Atain Halley and James Hoskins both scored twice as Manakau United outclassed Paekakariki A to win their HK Plate quarter-final clash 5-1 at Mazengarb Park on Saturday afternoon.
Paekakariki took an early lead in the game when a long range effort deceived Manakau’s Paddy Sannazzaro in goal – and just managed to trickle over the line to score – but Manakau came storming back to dominate the game thereafter.
Manakau penned Paekakariki back in their own half for long periods of the first half but, despite a barrage of shots and corners, it looked like Paekak would escape with their goal intact until Hoskins popped up in the penalty area just before halftime to powerfully shoot home a measured cross from Gavin Saunders.
With the score line tied at 1-1 at halftime the stage was set for a tense second half, but Manakau tore the game open with four more goals in 15 minutes to put the result beyond doubt.
Halley ran onto a through ball to lash home the second goal, and then profited from another good pass to add the third goal just 5 minutes later. A fourth goal soon followed squeezing through a forest of legs, and Hoskins added the fifth goal on the hour mark, pouncing on a loose ball in the six yard box to score his second of the match.
There were countless other chances as Manakau continued to attack but the score line remained 5-1 through until the final whistle.
