Feltonmix Metro, inspired by a stunning second half hat-trick from Steve Nickson and the midfield promptings of debutante Kenny Harlock, came from behind to overcome Onehunga Sports 4-1 at Alby Turner Field on April 18, to climb to third place in the Bluebird Premier League.
Metro were certainly the better team on the night, with their injury-hit opponents relying on heart aplenty to keep them in contention. But it was Sports who held the advantage at the interval, a goal to the good thanks to a smashing 25-yard strike from Dave Sutton in the 18th minute, which beat Wayne Roach all ends up.
That goal came against the run of play, however, as Metro had forced four corners in the first fifteen minutes, and Harlock had hit the angle of post and crossbar with a wicked 25-yard curler which Sports’ new goalkeeper, Grant Schofield, could only admire.
Sports had a couple of other first half chances, these falling the way of Ian Grainger, Dave Sutton and Roddy Patterson, but Metro should really have gone to the break on level terms at least.
Nickson sent one whizzing past the upright in the 22nd minute, while Danny McHenery, on receipt of a beautifully weighted cross from Willie Thompson, ghosted in to head the ball over the advancing Schofield but against the angle a minute later.
Nickson hit the side-netting, then climbed high to force Schofield into tipping over a teasing Shaun Omara cross-shot in the 35th minute, before Harlock again hit the woodwork in stoppage time with another rasping drive deserving of better fate.
One notable feature of the first half action was the lack of chatter emanating from the field. In a way, it was quite eerie, given that most games seen in Auckland feature a lot of “advice” from players to teammates, the opposition and, on the odd occasion (!), the match officials. Tonight, for some reason, the first half was very quiet.
The chatter picked up in the second spell, with Nickson and Benny Hall going close early on, the latter being denied by John Coyle’s fine recovering tackle as he homed in on goal. The pressure Metro was exerting on Sports’ defence had to tell, however, and the dam burst in the 51st minute.
Harlock, following a short corner, got to the byline and whipped in a cross to the far post. Nickson, who had held his run, stormed forward and sent the ball bulleting into the net with his head to revive flagging spirits - remember, Metro had lost their last game, albeit undeservedly.
From here on in, it was virtually a case of “by how many”. After Sports’ Dave Sutton had hit a thirty-yard screamer of a free-kick which required the fingertips of Roach to maintain parity, Metro laid siege to Schofield’s goal.
Harlock went close again in the 62nd minute before finally finding the net five minutes later. The roles occupied in the scoring of the first goal were reversed this time, Nickson’s cross from the left being headed home by the new-comer from fifteen yards out, despite the despairing efforts of Schofield to deny his erstwhile Waitakere team-mate.
The goalkeeper was kept busy before the finish by efforts from Omara, Nickson, McHenery and Thompson, but had to pick the ball out of his net on two further occasions. Mind you, not many goalkeepers would have stopped either of Nickson’s stunning efforts - both were snorters!
The first, in the 82nd minute, saw the Scouser latch onto a defence-splitting Steve Goddard pass on the left flank. From there, he cut inside and drilled home a crisply struck twenty-yarder inside Schofield’s left-hand upright, as the goalkeeper advanced to narrow the angle.
Two minutes later, “Nicko” completed the scoring, and his hat-trick, with an absolute belter! From the right this time, he chanced his arm with a 25-yard angled volley which smashed against the far post and cannoned in to round off Metro’s 4-1 win in style.

Print this page