Manakau United maintained an unbeaten start to the season with a hard-fought 2-2 draw against KCU at Weka Park on Saturday.
KCU brought an experienced line-up into the game, and started well, knocking the passes about freely during the opening spell.
But Manakau have a good mix of veterans and youngsters in the side this season, and it was the pace of Manakau’s teenage striker Atain Halley that provided the opening goal, as Halley sped away from his marker and slotted a powerful shot to give the visitors the lead.
Fifteen minutes later it was 2-0 to Manakau when Halley ran onto a through-ball from Peter Rowe and fired in on goal – and although the KCU keeper was able to parry the shot - he was unable to prevent Jamie Allcock from scoring from the rebound.
Just before halftime, Manakau almost struck again as Halley and fellow student Gavin Saunders combined well to rip through the static KCU defence, but Saunders close range shot was a couple of inches too high - grazing the crossbar as it skimmed over the top.
The second half saw a more forceful KCU side stack the midfield with a 5-man combination, and the tactical change worked, with the hosts started to dominate possession and territory.
Despite some good defending from Manakau, the pressure applied by the hosts eventually paid off with KCU scoring two goals from set-pieces, a free-kick and a corner, to tie the game up at 2-2. Both sides had chances to win the game in the last 15 minutes, but it was KCU who came closest to the winner, hitting the crossbar with the last move of the game.
A 2-2 draw was a fair result overall, and the point sees Manakau join Waikanae at the top of the Division Two standings, setting up a top of the table clash next weekend – scheduled for Jim Cooke Park.
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