Feltonmix Metro took a massive step towards clinching the Bluebird Premier League title for 1998 on August 29, their 8-0 humiliation of Copper Joe's Papatoetoe at Murdoch Park, coupled with other results going their way, leaving the Sean Hird-coached combination just three points away from their objective, with two games to play.
Papatoetoe wish they were in the same situation. But this match was their last of the season, and it looks like being their last for at least one year in the Bluebird Premier League, as they are now firmly entrenched in the relegation zone, and are reliant on other results - namely, two wins from two games for Bay Olympic, and two defeats in their last two games for Central United - going their way in order to have a chance of staying up.
To make matters worse for the South Aucklanders, according to my database records, this defeat was also a club record reversal on home turf, making Papatoetoe the second club Metro have humbled in such a way on the road this season, Onehunga Sports being the other.
Metro were without their "l'enfants terribles" for this match, and, it must be said, they weren't missed. Mind you, one of the replacements was Sean Hird, who would still find his way onto my team-sheet were I to name a 1998 Bluebird Premier League Select XI, despite not having played too often this season.
He played at times on Saturday night. There were times when he took a breather. And there were times when he simply toyed with 'Toe, manipulating the play as if the conductor of an orchestra, so commanding was he on occasions, particularly in the first half.
He did get some assistance, it must be said, but from an unlikely source. So often this season, Metro's discipline has been called into question. But the visitors tonight were angelic, in comparison to their hosts.
For some reason, Papatoetoe hit the self-destruct button. One sent-off, six booked and a dugout discussion with coach Billy McClure was referee Brian Precious' final tally at the end of the evening, and that was due solely to good man-management on his part.
At least two yellow card recipients were talked out of contemplating an early shower after some rash challenges which, I'm certain, would have seen a less experienced referee wielding the red card, while another was substituted before he had the chance to drop his bundle altogether.
The early indicators suggested that Metro's pre-match team talk had consisted of all the players reading a copy of Terry Maddaford's column from the previous Monday's NZ Herald and shoving those back down the printing press, so urgent were their first attacks.
Vaughan Couillault saved at the feet of Nigel Curties in the third minute, after a Hird-inspired raid, while Nick Bland's upending of Willie Thompson four minutes later saw the flank player placing the ball on the penalty spot - and completely missing the target.
He had another bash from the edge of the box sixty seconds after, but his drive flashed over the crossbar. Then came the sending-off, Jordan Pierce heading for the dressing rooms with just nine minutes on the clock, after an exchange of greetings with Hoani Edwards had seen the 'Toe defender extending the hand of friendship towards his opponent, albeit in clenched form!
Hird had been probing the open spaces in 'Toe's defence prior to this event, and they now took on cavernous proportions. Aaron Beckham was released in the tenth minute, but his chip of Couillault drifted narrowly past the far post.
The same pair combined again a minute later, with Beckham slipping the ball to Stuart Davidson, who picked out a beauty - twenty yards, top far corner, Couillault completely bemused.
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Metro doubled their lead in the seventeenth minute. 'Toe conceded a free-kick near the edge of the penalty area, and while Couillault organised his defensive wall, Hird sized up his opening, got the okay from referee Precious and clipped a beauty over the still-gathering wall, the ball dropping perfectly inside Couillault's near post with the 'keeper stranded.
The remainder of the half took on shooting practice proportions, as Metro tore at their opponents with the scent of blood very much in their nostrils. Three chances, to Jason Thompson, Curties and Beckham, all went close in as many minutes, while the next minute, the 26th, saw the scoreline alter for a third time. Beckham will never score an easier goal in his life, Couillault slicing a goal-kick straight to him on the edge of the penalty area.
The goalkeeper then found himself in Precious' notebook three minutes later, for a needless foul. Having caught a Jason Thompson cross, he stepped forward and kicked the retreating Stuart Mair, an action which prompted McClure to tell reserve 'keeper Robbie Graham to warm up. Edwards took the penalty, and the scoreline changed again.
Metro went nap in the 36th minute, Curties rifling home from six yards after Willie Thompson's deep corner had been volleyed back into the danger zone by Shaun O'Mara.
The half-time break allowed McClure to deliver some choice words to his team, which seemed to have the desired effect, as 'Toe came out looking a far more contestable proposition in the second spell. Ricky Espinoza and Cameron Pascoe both went close within five minutes of the resumption, the latter producing a save from Grant Schofield.
The former 'Toe 'keeper foiled Pascoe again seven minutes later, after he had scythed past four challenges before unleashing a twenty-five yarder. Ten minutes earlier, Graham had pulled off a superb fingertip save to frustrate Hird, who had judged his free-kick to perfection, in terms of getting the ball to drop under the bar.
Graham was beaten all ends up by Curties in the 68th minute, however, Willie Thompson's teasing cross picking out the midfielder's run, and he drilled home unchallenged from ten yards.
Hird sparked off a flowing five-man move five minutes later which culminated in Edwards sending the ball whizzing a foot over the crossbar from eighteen yards. He came closer still nine minutes from time, Graham denying him with a top stop.
But it was third time lucky for Edwards in the 83rd minute, or should that be fourth time? For he needed two bites to beat Graham on this occasion, the 'keeper parrying the first after Hird and Willie Thompson had combined to engineer the opening.
The rout was completed two minutes later, Graham beaten all ends up by Benny Hall at his near post, after Hird had sent the substitute scampering away down the right, from where he cut inside to curl home a beauty.
Graham saved from Hall before the finish, while the closest 'Toe came to a consolation goal came fifteen minutes from time, when Bland's free-kick picked out Victor Konusi, who somehow lifted the ball skywards from six yards out, a shot which summed up 'Toe's night and, it could be argued, their season.
They certainly weren't in Metro's league, the visitors showing the sort of quality football one associates with championship-chasing sides. The 8-0 scoreline says it all.

'Toe: Couillault (booked, 29) (Graham, 33); Pascoe, Konusi (booked, 65), Senibuli (booked, 28), Pierce (sent-off, 9); Hooper, Wye (booked, 67) (Rey-Pearse, 79), Bland (booked, 17), Mooney; Espinoza (Imraz, 76), Raoma (booked, 12).

Metro: Schofield; O'Mara, Van Dort (booked, 51), Mair, J. Thompson; W. Thompson, Curties (List, 83), Edwards, Beckham (Hall, 74); Davidson, Hird (booked, 42) (Mitchell, 83).

Referee: Brian Precious

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