Seniors draw game that nearly wasn't

Taupo Times, Volume 23, Issue 58, 23 July 1974, Page 14

Seniors draw game that nearly wasn't

Taupo' s senior soccer team held top placed Whakatane to a 2-all draw in a Bay of Plenty league match on Saturday that nearly did not take place. The referee actually called the game off at 1.30 p.m. due to the pools of water lying all over the pitch at the A.C. Reserve. A quick 5-mile dash to Wairakei found the pitch there in excellent order considering the heavy rain that had fallen. Forty minutes late the game kicked off in fine weather. Taupo was soon attacking keenly and seemed to have the ^measure of its opponents in the early stages. Taupo found itself up against a good Whakatane defence which was to give a good performance throughout. After 12 minutes, Taupo took the lead. From an attack down the left, new player L. Babbington cut in and had his shot blocked.

The ball rebounded and Taupo looked certain to score until a Whakatane defender handled the ball on the goal line. A penalty to Taupo. Robert Hindle took the spot-kick and gave the goalie no chance. Whakatane came back with a rush. The side had already looked dangerous breaking through the middle and it was in this fashion that the side equalised after 20 minutes when the fast inside forward beat the Taupo defence and beat the goalie with a low shot. Taupo was using its wingers a lot but could not get the ball into the middle first time. They forced corners on both wings and from one of these nearly got the lead. But it was Whakatane which went ahead. Eight minutes before the interval one of the forwards worked his way through several tackles and slid the ball into the net. The half-time score was Taupo 1, Whakatane 2. In the second half, Taupo went all out for the equaliser.

Whakatane was playing with 10 men with no substitute available. Despite this Taupo was unable to press home the advantage. S. Lochrie and P. Henry were having good games for Taupo at centre backs and were kept busy holding Whakatane's thrusts down the middle. Taupo was beginning to look as if it was going to have trouble saving the game. Time was running out. From a corner on the right wing Lochrie went upfield and his header was only inches wide. Then three minutes from the end Taupo equalised. A through ball to Hindle was picked up and after holding off a challenge the Taupo striker sent in a powerful shot which the goalie couldn't hold. The final score was Taupo 2, Whakatane 2. The Taupo team was: R. Simpson, A. Forrest, T. Blay, S. Lochrie, P. Henry, A. Mansfield, B. Hobbs, K. Hurren, R. Hindle, C. Gilfoyle, L. Babbington. Substitute: D. Bowles. Taupo scorer: R. Hindle (2). Next week's game is an away fixture against bottom- placed Ngongotaha, which Taupo beat 9-3 at the A.C. Reserve in the first round.