Burndale striker collects soccer scoring honour

Press, 30 August 1989, Page 34

Burndale striker collects soccer scoring honour

GARY BIRKETT

Perhaps the most appropriate award in this year’s southern league soccer first division was Jeff Hawker’s prize for scoring 18 goals in 18 games to make him the competition’s leading scorer.

The tall Burndale striker, who has played with the club since the age of nine apart from his secondary school years at Burnside High School, is a Burndale man through and through.

Along with Marty Quinn, Graham Quinn, Mike Boyd and Steve Toohey, who started with Burndale as juniors, Hawker took special delight at its first championship title. Hawker’s 18 goals included three hat-tricks. In two games against Caversham, the bottom team, he scored eight goals but was quick to downplay his role this year. “I didn’t think that I played that well — the rest of the team made the difference. I only scored in half the games and unfortunately they were some of the easier games. No individual really stood out for the side all year and I was lucky to score so many.” Burndale’s 57 goals in 18 games was the best record since New Brighton won the title in 1971, scoring 61 goals in 18 games. The second placed side, Technical, did even better, scoring 70. Hawker, aged 25, works as a quantity surveyor and was careful to weigh up the strengths of his game.

“At the start of the season I had a lot of scoring chances but squandered a lot. I don’t possess a great deal of skill — I’m not a natural like a lot of players and have to work hard on my game.” Hawker recalled the four goals he notched

against Caversham in a second round game the most vividly. “I only had five shots in that match and scored four. It was one of those days when everything went right. Mind you against Caversham we were lining up for shooting practice.”

Hawker relished playing alongside the former All White, John Hanson. “I picked up a few tips from John. He knows how to hold and shield the ball. There was a really good atmosphere in the side this year. Graeme Archer (the player-coach)

let us play the way we wanted to.” Burndale’s 5-0 loss to Waitakere City in the quarter-finals of the Chatham Cup also spurred

the players to greater heights. “We tried to get to the ball first and when we lost it we concentrated on closing players down. Players also learned that they had to mark a man for the entire game.” Hawker’s fine form saw

him picked for the Canterbury A side which lifted the Winfield Shield from Otago last week. He said the non-selection of Mike McGarry and Keith

Braithwaite helped his chances but considered it a great honour. “I was conscious of the need to play well and thought I did okay. It was the first time I had played for the A side but I don’t expect to make it for the next game.”

few games for Burndale last year because of university and family commitments but is already looking forward to next season.

The team looks set to stay together apart from Korosh Monsef who is going overseas while Hanson has yet to commit himself to another southern league year. Hawker said the players especially wanted to win the title for a former team mate, Wayne Harrison, who has leukaemia. He said the top five teams — Burndale, Christchurch United, Technical, Green Island and Dunedin City — were all stacked with talent while Rangers and Western had also done enough to be rated a threat next year.

Burndale’s record was:— lost to Technical 02; beat Dunedin City 2-0; beat Oamaru 3-2; drew with Green Island 2-2; beat Caversham 7-0; lost to Christchurch United 12; beat Rangers 5-0; beat Western 5-0; beat Mosgiel 1-0; lost to Dunedin City 01; beat Oamaru 3-0; lost to Green Island 0-1; beat Caversham 7-2; beat Rangers 3-0; beat Western 7-2; beat Technical 3-1; beat Christchurch United 1-0; beat Mosgiel 7-1.

Played 18, won 13, drew 1, lost four, scored 57, conceded 16, points 40. Leading scorers: 18: Jeff Hawker (Burndale); 13: John Hanson (Burndale); 10: Brent Berry (Christchurch United), Steve Toohey (Burndale); 9: Keith McFayden (Green Island); 8: Steve Tasker (Technical), Robbie Strawford (Mosgiel); 6: David Milton (Green Island); 5: Wayne Higgs (Western), lan Cowans (Rangers), Kurt Jacques (Western), Rod Fleming (Dunedin City), Simon Myers (Technical).