2011 Sannazzaro Shield - Veterans win 3-2

Manakau Football Club 2011 Sannazzaro Shield Participants

Age and Experience proved to be more than a match for Youth in the Sannazzaro Shield match played to bring down the curtain on the 2011 Football season for Manakau FC as the Veterans outlasted the "kids" to win 3-2.

The players arrived at the Manakau Domain in a rather haphazard fashion, and as usual  it was mainly the "youngsters" who were late to the game, as evidenced by the pre-match photograph where experience was obviously to the fore.

A quick arrangement of the sides determined that the cutoff age for the two sides was about 31-32 years, and even then the "youngsters" were down to the bare minimum of 11 players and an empty bench.

That suited the Vets just fine and after a settling down period of play, James Wylie grabbed the only goal of the first half to give the Veterans a 1-0 halftime lead - while Vets goalkeeper Chris Georgetti saved a penalty from Atain Halley - after a dodgy refereeing decision.

In the second half the goals from Brian, and Jamie Lamplough gave the Vets a 3-0 lead before another Vets goal was ruled out - for a rather minor reason ... it was the referee who had provided the cross!

Towards the end the youngsters got a goal back via Mark Tiumalu-Faleseuga, and right at the final whistle the referee tried to balance the books awarding another dodgy, dodgy penalty which Atain this time converted.

A quick word with the referee ensured that the final whistle occured fairly shortly afterwards and the Veterans claimed the inaugural Sannazzaro Shield by a 4-2 ... ahem ... 3-2 scoreline.

Man of the Match : Vets goalkeeper Chris Georgetti