Waitakere win against ten man Manawatu

Waitakere United collected a valuable three points on their return home in the NZFC after a three game away stretch with a 3-1 win over YoungHeart Manawatu at a sun drenched Fred Taylor Park on Saturday.



The opening minutes suggested it would be an open affair and that proved to be the case with both sides committed to attack on a perfect playing surface under sunny skies. Manawatu’s Dominic Rowe hit the post as early as the second minute when scoring appeared the easier option. The only good news for Rowe is his miss wasn’t to be the worst on the day.



Waitakere soon settled and took the lead in the 13th minute when livewire striker Benjamin Totori reacted quickest to score from 7 metres with former United keeper Michael Utting unsighted in the Manawatu goal.



Then the miss of the game - from another Waitakere attacking raid the ball all but hit the head of Paul Seaman from just over a metre out but somehow Utting saved with his feet, keeping his side in the match at a time when Waitakere was threatening to run riot.



The tide soon turned with Manawatu pressing forward and putting the much vaunted home side’s defence under pressure, usually thorugh the pace of former Wellington United striker Dominic Rowe.



The equalizer came from one of those raids down Waitakere’s left side with a well worked move resulting in Ian Sandbrook sliding home from close range. Both sides headed to the dressing rooms with the score at 1 all.



The second half was only three minutes old when the turning point in the match was delivered first by Manawatu striker Osea Vakatalesau to the head of Neil Sykes, quickly followed by a red card from referee Brent Kerr.



The fact that Waitakere could only score twice more against a brave and resolute Manwawatu side was credit to the visitors but will also be of concern to coach Chris Milicich.



The goals though were worth the price of admission with fullback Darren Bazeley calmly rifling a right foot free kick from 25 metres passed a bemused Michael Utting who clearly had his eyes on a ball to the far post in the 54th minute before Benjamin Totori wrapped it up with a stunning solo effort late in the game



The result will please Milicich but the manner of the scrappy performance may not, albeit he will heave a sigh of relief at apparently getting through the match without major injury concern.



In further good news on that front, Neil Emblen seemed to get through half an hour of football without any apparent distress after missing three weeks with a foot injury.



Waitakere will rest up tonight before boarding a plane for Japan on Sunday morning for the FIFA Club World Cup, content they leave with a healthy points tally in the NZFC as they now concentrate on playing Sepehan from Iran on Friday night in Tokyo.



Waitakere United 3

YoungHeart Manawatu 1



Waitakere United: 22 Simon Eaddy, 2 Jonathan Perry, 5 Danny Hay (c), 6 Darren Bazeley, 7 Jason Hayne (13 Daniel Koprivcic 78th), 9 Benjamin Totori, 10 Allan Pearce (17 Jake Butler) 15 Chris Bale, 17 Jake Butler, 22 Simon Eaddy, 11 Neil Sykes, 33 Paul Seaman, 8 Commins Menapi (16 Neil Emblen 60th),



Goals:

WU: B Totori 13th, 87th, D Bazeley 54th

YHM: I Sandbrook 37th