Delta Tapware Metro climbed to fifth place in the North Island Soccer League on June 19, courtesy a workmanlike 2-0 victory over Lower Hutt City at Albie Turner Field.
The first noteworthy attack of the game produced the first goal, in the seventh minute. Following a Hoani Edwards corner, Stuart Davidson turned the ball across to the near post, where Danny McHenery turned sharply and fired off a shot which took a deflection before careering between the legs of City's goalkeeper, Craig Lauchlan, and into the bottom corner of the net.
Lower Hutt responded almost instantly, Kenny Harlock inspiring two openings in a ninety second period around the ten minute mark. Brother Neil sent a volley flashing past the upright following a Mark Foster cross in the first of these forays, while Kenny himself smacked a twenty yard volley a foot or two past the upright with Grant Schofield beaten despite being at full stretch.
Metro countered through Nigel Curties, who sent a looping header over Lauchlan but against the crossbar in the fourteenth minute, on receipt of a Davidson cross. Five minutes later, fine off-the-ball movement by Heath McCormack saw the striker create an opening from which he delivered a cross to McHenery. He flicked the ball down for Sean Hird, but the player-coach's effort whistled wide.
Affording himself a rare start, Hird was beginning to take a grip of the match, and in the 22nd minute he slipped McCormack through with a delicious pass. The striker cracked a beauty goalwards on the run, only for Lauchlan to pull off a fine fingertip save to prevent Metro from extending their advantage.
The home team were certainly the better unit in the first spell, and in the 32nd minute, an Edwards cross caused problems galore in Hutt's penalty area. McCormack fired goalwards from close-range, only for Kevin Stone to block his effort on the line. Five minutes later, Kenny Harlock's attempts to dribble out of defence foundered on Curties' challenge, the midfielder instantly firing off a snap-shot which was directed straight at Lauchlan.
It would have been something of an injustice had Hutt equalised before the interval, given their cautious approach thus far. But they came oh so close to doing so five minutes prior to the half-time whistle. Neil Harlock clipped in a delightful free-kick to the near post area, where Foster stole in unchallenged. Schofield narrowed the angle, but the striker lifted the ball over the goalkeeper, who was relieved to see the sphere clear the crossbar by the narrowest of margins.
After the lively Philip Patterson had gone close early in the second spell, Hird started a 52nd minute Metro raid with a timely tackle, before releasing the ball wide to Stu Roberts. He, in turn, fed Edwards, who played it inside for the on-rushing Hird. From twenty-five yards, his shot just cleared the crossbar.
The rare sight of a referee being substituted came to pass in the 56th minute, as Brian Precious was stopped dead in his tracks by a pulled groin muscle. The official had to be carried off the park, meaning a change of referee was in order. Graham Whitford took up the whistle, with fourth official Ian Hiscox taking on the referee's assistant duties for the remainder of the match.
This incident saw play stopped for the best part of five minutes, and it took a few minutes more for the players to warm to the task once more, on what, it must be said, wasn't exactly the warmest night of the year thus far!
Needless to say, when something noteworthy eventually occurred, Hird's involvement was inevitable. Breaking up an attack, he fed Roberts, who ran on ... and on ... and on, with McHenery and Davidson, running this way and that ahead of him, serving the purpose of decoys. Roberts had one thing in mind, and when he hit the twenty-yard mark, unleashed a curling shot which had Lauchlan beaten all ends up. Unfortunately for the striker, the post got in the way, and 1-0 it remained.
Within seconds, Edwards sent a grasscutter flashing past the same upright, to which Lower Hutt responded via a Kenny Harlock cavalry charge in the seventieth minute. Forward he surged, before touching the ball to Foster. He in turn fed David Ure, the young mop-haired substitute, who was denied the opportunity to shoot by a splendid recovering tackle from Curties.
Eight minutes later, Kenny Harlock sent Stone scampering away down the right, from where he whipped over a fine first-time cross. Unfortunately for Hutt, no-one was on hand to make the most of the opportunity, which was to prove crucial.
For, four minutes later, Hird engineered a superb second goal. Gliding past four challenges with ease on a jinking run, "the wee man" rolled the ball into the path of Roberts, a pass which was as close to an invitation to score as you could get. The striker didn't spurn the opportunity, arrowing his shot past Lauchlan into the bottom far corner to make the game safe for Metro.
Hird, Edwards and Roberts were all involved five minutes from time as Metro sought a third. On this occasion, the last-mentioned dwelt on the ball far too long before squaring it to Davidson, who showed the goalscorer what he should have done on first receiving the ball - hit it first-time. The ball whizzed goalwards, only to crash against the crossbar.
Three minutes later, the crossbar came under further fire, but this time it was Schofield's goalframe which felt the full force of the ball striking it. The source of the blistering thirty-yard volley which cannoned back into play off the underside of the bar was Neil Harlock, while his brother Kenny's stoppage time corner offered Rodney Mays the chance to grab a consolation goal for Hutt, only for Curties to block his effort on the line with time up on the clock.
Metro's 2-0 victory owed much to Hird - without question, the outstanding individual on the park. The victors are a different team entirely when he is in the side, but that's only to be expected, as Hird is undoubtedly one of the best players in the country.
Others to excel were Curties, Kara Waetford, Sakdy Phommahaxay and Davidson for Metro, while Philip Patterson and the brothers Harlock were the pick of a Lower Hutt side which could have been a bit more adventurous in attack, as hinted at by the late introduction of lively substitute Jerry Allan - a good young player, this former Mt. Albert Grammar School lad. Definitely one to watch.

Metro: Schofield; Hird (Mitchell, 90), Waetford, Mair, Phommahaxay; Edwards, Curties, Davidson, Roberts; McHenery, McCormack (Malcolm, 59).

Hutt: Lauchlan; Stone, Day, B. Patterson (booked, 44), N. Harlock; Wilson (Jones, 71), P. Patterson (Allan, 89), K. Harlock, Porteous (Ure, 62); Foster, Mays.

Referee: Brian Precious (Graham Whitford, 56)

Scoring: Metro: D. McHenery (7), S. Roberts (82)

Arcus Trophy: Sean Hird (Metro) 3, Nigel Curties (Metro) 2; Philip Patterson (Lower Hutt City) 1.

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