Soccer team keeps double hopes alive

Press, 12 September 1988, Page 32

Soccer team keeps double hopes alive

By

GARY BIRKETT

The Christchurch national league soccer team kept its dream of a league and Cup double alive when it came from behind to beat the northern league side, Blockhouse Bay, 2-1, in a Chatham Cup semi-final at Queen Elizabeth II Park yesterday.

Before the match there was little talk of Blockhouse Bay repeating its quarter-final upset win over Mount Wellington and anything other than a comfortable victory for Christchurch would have been regarded as a surprise.

Among those who felt that Blockhouse Bay could be a threat was the Christchurch coach, lan Marshall, and his views were confirmed.

The underdog took an early lead after 3 min when Ronnie Perez scored a fine solo goal but goals by Allan Carville and Keith Braithwaite (penalty) pushed Christchurch into the final for the second successive year.

Mr Marshall was not surprised that Blockhouse Hay pushed the league champion so hard. “Anyone who says that a cup semi-final is easy is living in a different world. They had beaten national league sides and top northern league sides and came down here well prepared. All credit to the Bay.” '

Christchurch meets Waikato United in the two legged final on October 22 and 24. Since it is only two points behind Mount Wellington in the league with five rounds left the chance of a rare double still beckons for Christchurch, which last achieved the feat in 1975. Christchurch beat Waikato 3-1 and 2-1 in the league this year and will go into the Cup final as the favourite, a tag that counts for little as

Wimbledon showed by upsetting Liverpool in last year’s F.A. Cup final. Waikato beat Wellington United, 3-0, on penalties after extra-time in Wellington yesterday.

For a while it looked as if its northern neighbour, Blockhouse Bay, would make it an all North Island final when it scored after 3 min against Christchurch.

The 1000-strong crowd had barely settled in their seats when Perez found himself in space after a break from defence.

Garry Lund got a foot in to halt his progress but the ball fell again for Perez and the strongly built striker struck a firm shot into the bottom right hand corner from 10 metres.

Not surprisingly that early shock galvanised Christchurch into positive action and it spent the rest of the half camped in its opponent’s territory. It struck the woodwork three times through Lund and Braithwaite (twice), forced 12 corners to two and kept the goalkeeper, Wayne Roach, busily employed. It seemed its efforts would come to nothing until Paul Hillis and Paul Nicholls combined to rob Eddie Russell of the ball in injury time in the first half. Nicholls scampered down the right and his near post cross was headed in by Carville, who started the match in place of Johan Verweij. Carville began the second half with two promising headers, one of which fell into Roach’s

arms and the other scraping the bar.

With Christchurch turning the screws Blockhouse Bay began to feel the pressure and its packed defence finally cracked after 69 min.

With Hillis lying on the ground clutching an ankle injury the referee, Wally Noon, allowed play to continue and that proved a bonus for Christchurch. Nicholls, who had an outstanding game, weaved into the penalty box and was brought down by Shane Martin, the penalty being duly awarded by Mr Noon.

Braithwaite, who had a quiet match in midfield, stepped up to net easily with Roach going the wrong way, taking his goal tally in the league and Cup to 21. Christchurch lost Hanson with an ankle injury with 10 min left but the reshuffle did not disrupt its pattern and although Blockhouse Bay tried hard to snatch the equaliser the home side ran out time to clinch its spot in the final. Nicholls, Danny Halligan, Kevin Calder and Carville were the players to stand out in a disciplined team effort while Roach, the former All White, Glen Adams, arid Perez starred for the underdog which emerged from a competitive but clean match with a lot of credit. Scorers: —Christchurch 2 (Allan Carville, Keith Braithwaite a penalty) beat Blockhouse Bay 1 (Ronnie Perez). Half-time, 1-1.