When was the last time you saw a soccer match with 34 scoring chances? The Bluebird Premier League clash of Placemakers Cook Street Central United and Feltonmix Metro at Mt. Smart Stadium on April 28 produced just that, and should have resulted in a scoreline reading Central 16, Metro 18!!
Instead, Metro ran out 5-0 winners to surge to the top of the table, but how Central failed to score in this rip-roaring thriller defies logic!
You really couldn't afford to take your eyes off this match, played in conditions made challenging by a couple of heavy showers which passed over the ground just moments before the start. The first opportunity came in the fourth minute, a first time volley by Steve Nickson being tipped round the post in spectacular fashion by Ross Nicholson.
Central responded three minutes later by hitting the post. Bruce Hill released Mathew Urlovic with a crossfield pass, and the striker cut in to shot, only to see the ball ricochet off the woodwork. Before he had a chance to convert the rebound, Paul Urlovic was crowded out by Metro's fast-recovering defence, which included, for the first time this season, John Van Dort.
He instigated the next attack a minute later, which, with much help from Carl Jorgensen's nicely weighted pass, was finished off by Nickson, a stunning volleyed strike on the turn to open the scoring.
As Central reeled from this setback, Nickson, back from suspension, went close twice more, the second time forcing a save from Nicholson. The goalkeeper sent the ball forward, which allowed Central's new signing, Phil Porteous, to stretch his legs. Away he scampered, rounding Grant Schofield, who had careered out of his goal in the absence of Metro team-mates. Porteous opted to cross from his location to Paul Urlovic, who had the goal at his mercy.
Astonishingly, Metro survived on this occasion, the ball failing to reach the youngster. Seconds later, Porteous' attempt to make amends for his tame delivery saw him shooting over the top - a golden chance missed in the sixteenth minute.
Six minutes later, Mathew Urlovic had the goal at his mercy, but couldn't get the bouncing ball under control following the combination of Ivan Vicelich and Porteous on the right. Metro's response? Back down the other end, where Sean Armstrong's looping header just cleared the crossbar.
Terry Torrens' error of judgment in controlling a bouncing ball proved fatal in the 26th minute, as Jorgensen pounced. He surged forward before unleashing a twenty-five yard grasscutter which crashed in off the far post beyond Nicholson's despairing dive - 2-0 to Metro.
Central came right back at their opponents, and Vicelich's low cross in the 33rd minute caused a fair few problems. Metro eventually cleared their lines, but not before Paul Urlovic appeared to have been denied the chance to contest possession in mid-air in the penalty area.
Vicelich, playing in an unfamiliar midfield role, was performing like a trojan. So, too, was Michael Loftus, who had a whale of a game on the left flank. The pair combined for the latter to whip in a 37th minute cross which proved too good for everybody, as it curled enticingly across the face of Metro's goal without anyone making contact with it!
Still Central pressed. A minute later, Ian Lathwood switched play to Scott Farrington, who sent Porteous forward. Schofield raced out and appeared to trip the striker as he went around him in the penalty area. Referee Chris Carter waved away all appeals for a spot-kick.
Armstrong's fine header from the tightest of angles hit the top of the net as Metro pressed once more, but Central were not going to go down without a fight. Schofield produced a fine diving save to foil a superbly struck twenty-five yard drive from Paul Urlovic, an effort followed seconds later by a twenty yard gem from Vicelich which whizzed past the post with the 'keeper very much relieved that it did.
Right on half-time, Nickson was allowed to run on towards goal despite receiving the ball in an offside position. He cleverly outfoxed Nicholson, but his shot on goal was blocked by the retreating Lathwood, who ensured that the half-time scoreline, in a match which already had seen enough scoring chances to satisfy two fixtures, read 2-0 to Metro.
Schofield and Nicholson were both in action before five minutes of the second half had passed by. The former denied Porteous, while the latter needed two attempts to deal with another Jorgensen grasscutter.
A lengthy throw-out of some sixty yards by Nicholson freed up Mathew Urlovic on Central's left. To the byline he raced before pulling the ball back for his brother, whose volley flew inches past the upright in the 51st minute.
After such a breathtaking first half, it came as no surprise that there was a small respite in the action at this stage, but the seeming non-stop feast of goalmouth action resumed in the 64th minute, Lathwood clearing off the line from Nickson after a misjudgment by Nicholson.
Stuart Mair had had a sound game to this point, and he stopped a Central raid in its tracks in the 67th minute to spark a Metro counter attack. Jorgensen received his pass, and, in turn, picked out Nickson. A lovely ball on for Danny McHenery saw the striker denied by Nicholson, who saved at his feet.
The Urlovic brothers seemed the most likely source of a goal for Central, and they combined again within sixty seconds, Paul hitting the sidenetting following Mathew's cross. Not to be denied, however, Vicelich wanted in on the act, but Schofield proved equal to his twenty yarder.
Three goals in four minutes killed off Central's hopes of victory, and ensured Metro of a return to the top of the table. With Central going all out for a goal, they were leaving themselves vulnerable to the counter-attack, and it was from such a raid that Jorgensen struck in the 71st minute.
Armstrong did the hard work on the right on the ball, but it was Jorgensen's eye-catching run from deep to which United failed to respond, and his emphatic volley, on receipt of Armstrong's cross, put Metro 3-0 in front.
After Farrington had fired a twenty yard drive past the near post a minute later, two goals in as many minutes from Geoff Gray - his first touches of the ball since coming on as a substitute - saw Metro go nap.
John Lawler's free-kick from deep inside his own half in the 74th minute picked out 'Looby', whose looping header left Nicholson standing as the ball arced under the bar. Seconds later, Jorgensen's run from deep allowed him to capitalise on a Central defensive blunder. Although on a hat-trick, he unselfishly squared the ball to Gray, who eventually slammed it home into the roof of the net.
At 5-0, you'd have thought Central would have given up the ghost. No way!! Vicelich's clever eightieth minute chip beat Schofield all ends up but hit the crossbar. Unbelievably, Porteous could only head the rebound straight at the 'keeper.
Two minutes later, Porteous picked out Paul Urlovic in space in Metro's penalty area. He had time to control the ball before shooting, but snatched at the volley, and sent the ball over the top. Within seconds, the youngster had a chance to make amends in almost identical circumstances. Vicelich was the source of the opportunity this time, and Urlovic did control the sphere before pulling the trigger on this occasion. The sidenetting billowed, much to his frustration.
Back came Metro - surely not a sixth goal? Jorgensen - he had a super game - picked out Nigel Curties with an intelligent pass. The substitute's shot whistled past the upright.
Three minutes later, some lovely one-touch passing by Metro - Jorgensen in particular - saw play sweep across the park from Armstrong to Curties. The pass through to McHenery saw the striker's low cross missed by everyone as it zoomed across the face of goal.
The final chance of the match, two minutes from time, saw Jorgensen through on goal again, this time down the left. But instead of squaring for Armstrong, this time he went for glory, and curled the ball over the top, an inappropriate conclusion to one of the best Bluebird Premier League matches seen in years, despite what the scoreline would have you believe!

United: Nicholson; Uhlmann, Torrens, Lathwood; Hill, Vicelich, Farrington, Loftus; Porteous, P. Urlovic, M. Urlovic.
Metro: Schofield; Mair, Thompson, Van Dort; Lawler, Armstrong, Edwards (Curties, 71), Jorgensen, Beckham; McHenery, Nickson (Gray, 71). Referee: Chris Carter

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