What a difference a week can make.
By
Felicity Reid
Birkenhead United went from feast to famine in the United Soccer 1
Premiership.
After scoring four goals in the opening round, the young side could not find
the back of the net against Albany United in their second game of the season
at Rosedale Park .
Missing last week’s goal scorer Thomas Le Mouton, through injury, Albany
took until the second half to get on the scoreboard, with Carl Robinson
scoring the only goal of the local derby.
Having Mauri Wasi sent off for retaliation, a 10-man Birkenhead had a number
of opportunities to equalise in the latter stages of the game but could not
get past the posts or the Albany ‘keeper.
Both sides are under the tutelage of new coaches this season with Jim Wafer
taking over form Kevin Hagan at Birkenhead and Wayne Wilson replacing Nobby
Stiles at Albany .
Birkenhead return to Shepherds Park to play Takapuna this weekend (April 12)
and Albany take on the newly-formed west Auckland side Western Oratia
United.
East Coast Bays ’ Dan Peat led an early dominance over Glenfield Rovers ,
when he had more than four shots on goal in the opening 10 minutes of
Sunday’s match at McFetridge Park .
However against the run of play Glenfield opened the scoring in the first
half through an error from the East Coast Bays 'keeper, who fumbled a high
ball.
Peat finally converted one of his numerous chances to equalise before the
end of the half. It was East Coast Bays who had the final say of the match,
making the score 2-1 with Bays’ continuing their winning start to the season
and heading to the top of the points table.
East Coast Bays host Hibiscus Coast in the third round and Glenfield Rovers
take on Waitakere City .
Takapuna and North Shore United are both still looking for their first win
of the Premiership.
Going down 4-3 to Western Oratia United, for two consecutive weeks North
Shore have let in four goals.
They will want to tighten the defence when they travel to Whangarei to play
an undefeated North Force.
Drawing in the first round and going down 1-0 to an own goal against
Waitakere City , Takapuna are currently placed eighth.
