Bay Olympic’s player-coach Sean Hird, strikers Danny McHenery and Rab McNeil, midfielder Nigel Curteis, defender Sakdy Phommahaxay and team manager Ken Wheeler had a strange experience when first arriving at Metro’s Albie Turner Field on April 12 for the teams’ Central Auckland derby.
For the first time in nine seasons, in some cases, they found themselves entering the away dressing room, rather than the home room which had been their domain throughout the second golden era in Metro’s 103-year history.
Indeed, so used to entering the home dressing room was Wheeler that he was through the door before he realised where he was - guarantee a team fine for that misdemeanour!
But Wheeler, Hird and Bay’s other Metro old boys were smiling at the end of the evening, as the greater experience of Bay’s ranks prevailed 2-0 over their youthful Central Auckland neighbours to take the overnight lead in the Northern Premier League competition.
It was a match played in tremendous spirit - there was very little, if any, malice in evidence, as both teams served up an entertaining ninety minute encounter - and one which, watched by over 400 Friday night football fans, was rich in goal scoring opportunities at both ends of the park, the first of which fell Bay’s way in the fourth minute.
Lurking near the far post, Phommahaxay was picked out by a Danny Donegan free-kick, and the defender rattled the upright with a thumping header, the rebound of which was fired wide by Neil Woodhams.
Metro responded via a Ben Dundas corner, which Leaveil Titus and Peter Hendriks combined to send back to the near post, where Jay Wilson headed the ball over the bar. Seconds later, another Dundas corner had Jon Gwin flapping, Bay’s goalkeeper pawing the in swinging delivery out from under the crossbar as the home team pressed for the opener.
Bay retorted via Lee Judd, who fired wide after a well-constructed right flank raid, and Hamish Carmody, who hit the top of the crossbar with a close-range header in the 22nd minute, after a Donegan corner to the far post had been headed across goal by Curteis.
It was end-to-end fare for much of the first half, and two minutes later, Willie Osborne squandered a glorious chance to put Metro in front.
Bay were having trouble with the sheer pace of the home team’s strikers, Osborne’s rapidity matched by his eighteen-year-old front-running partner-in-crime, Shane Campbell, who was released down the right by Joe List prior to whipping over a cross for Osborne, who turned on the ball but was unable to do justice to his shot, as the sphere somehow got stuck between the speedster’s feet.
After Osborne had fired well wide after racing clear of Bay’s offside trap, the visitors retorted with a fine raid which brought the best out of Metro’s custodian, Andy Daniels. Gwin’s clearance fell to McHenery, who surged forward from half-way and swept past a challenge before being confronted by Daniel Mulrooney.
The defender’s partial clearance saw the ball fall to Donegan, who cut across the defender before letting fly with a shot across Daniels towards his bottom left-hand corner. The goalkeeper was at full stretch low to his left to turn the goal bound effort to safety in the 33rd minute.
Carmody was having a hard time of it in the scoring stakes. After hitting the crossbar earlier, Daniels saved at his feet in the 39th minute, then after he headed a Donegan free-kick wide four minutes before the interval, Carmody couldn’t believe he was denied in the dying seconds of the half - Thomas pulled off a magnificent last-ditch tackle to steer the ball to safety, as the striker shaped to volley home a McHenery cross.
Bay came out far stronger in the second spell, and after going close on a couple of occasions, including a fine left-flank raid inspired the hard-working Martyn Miller, they scored twice in six minutes to leave Metro with a mountain to climb.
McHenery released Neil Woodhams down the right, and after riding Poasa Tubuna’s desperate tackle, the seasoned campaigner swept a measured cross to the near post, where Carmody touched the ball into McHenery’s path. From close range, the former Metro goal poacher is lethal - 1-0 Bay.
Carmody blazed wide with Daniels to beat and time and space his to enjoy on the hour mark, but after Metro’s goalkeeper had reacted superbly to swat to safety a close-range Curteis header following Donegan corner, Carmody finally found the mark, with much help from Daniels.
Donegan’s corner picked out Phommahaxay lurking near the edge of the penalty area, and the defender sent a bullet of a header zooming across the goalmouth. Carmody, unmarked, leapt high and headed the ball downwards. It had bounced by the time Daniels reacted, which was way too late for Metro - 2-0.
It was the breathing space Bay needed, as they maintained their unbeaten start to the season. With Metro lacking the experience to counter the thrusts of their more seasoned opponents, they soon found themselves somewhat under siege, only managing the odd break to stem the waves of green and white which were increasingly in evidence by this stage.
Both Carmody and McHenery went close to adding to their individual tallies in the next ten minutes, the latter’s effort being saved by the legs of Daniels, after the goalkeeper, not for the first or last time in the last half-hour, had fumbled what seemed a straightforward cross.
Only a superb save from Gwin prevented Metro from getting back into the match with ten minutes to go, as the visitors’ ‘keeper flung himself high to his right to turn a volley from Vinnie Sibley - the man with the most distinctive chin in Northern League soccer - to safety.
Bay responded through the impressive Joe Edwards, who had a storming second half. In the 81st minute, he turned a defender and evaded Daniels’ lunge before losing his balance as he fired a shot over the crossbar. Two minutes later, Metro’s goalkeeper needed two attempts to deny the youngster, as he left Mulrooney standing prior to shooting narrowly past Hendriks.
In between times, a long ball forward by Jay Wilson had sat up perfectly for the rampaging Joel Facon, who was all set to volley the ball home when Hird appeared on the scene and produced a magnificently timed flying tackle to strip the striker of possession in the act of shooting.
Metro wouldn’t lie down, however. After the retreating figure of Jay Wilson did just enough to deny McNeil from getting on the end of a driven McHenery cross, the home team twice went close in stoppage time - they certainly never gave up, despite time, and the score line, being against them.
The defensive wall did its job in denying Facon’s free-kick, but the subsequent corner, delivered by the substitute, found Jay Wilson rising high on the far post. His downward header was met by Hendriks, who, from close range, sent the ball crashing against the crossbar.
The final whistle of referee Steve Fletcher - his was a generally positive contribution to the match, as he largely let the players get on with the task at hand, intervening only when absolutely necessary, which is as it should be - sounded seconds later, concluding a memorable duel in favour of Metro’s returning old boys.

Metro:  Daniels; Mulrooney (booked, 85), Hendriks, J. Wilson, Tubuna; Singh (P. Wilson, 46), List (booked, 50), Dundas, Titus (Facon, 63); Campbell (Sibley, 77)

Osborne Bay Olympic: Gwin; Woodhams, Hird, Phommahaxay (booked, 50), Miller; Donegan, Curteis, Judd, Edwards; Carmody (McNeil, 70), McHenery

Referee: Steve Fletcher

A word of thanks …
To Jeremy Ruane for his continued support of our club by providing his reports for our enjoyment and entertainment. Jeremy has two great websites to further tantalise your football taste buds. They are:
www.ultimatenzsoccer.com - The Ultimate New Zealand Soccer Website
www.nzsoccerscoreboard.com - Your Ultimate New Zealand Soccer one-stop results service

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