A delayed start to Feltonmix Metro’s season saw them playing their first game away to East Coast Bays. Not an easy task, considering last year’s closely contested games (remember them? back to back in the middle of the season, 1-0 to Metro at Phyllis Street, and 2-1 to Metro a week later at East Coast Bays), and the fact that East Coast Bays had convincingly beaten the highly rated Papatoetoe team on Saturday.
The game was played in bright sunny conditions on an excellent playing surface. Feltonmix Metro dominated the first ten minutes, and managed to create a number of half chances.
East Coast Bays then settled down and began to play some entertaining football, mostly in the mid-field, and again, few chances were forthcoming. Altan Ramadan was having a good game in the midfield for the ‘Bays, testing the Feltonmix Metro midfield and defense at every opportunity.
As the half wore on, Steve Nickson, Shaun Omara and Sean Hird began to stamp their mark on the game. Danny McHenery was working well with Nickson, and Sakdy Phommahaxay was playing with a calmness and maturity well beyond his years.
Thirty-five minutes into the first half, the first real chance came when Benny Hall beat the off-side trap and easily out-paced his marker out wide on the right, cut in toward the near post, drew the ‘keeper and pushed the ball square to the waiting McHennery and Stuart Roberts.
Unfortunately, the pass bisected the two players, the ball was scrambled clear and the chance was lost. End of the first half and the score remained nil-nil.
The second half was eight minutes old when Nickson found a yard of space at the edge of the ‘Bays area, and calmly drove the ball along the ground into the far corner of the goal. Feltonmix Metro 1, East Coast Bays 0.
Ramadan provided entertainment with his ability to create moves out of the mid-field, but often seemed to lack support when he needed it most. While the ‘Bays had much of the midfield dominance for large periods of play, it was Feltonmix Metro who were creating the chances.
A nice move out of their own half resulted in Steve Goddard heading onto the cross-bar with the goalkeeper beaten. Nickson then struck a thunderous free-kick which took a deflection for a corner, and a goal-bound header by Nickson was deflected off target by one of the Metro players.
As the game drew to a close, the ‘Bays team had some of their better football. John Van Dort, Phommahaxay, and Sean Hird looked comfortable in their defensive roles, and easily removed any threats to the goal.
In the dying minutes of the second half, a half chance was created by East Coast Bays, and Wayne Roach, who had had a solid day in the goal, quickly reacted to snuff out any hopes of East Coast Bays obtaining a draw.
On the day, Metro clearly had more chances, and as the season moves on, it can be expected that these will be turned to more fruitful reward, but the result was a fair reflection of the game.
Player of the day for Metro was Sakdy Phommaxay, and Steve Laus for East Coast Bays.

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