TEAM WELLINGTON 4 HAWKES BAY UNITED 0
ISPS HANDA PREMIERSHIP
DAVE FARRINGTON PARK, WELLINGTON
SUNDAY 12 JANUARY 2020
 |
| Hawkes Bay United's Bill Robertson ""gets up" over Team Wellington's Ollie Bassett TJG Photos |
When trying to work out what to write about games I go through several ideas and try and think of thins that could make the reports a bit more entertaining. On Sunday after I read the player profiles in the program I was trying to work out how I could incorporate that Sam Mason-Smith's favourite food is Oats, Fruit & Seeds! or even better how to get Aaron Spain's wish that if he had a super power it would be instant pie, which nicely complemented his favourite food (pie) and favourite colour (the golden glow of a freshly baked pie!) of course it would have been fantastic had he scored as I could have gone with "Pie man delivers" or some such thing. However it wasn't the pie man but the "mullet man", Hamish Watson, that delivered with two goals in the first three minutes and almost a hat trick after five minutes! So I'll start the review with the stats and history bit.
It's now four years since Hawke's Bay United (HBU) have managed to beat Team Wellington. That last win came back in 2016. Back then Hamish Watson and Sam Mason-Smith were playing for Hawke's Bay United, while current HBU players Fergus Neil and Bill Robertson were playing for Team Wellington.
There were other connections such as Alex Palezvic, Mario Barcia and Nati Hailemariam who had played for both teams, although bizarrely the NZ Herald claimed another ex HBU player Andy Bevin was amongst those that had "...assumed mantles of responsibility in helping dismantle their old franchise team". Quite a surprise as he was nowhere near Dave Farrington Park on Sunday - I suppose that's what you get when you don't actually watch the game and write the match report at home in Napier!
To the game and Hamish Watson was on fire, three minutes in he had made a run and forced a corner. Rory McKeown floated in a the ball just behind the six yard line and Watson managed to hook a shot over the defenders and into the net.
One minute later, Watson made a run down the left wing, turned Adam Cowan inside out and left him on his backside as he cut inside and then rounded Bill Robertson before slotting the ball into the net to make it 2-0.
Bay United keeper, Ruben Parker, was shouting at his team asking if they were awake yet? The answer was not quite yet as this time it was Sam Mason-Smith and Jack-Henry Sinclair who teamed up down the right wing and sent a cross in which just eluded Watson in front of the goal. It meant he didn't get a three minute hat trick but he still seemed pretty happy with two.
The second half was a bit blah, it wasn't terrible, but it wasn't great, Team Wellington seemed to have known they'd done enough to win although a few of their players seemed a bit off. Ollie Bassett in particular was playing well below his usual standard and it was no real surprise when after making yet another corner an attacking opportunity for Hawke's Bay United that he was subbed. Jack-Henry Sinclair was another who seemed to be playing below par and looked as if he may have been carrying an injury.
The referee and assistants were a bit mixed, several times players upset at decisions swore directly at them and nothing was done. Bill Robertson twice went through Team Wellington players and twice was talked to by the ref about it but surprisingly stayed out of his book. On the up side the Hawkes Bay tactic of talking constantly to the ref and assistants like they were mates and telling the assistants to help out the ref when they didn't get decisions their own way was met with brilliant stonewalling from the officials.
Team Wellington's Nati Hailemariam made it 4-0 in the 2nd minute of added on time to give Team Wellington a comprehensive win over 3rd place Hawke's Bay United.
The league really does look like it will be between Team Wellington and Auckland City who are leading the pack. who will get to the semi finals is anyones guess with only 4 points separating the next eight teams.
It's now four years since Hawke's Bay United (HBU) have managed to beat Team Wellington. That last win came back in 2016. Back then Hamish Watson and Sam Mason-Smith were playing for Hawke's Bay United, while current HBU players Fergus Neil and Bill Robertson were playing for Team Wellington.
There were other connections such as Alex Palezvic, Mario Barcia and Nati Hailemariam who had played for both teams, although bizarrely the NZ Herald claimed another ex HBU player Andy Bevin was amongst those that had "...assumed mantles of responsibility in helping dismantle their old franchise team". Quite a surprise as he was nowhere near Dave Farrington Park on Sunday - I suppose that's what you get when you don't actually watch the game and write the match report at home in Napier!
To the game and Hamish Watson was on fire, three minutes in he had made a run and forced a corner. Rory McKeown floated in a the ball just behind the six yard line and Watson managed to hook a shot over the defenders and into the net.
 |
| Team Wellington's Hamish Watson scores the first goal Photo TJF Photos |
One minute later, Watson made a run down the left wing, turned Adam Cowan inside out and left him on his backside as he cut inside and then rounded Bill Robertson before slotting the ball into the net to make it 2-0.
Bay United keeper, Ruben Parker, was shouting at his team asking if they were awake yet? The answer was not quite yet as this time it was Sam Mason-Smith and Jack-Henry Sinclair who teamed up down the right wing and sent a cross in which just eluded Watson in front of the goal. It meant he didn't get a three minute hat trick but he still seemed pretty happy with two.
It did look as if this was one of those days that Team Wellington would run rampant but Hawke's Bay United did wake up a bit but they never really threatened the Team Wellington goal. The biggest surprise about Team Wellington's third goal was the corner that led to it, an innocuous cross had gone out and when everyone was setting up for a goal kick the ref and assistant stunned everyone by pointing at the corner. The corner found Sam Mason-Smith who got up and headed home to make it 3-0 just before half time and effectively kill the game off.
 |
| Team Wellington's Sam Mason-Smith makes it 3-0 Photo TJF Photos |
The second half was a bit blah, it wasn't terrible, but it wasn't great, Team Wellington seemed to have known they'd done enough to win although a few of their players seemed a bit off. Ollie Bassett in particular was playing well below his usual standard and it was no real surprise when after making yet another corner an attacking opportunity for Hawke's Bay United that he was subbed. Jack-Henry Sinclair was another who seemed to be playing below par and looked as if he may have been carrying an injury.
The referee and assistants were a bit mixed, several times players upset at decisions swore directly at them and nothing was done. Bill Robertson twice went through Team Wellington players and twice was talked to by the ref about it but surprisingly stayed out of his book. On the up side the Hawkes Bay tactic of talking constantly to the ref and assistants like they were mates and telling the assistants to help out the ref when they didn't get decisions their own way was met with brilliant stonewalling from the officials.
Team Wellington's Nati Hailemariam made it 4-0 in the 2nd minute of added on time to give Team Wellington a comprehensive win over 3rd place Hawke's Bay United.
The league really does look like it will be between Team Wellington and Auckland City who are leading the pack. who will get to the semi finals is anyones guess with only 4 points separating the next eight teams.
Comments
Post a Comment