first half hour or so... but right on the brink of half-time Waitakere found what they were looking for. Sam Burfoot swung in a corner kick which wasn’t cleared and Gerard Garriga Gibert put the smooth final touch on it for his first goal of the campaign. All tied at the break.
Fun fact: Waitakere United are the only team to have scored in every game this season.
Hmm yeah but then this happened, Tasman striking back again within minutes of another kickoff. This time it was American import Ben Watson who scored directly from a free kick. An incredible goal. His second in two games since joining the club...
Lucky for the home side, this time it didn’t take three quarters of an hour to respond...
Such an intense game and another one for Waitakere which seemed destined for late drama just like so many of their matches this season. They thought they’d taken the lead in the 68th minute but that one was ruled out by a linesman’s flag however there was no stopping Sam Burfoot’s goal a little while later. Another direct free kick goal, the third of the day and it wasn’t even the final one of week 11 either.
Although it was the final one of this game. Burfoot’s been a leader and a tone-setter in the midfield for Waitakere all term, having started every game (along with Nick Draper, Luke Searle, Robert Tipelu & Nic Zambrano) and he definitely deserved a moment like this considering his only other goal this season didn’t count as it came in the rained off game against Hamilton. Tasman did throw a few things at them to try and find a third equaliser of the evening but some quality defending from O’Brien in particular meant that the home side was able to hold on for the three points with a 3-2 win.
A tough one to take for Tasman after how well they’d done the previous two weeks but much-needed for Waitakere as they get their top four push well and truly back on track. Only thing with that is wins over the WeeNix and Tasman were how they started things and they then only took three points from six games against the rest of the league (with one postponement which is due to be replayed probably around the half-gameweek of week 15). Now they’ve beaten the WeeNix and Tasman again, four from four against those two, but will need to get a few wins from elsewhere if the semis are a realistic target. The manner of these two latest wins will be massively boosting for Paul Hobson’s lads though. The way they’ve responded to conceding goals in both games has been superb.
On to Sunday now and it was Hawke’s Bay United hosting the Wellington Phoenix first up. HBU were coming off a somewhat misleading 4-2 loss to Auckland City in which they competed a whole lot better than it maybe seems just to look at the score but that was their third loss in a row (after six straight unbeaten before that). To make matters worse, the Bay were without import midfielder Josh Signey who has been one of their key dudes so far – this was the first game he’s missed this season. Although they did have James Hoyle coming in for his season debut at least... and new signing Angus Kilkolly with a second start.
The WeeNix might have been hoping for a few top team players considering the A-League side was at home on Friday night with a bye next week but Oli Sail was the only fella to make the trip. Which led to a particularly curious looking lineup. Harry Bark made his second start while Lucas Halikias and Max Drake made their first... all three were born in 2002. It’s also starting to look like Ben Old is making that winger spot his own after his third straight starting gig while Ronan Wynne remains the only WeeNix player to have started every game. Ahmed Othman also returned having missed the previous pair of games while Luis Toomey started against his home-town team.
Hawke’s Bay had a couple early sighters through Gavin Hoy and Liam Schofield but nothing to stretch out Sail in goal. Then a poor pass at the back almost opened things up at the other end for Riley Bidois only for Bill Robertson to shut him down after he’d already taken it around the keeper. Interesting game this one, neither side was lacking in shot attempts. Ahinga Selemani even had the ball in the goal midway through the half but he was offside, didn’t count. Minutes later Bidois hit the upright having gotten around the keeper again but by the end of that first half it remained scoreless.
HBU made a sub at the break to mix it up as Josh Murphy came on for Ihaia Delaney... and he needed about three minutes before he was in the referee’s notebook. Both these teams have been involved in plenty of games that involved plenty of goals (including a 4-3 win to HBU in the reverse fixture in week two) but it was feeling like whoever got the first one would be crucial. That first goal would belong to the returning Ahmed Othman. 55th minute with a bit of room on the break and he had his fifth of the season. Then, ten minutes later, Benny Old got in amongst it and it was 2-0.
Love seeing Old joining the goalscoring party, that was his first at this level and a fair reward since he’s been influential in setting up a few for others in recent weeks. HBU weren’t out of it at that stage but try as they might they couldn’t get that round leather thing over the correct painted white line despite the likes of Kilkolly, Selemani, and Murphy all going close. They subbed off a defender to get Jack Parker out there late on and were blessed with the last chance of six added minutes but it wasn’t to be. 2-0 to the WeeNix, just their second win of the term but it lifts them off the foot of the table and ahead of Canterbury Utd. HBU meanwhile have lost four in a row – the last three all by two goal margins. Might wanna stop doing that, aye? It’s not like they didn’t have the chances either... not quite clinical enough in the end and that’ll cost ya.
The first time that Eastern Suburbs and Hamilton Wanderers met, the Tron Wands dashed out to a 3-0 win in what was the only game they didn’t get comfortably beaten in before Ricki Herbert stepped back as coach. Since then it’s been perfection under Kale Herbert’s guidance... although things have gotten a whole lot tougher now with Jake Butler having departed for Australia, as he does. They did have Joe Harris coming into the starting team after playing off the bench though, popping back up after doing the college thing in the USA and playing lower leagues in Sweden. You might remember him from last year when he paid his own airfare home from Sweden to trial with the Wellington Phoenix during the Mark Rudan year (unsuccessfully).
Harris played at CB with Brock Messenger. Tino Contratti stepped up into the midfield. Also two of the stars of HW’s NYL squad from 2019 started with Adam Davidson back in at fullback and George Ott getting the start up front around Derek Tieku and Tommy Semmy. Eastern Suburbs didn’t have to change much after a big win last week... so they didn’t change anything. Fair enough. There could be some useful names peeking through over the next couple weeks though (including Leon van den Hoven and Matty Palmer who both played off the bench here).
The Kale Herbert Revolution has been arguably the story of the season but it was bound to run out of steam eventually, it simply had to. Yet it’s a credit to how good this team has been in key situations lately that it took until deep into this one before it felt safe to say it was over, no coming back. In the old days about twenty five minutes would’ve done the trick... because that’s how long it took Suburbs to get up by a couple goals.
They led almost straight away. A handball in the box meant a penalty and Martin Bueno stepped up to condemn his old team. Tommy Semmy came close to levelling after he got through and rounded the keeper but Suburbs rallied in defence and were able to recover to block the shot. That proved a pivotal moment as Adam Thurston, who scored twice on debut for the club last week, went and followed in the footsteps of George King, Sam Burfoot, and Ben Watson by popping a free kick into the net. Another stunning free kick from this week, so good.
The Tron Wands were always on the edge of getting back into the game as long as Semmy and Tieku were out there however that Suburbs defence and midfield were grasping this thing pretty tightly. Adam Thomas in particular was bringing the quality. And the speedbump which had become a hill became a mountain in the 54th minute when Marty Bueno broke the offside trap and finished with poise to make it 3-0 as the keeper advanced on him.
There was a window of hope for Wanderers which opened with a poor pass from Campbell Strong, letting Derek Tieku break through and he drew a penalty as Danyon Drake charged out. Drake needed a fair bit of treatment after the collision which slowed the game right down – there were about twenty minutes left at this point. Tieku was just waiting around for when he could take the spottie. A bit of magic spray eventually took care of the pain and not only did Drake get back up to carry on but the bloody guy went and saved the penalty, parrying it away with a trailing leg, and with that act pretty much extinguishing the flame for the Wanderers. Jordan Lamb created some excellent things late on and HW did finish the stronger team but the damage had already been done.
Such a strong couple wins for Suburbs, 3-0 here following 6-1 down in Christchurch last time. Nine goals in two games is one more than they’d scored in their previous six games combined. Considering some of the signings they’ve made, with Adam Thurston having such an instant impact and that Alec Solomons/Christian Gray combo at the back settling in fine, with Danyon Drake playing great and Martin Bueno scoring goals... this Suburbs team seems to be figuring it out at the right time. Kinda crazy that the first time these two played Hamilton Wanderers broke up an otherwise horrid first couple months with a 3-0 win. This time they broke up a brilliant last month or so with a 3-0 loss. It’s like a mirror image. And, yes, sorry to say it but the perfect record with Brock Messenger in the team has ended.
One more game to recap and it was a very tasty televised clash between Team Wellington and Auckland City at David Farrington Park. The two top teams, the only two capable of standing above the crowd. A dress rehearsal for the grand final? Too soon to say... but it’s always a big occasion when these two face off and this was no different.
Auckland City threw down some heat with that lineup announcement. Only five players remained from the starting team that kinda scraped through against Hawke’s Bay and within those six changes were two very, very enticing names: Emiliano Tade and Tom Doyle. Finally cleared for lift off. Doyle on the left of the back three and Tade playing in behind Myer Bevan up front. Nice to be able to chuck in a couple professional calibre players to a team that’s already top of the table, isn’t it?
Jose Figueira also rested Adam Mitchell for the first time with Brian Kaltack also starting while Conor Tracey came in for Enaut Zubikarai which meant only Angel Berlanga remained of the back three and keeper from last week. Alfie Rogers held his spot on the left which meant Andrew Blake came back in at right wingback (probably his preferred spot but Jordan Vale’s been having a very solid year too). No Mario Ilich either with Clayton Lewis playing deeper, meaning that Mitchell and Ilich, the two TeeDubs players that Figueira brought up north with him, were absent against their old team. And Logan Rogerson started for only the second time in seven weeks (injuries, bro).
Team Wellington were thrown a devastating blow midweek when Ollie Bassett who had basically been their best player this season and one of the best attacking talents in the league in 2019-20, decided he was off to pursue opportunities overseas. Nati Hailemariam took his place while Andy Bevin was a welcome name returning to the bench after two games out. Scott Midgley made his first start since he was injured the last time these two teams played – a 2-2 draw in Auckland – he replaced Aaron Spain and otherwise it was as you were.
ACFC came out firing and made sure that Scott Basalaj got his gloves dirty nice and early. Lots of shots with Tade and Lewis and Rogerson all involved. Those shots were about the only times that the TeeDubs could get possession off the City slickers, who had no trouble knocking the ball around. It was only towards the end of the half that Team Welly really got it churning but not to where they could trouble Tracey too much. Only halfies, mostly from range. Two back threes who know what to do defined that opening half... Taylor Schrijvers was outstanding for TW.
The second half, on the other hand... that one opened up. Myer Bevan had a wonderful chance to score when he snuck through in behind the defence but he couldn’t beat Basalaj one on one when he probably should have. From then on it was all over the place. Justin Gulley had a couple cracks at one end. Emiliano Tade somehow missed a golden chance from a Cam Howieson cross to the far post which he slid in and scooped up over the bar at the other. Sam Mason-Smith had a diving header at the far post which he probably didn’t even need to use his head for. Maro Bonsu-Maro hit the post after some scrappiness late on. Chances all over the show, enough for both teams to feel as though they should have won it. But neither did.
Somehow when the dust settled we were left with a 0-0 draw. Poor finishing from both teams was the major talking point although close behind were a pair of challenges, one from each team, which could have been judged a lot harsher than they were. Tom Doyle crushed Jack-Henry Sinclair which caused a long delay and earned Tommy a yellow one. Then Logan Rogerson did the same only crunchier to Hamish Watson and also escaped with a yellow.
But oh well, a scoreless draw doesn’t do either team any harm although it is ACFC’s third goalless draw in their last five games which is weird. City have had a lot of guys coming in and out recently, to be fair. They were without a few key figures here while Tade and Doyle are easing in same as Lewis has been and Rogerson’s had his knocks. There won’t be any panic there.
Team Wellington might be a tad more frustrated, particularly as the gameplan would have worked so well had they only taken one of those chances in the second half. They missed the speed and penetration of Bassett and it’s only getting worse with talk of Ollie Whyte heading off to the States and Hamish Watson expected to return for another NPL season in Oz. Lots of that going on at the moment in the league... but remember that Team Welly saw masses of their team join the midseason exodus last time and still rallied to beat ACFC in the semis and make the grand final.
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