Defending National League champions Napier City Rovers spoilt the centenary party of reigning Northern League champions Metro at Albie Turner Field on June 7, the Auckland club going down 2-0 to the Hawke's Bay side despite dominating much of the play.
Visiting referee David Lawrie did nothing to endear himself to the local faithful within four minutes of signalling the start of what was a fairly physical encounter, awarding a penalty to Napier which can most kindly be described as a questionable decision. The fact that this is for family reading prevents the use of a more apt turn of phrase to do justice to his judgment in this instance!!
Dean Johnston had bulldozed his way past Stu Davidson in pursuit of a loose ball, knocking the Metro player over in the process. He then bounced off Sakdy Phommahaxay, who was covering the loose ball as Grant Schofield moved to gather it, and fell to the ground inside the penalty area, an action which earned the visitors a spot-kick. Chris Jackson duly converted it, and Napier had the early lead.
Metro sought a quick response, with the hard-working Jonathan Perry whipping in a low cross which careered across the face of Mark Paston's goal within a minute of Napier's strike, neither Stu Roberts nor Danny McHenery being able to get a vital touch to turn the ball home.
Paston was scrambling across the face of goal in the eleventh minute, Perry making the most of a defensive blunder to send a drive flashing past the far post. Six minutes later, the gangly goalkeeper was relieved to see Nigel Curties heading Hoani Edwards inswinging free-kick narrowly wide.
Metro came incredibly close to levelling the scores in the twentieth minute. Edwards - an impressive display - delivered a corner to the far post, where Roberts' volley was somehow parried off the line one-handed by Paston. The striker was onto the rebound instantly, but could only guide his header against the crossbar - a let-off for Napier if ever there was one!
The visitors went close through both Martin Akers - despite his being offside when David Batty played the ball through to him - and Johnston in the next six minutes, but these efforts apart, the remainder of the half saw waves of red-and-black attacks heading towards the Rovers' goal, with many of them foundering on Perry Cotton's sterling defensive work - the player-coach had a fine game at the heart of the visitors' defence.
Paston had to save just twice more in the first half, from an Edwards free-kick and a Luke Malcolm drive, this effort the culmination of a well-executed build-up in which Davidson featured most prominently.
The second spell began with Napier enjoying the upper hand early on, Schofield forced to save from both Johnston and Jackson, who impressed throughout with both his movement off the ball and his use of it - much of what was good about Napier's display invariably involved the All White midfielder.
Sean Hird introduced himself to the fray at this point, and within minutes, the balance of play had begun to swing Metro's way once again. On the hour, he combined with Roberts to put McHenery through, the striker appearing to go down under the challenge of Paston, as the goalkeeper dived at his feet but failed to gather the ball in the process. Despite pleas for a penalty - it certainly looked far more clear-cut than the one previously awarded - referee Lawrie was not interested in the slightest, and play continued.
After Warren Gilbertson and Perry had exchanged shots on goal, further Metro penalty claims were denied, following an Edwards free-kick in the 67th minute. McHenery was climbed over as a Napier defender desperately looked to head clear, but again play on was signalled, and Roberts volleyed the loose ball over the bar.
Schofield stopped a thumping Akers drive in fine style within sixty seconds, before Napier were reduced to ten men with twelve minutes remaining. Ross Goodacre was the victim of a second bookable offence, having been one of four Napier players booked in the match.
A couple more visitors' names in the referee's notebook would not have been unwarranted - Jonathan Taylor was extremely fortunate to avoid receiving a yellow card on at least two occasions prior to his doing so - while two or three Metro challenges merited more than just the awarding of a free-kick by the match official, whose display was of the inconsistent variety.
Napier's response to going down to ten men was to go 2-0 up. Superb off-the-ball running by Gilbertson was spotted by Mark Harrison, who swept the ball across field into the path of the free-running midfielder. He picked his spot beyond the advancing Schofield to wrap up the points for the visitors.
McHenery's shot on the turn seven minutes from time, smothered by Paston, was all Metro could muster in the remaining minutes as they sought to claw back the deficit, but Napier maintained their advantage to the end, and now move into second spot on the North Island Soccer League table, on the back of a five-match unbeaten run in the competition.

Metro: Schofield; Waetford, Phommahaxay (booked, 86), Mair (booked, 1); Davidson (Stewart, 88), Curties (Thou, 84), Perry, Malcolm (Hird, 56), Edwards; McHenery, Roberts.

Napier: Paston; Goodacre (booked, 44, 78 - sent-off), Cotton, Taylor (booked, 49), Parker; Batty (booked, 18), Harrison (booked, 27) (Rennie, 80), Jackson, Gilbertson; Akers, Johnston (Brown, 69)

Referee: David Lawrie

Scoring: Napier: C. Jackson (4, pen), W. Gilbertson (80)

Arcus Trophy: Chris Jackson (Napier) 3; Jonathan Perry (Metro) 2; Perry Cotton (Napier) 1.

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