Division 1: Sprig + Fern Tahuna 1st XI Division 2: Sprig + Fern Tahuna 2nd XI
Division 3: Sprig + Fern Tahuna 3rd XI Division 4:
Women's Premiership: Sprig + Fern Tahuna Breakers Masters Football: Sprig + Fern Tahuna Masters
1st XI 0-3 FC Nelson (default)
Location:
Goals:
Match MVP:
2nd XI 4-0 Mapua Mens
Location: Mapua Domain
Goals: Raimund x2, Munday, Austen
Match MVP: Raimund
Tahuna's 2nd XI made the trip out to sunny Mapua on Saturday, aiming to get their cup capitulation against Loco out of their system. Mapua were flying high after their cup win over the Suburbs Colts the week before.
The small Mapua pitch nullified Tahuna's usual easy-on-the-eye tiki-taka, as they struggled to get a foothold in the opening half an hour. Mapua had a few bright moments as the congestion allowed them to run at the Tahuna backline on several occasions. However, the likes of Austen and Raimund were also causing issues, finding space in behind and creating chances, while Harry and Petch also had decent opportunities. It took a well struck freekick from Munday, who capitalised on some less-than-average Mapua wall work to curl one into the postage stamp and give Tahuna a 1-0 half-time lead.
Whatever Sam said during his half-time team talk, it clearly did the trick, as Tahuna emerged a different beast after the oranges. Til, Gary and Petch bossed the middle of the park, pulling Mapua's strings as chance after chance was created. Austen scored, before the on-fire Raimund netted a sublime solo effort. Gary had one ruled out by the officials for unclear reasons, either a phantom offside in the build-up or an obstruction on the keeper from his own defender, however, the deliver from Ash was a peach. Soon after, Raimund hits the crossbar. Geeza, excited to get involved in the action in any way possible, decided to be a bit overzealous in an aerial duel and cut a kid’s lip. Raimund then capped a masterful display by leaving a Mapua defender for dead following a delightful piece of trickery, flicking the ball over his head and controlling before slotting home.
A terrific all-round team display in the second period, and another richly deserved Man of the Match award for Raimund. The coveted Dick of the Day award surprisingly went to Gary Walker for his endless showboating and "PlayStation flicks" much to the annoyance of his grumpy Scottish teammates. Match report by Will Murphy.
3rd XI 2-4 Loco Steamers
Location: Tahunanui S2
Goals: Diego, Luca.
Match MVP: Josh Hindrup Saturday's game between Tahuna 3rds and Loco Steamers will probably go down as a game left long in the memory for the home side as Tahuna found themselves asleep in the first 15mins of the game and were punished by 2 quick goals. Tahuna then did manage to wake up and some neat passing between Diego, Sayha and Blessings managed to get a few shots on goal while the vast majority went wide. The cohesion in the back line was not there to begin with with Josh Hindrup being substituted pretty early on for Michele Delgado. There were some signs of life in the midfield with Sobi, Casemiro and Ralph playing some neat passes between each other. Stu Mountain let his passion get the better of him and made multiple fouls on the FC Nelson team giving away ground when there was not any need to. Loco Steamers managed to get another goal before half time before the ref blew the whistle.
A big team talk at the half for Tahuna saw Stu, Casemiro and Ralph come off for Owain, Luca and Dong Tom Dunn who had made some good saves during the first half also came off and Josh Hindrup stepped up to go in goal for the second half.
Tahuna started the second half very brightly and quickly went onto the attack narrowly missing some really good opportunities. Luca and Diego were combining really well with Sobi and Sayha doing the same. Tahuna were gifted a free kick about 25 yards out which Diego dispatched with expert precision. The keeper managed to get a hand to it but could only parry it into his own next. 3-1 down and Tahuna were ready to go again. The younger age of the Tahuna squad started to pay dividends as they kept on the attack. Luca being fouled about 25 yards out from the Loco's goal set Diego up again. He placed it beautifully onto the head of Luca who directed it straight into the Loco's goal. 3-2 and Tahuna were starting to believe again.
For much of the remainder of the half it was all Tahuna but they just could not find the goal they craved. Unfortunately in the last 10mins the Tahuna backline were caught out and even though Angus Mills did valiantly to get back and make the tackle the ref adjudged it to be a foul to Loco. The striker stepped up to take it and Josh Hindrup made an incredible save but he could not keep his hands on it and it went back into the path of the penalty taker who got lucky the second time around.
With that it was pretty much game set and match for Loco Steamers as Tahuna went down for their second loss in as many matches.
Although Tahuna played very well, it was the first 15mins of the first half that killed them as it meant an uphill battle for the rest of it.
Next up for the 3rds is a home game against a resurgent Motueka team who have 2 wins on the bounce currently.
Match report by Stu Mountain.
Tahuna 4th XI 1-0 Wakefield 2nd XI
Location: Wakefield Domain
Goals: Ryan Hornell
Match MVP: Ryan Hornell
The 4th XI lads headed out to visit the Wakey Bakey on Saturday, oh and also played a spot of football.
Ryan new to Tahuna this season must have been in high spirits knowing he didn't have far to travel for the weekends match and what do you know, won the game for the lads with his second goal of the season!
Zach - perhaps the most injured player of the season took to the pitch as striker for the first half coming close to putting one away but I'm sure walking away from the game unassisted also felt like a win.
A rare occasion as the keeper for the day survived the whole match without injury.
Big ups to the Masters gentlemen who travelled out after a quick team photo in Tahuna to assist the guys.
Match report by Abbi.
TFC Breakers 0-5 Richmond Foxes
Location: Jubilee Park
Goals:
Match MVP: Monique Day
So much running, So little Ball.
Match quote by Monique Day.
TFC Masters 10-0 Suburbs FC Masters United
Location: Tahunanui S1
Goals: Gaz x3, Daz x2, Matt x2, Cole, Glenn, Kev.
Match MVP: Zane Colgate
What a fun day out for the lads, I don't really think we got out of 3rd gear. It took about 15 mins before we scored, a very rare occurrence....a Garry Clarke hat trick beautifully assisted by Patty and Daz.
I think Pattys pressure down the right wing finally destroyed their resistance. He was into them from the first whistle, bangin in the crosses.
Once we got on top of them we owned it. Daz put another 2 away before the half to make it 5-0.....his second being a bullet header form a couple of yards out. It felt a bit like a training game.
We got to put our training drills into practice and attacked them down the wings and remained defensively solid. Our transitions were working well and we kept the ball in their half for most of the game.
They didn't have much attacking threat, I think it was more or less 1 guy with a bit of pace. But the back line had him in their pocket. A solid performance from the defense with Zane putting in an awesome performance. Not to mention Beiges safe hands in the goal.
The second half went more or less the same way as the first..........Same solid defense, different bunch of goal scorers but the same result....another 5 goals.
Matt scored twice arriving late at the far post, a header then a shot. Col sneaked in on a free kick by Glen to head it past the keeper and Ed did a bit of a dance around a few of their defenders to put his home. Not wanting to miss out Kev kept battling and got stuck into a goal mouth scuffle causing them to score an own goal.
So....that was lots of fun and we did everything on our to do list, get the 3 points...check, score lots of goals to get our goal difference up...check, keep a clean sheet...check, don't get injured/manage current injuries....check.
But lets put this into perspective we are a good team....top of the div, they aren't a good team and bottom of our div. So keep your feet on the ground because our next game is a tough one against FC Nelson Masters which will be no walk in the park.
Top of the league, still undefeated....and the blues go marching on on on. Match Report by Cole.
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