Surprise win dashes Chch’s hopes

Press, 5 October 1987, Page 44

Surprise win dashes Chch’s hopes

By

GARY BIRKETT

in Gisborne

Gisborne City effectively ended Christchurch’s hopes of a league and cup double with a 5-1 victory in the first leg of the Chatham Cup soccer final at Gisborne yesterday.

The surprise result means Christchurch has to score four goals this Sunday at Queen Elizabeth II Park to tie up the final and that task is likely to be beyond it Gisborne produced its best soccer of the year and some deadly finishing meant that Christchurch slipped to its biggest loss for five years. Ironically, the last team to put five goals past It was Gisborne, which scored a 5-0 win at English ,Park in 1982. While r the noisy 3000 strong '.Childers Road crowd was celebrating after the game the Christchurch dressing room was a sad scene. The players sat in silence, unable to believe they had slumped to such a big loss but the coach, lan Marshall, was not making any excuses. “I would like to have a few excuses but there are not any. Good luck to Gisborne, they deserved it” Christchurch played a big part in making the game the moat attractive cup final for many years and was still In the hunt when down 3-1 early in the second half. However, two late goals to Kevin Birch and Steve Sumner inflated the scoreline. "In general play there was little between the teams. It was Gisborne’s finishing which did us,” said Mr Marshall. In spite of the big task which faces it in the second leg, Mr Marshall is Mt yet conceding defeat He pointed to the All White’s 5-0 win over Saudi Arabia in 1982 as the sort of result which soccer can produce. Sumner, the Gisborne player-coach, was the toast of the town last evening. Gisborne has failed in its last two finals but

Sumner has proved to be a supreme motivator. “I am over the moon. It was the best we have played all year and I am thrilled for the lads who have worked very hard.” Sumner said while the cup was not yet won he was confident of beating Christchurch this Sunday. "We are in the box seat and just have to continue from where we left off today.” The game was played in perfect weather and the parochial crowd got the ideal start after only two minutes. Richard Mulligan had a shot turned away for a corner and Birch floated the ball to the near post The big Fijian international, Stan Morrell, who is nicknamed "800-Boo,” belied that tag by neatly heading the ball home for a 1-0 lead. Roared on by the crowd Gisborne dominated a tentative Christchurch in the opening 30 minutes and went further ahead. Alan Carville was harshly penalised for a foul and Sumner drifted a free kick to the near post again, finding Paul Nixon. His header was too good for the goalkeeper, Alan Stroud. While Christchurch was showing signs of its best form it was struck by a telling blow just after half-time. Birch forced another corner and the ball fell to the Gisborne midfielder, Brian Strutt, who had a superb game. The former Sheffield Wednesday professional chipped the ball in and Morrell back headed in hopeful fashion. Unfortunately for Christchurch it looped agonisingly over Stroud for a 3-0 lead. Christchurch did not throw in the towel and Carville and Gary Lund went close before Johan Verweij pulled a goal

back after 72 minutes. Danny Halligan collected a half cleared corner and his through ball was headed strongly past the goalkeeper, Dave Reynolds, to give Christchurch a flicker of hope. VerwelTs goal galvanised Christchurch and Halligan, Keith Braithwaite and Verweij all went close as the league champions pressed hard. It was not to be, however, and Birch and Sumner emphasised Gisborne’s superiority on the day with two goals in the final minutes. Birch drove a long range goal home after good work by Strutt and Kevin Meacock while Sumner nodded in a Strutt free kick to virtually ensure the cup would belong to Gisborne. The Christchurch defence must take some of the blame for the three goals scored from set pieces while Halligan and Braithwaite had a hard job containing Strutt and the ageless Sumner in midfield. Gisborne’s outstanding player was probably Morrell, who defended diligently, surged forward in style and scored two goals. Gisborne got behind the ball quickly in numbers to deny the Christchurch strikers much room and its tight defence is going to make it extremely hard for Christchurch in the second leg. It must have been a frustrating day for the small knot of Christchurch supporters in the stand. For the first time this season they had seen their side outplayed and it will take a complete turnaround if the Chatham Cup is to be prised from the Sky Blues. Score: Gisborne 5 (S. Morrell 2, P. Nixon, K. Birch, S. Sumner) beat Christchurch 1 (J. Verweij). Half-time: 2-0.