David Chote could have big bearing on soccer outcome

Press, 7 October 1988, Page 18

David Chote could have big bearing on soccer outcome

By

GARY BIRKETT

David Cote, of Miramar, has made a big impact on the Air New Zealand soccer league this year with a swag of goals but two penalty incidents in which he has been the central figure in recent weeks could outweigh those strikes.

. When Christchurch, the current leader, played Miramar on September 4 in Wellington it was leading, 2-1, until it conceded a penalty in the last minute.

Chote stepped up to take the spot kick but his coach, Tommy Heptinstall, signalled that the regular penalty taker,

Tom Dodd, should take the kick. Dodd had his shot saved by the Christchurch goal keeper, Alan Stroud, leaving Chote to thump the turf in frustration.

The following Sunday there was little doubt who would take the late penalty awarded against the then league leader, Mount Wellington. Chote stepped up to easily score for a 2-1 lead, pushing the Mount three points behind Christchurch with three rounds left.

Chote has now 18 goals for the season, his best tally since making his national league debut in 1983.

Since then he had averaged only five a season but now has 42 in 121 appearances, not a bad strike rate for the former All White, who is a pro-

duct of the Miramar youth policy. Second on the scorers’ list this season is the Christchurch midfielder and captain, Keith Braithwaite, the holder of the

Winfield Golden Boot award after scoring 20 goals in 1987.

His 17 goal total includes six penalties and he is well placed to win the Golden Boot for the second year running, a feat only achieved once before, by Keith Nelson, of Mount Wellington, in 1981 and 1982, since the start of a 12 team competition in 1977.

The leading scorers after 24 rounds of 26 are.— Chote 18; Braithwaite 17; Mike Bartholomew (North Shore), Kevin Meacock (Gisborne) 14; Noel Barkley (Mount Wellington) 13; (Mount Well-

ington) 12; Dave Witteveen (Mount Wellington), Gary Parker (Napier), Greg Little. (Mount Maunganui), Brian Roberts (Mount Maunganui) 10. The only regular Christchurch players not to have scored this year are Alan Stroud, Paul Hillis and Kevin Calder. The scorers are: League: Braithwaite 17, John Hanson and Steve Sumner both seven; Allan Carville and Paul Nicholls both six; Garry Lund, Johan Verweij, Danny Halligan, all two; Brent Berry, Ceri Evans, Mike Fullen all one; own goals, three. Chatham Cup: Braithwaite six; Nicholls and Hanson both three; Sumner and Carville both two; Fullen, Lund, Peter Bennie, Verweij, Evans, Halligan, all one. Meanwhile, the

field Soccer Media awards in Christchurch on Friday, October 21, will have the former All Black, Wayne Smith, and the double international cricket and hockey representative, Lesley Murdoch, as guest speakers. It has also been announced that the Golden Boot award will not be awarded jointly if, as expected, Chote and Braithwaite, continue to dominate the race. If both finish with equal goals penalties will be deducted from each total. If that method fails to produce an outright winner then the number of appearances made by each player will come into consideration. Julia Campbell, of Canterbury, has been announced as one of six finalists in the women’s player of the year award. The other award finalists, including player of the year and player’s player of the year, are to be announced next week.