Div 3 : KCU Barbarians 4-0 Manakau Thirties

MAZENGARB PARK - 16 June 2012 :

Manakau Thirsty 3rds took on KCU Barbarians at Mazengarb. In the cold wind and rain it was hard to warm up and even harder to stay warm. With 6 players away Manakau only had the bare 11 players to run on the park, some of them with injures.

KCU came out and attacked from the start but the 3rds were able to keep them shooting from distance with Andy Pieta and Thomas Day closing off the middle and Ben Henry with Brian Butler stopping and thing on the sides.

Josh Sannazzaro playing on a injured ankle played well with fellow midfielder Andy Cooper and by sending the ball long we were trying to link up with Gavin Lafrentz and Wayne Gratten up front with quick counters but with the wet ball skidding the KCU keeper was able to come out and collect the ball.

A cross from the KCU winger found their forward at the back post and let KCU take the lead. Manakau tried attacking down the wings with Logan Vanhooff and Mana Governer-Charteris dribbling the ball round the KCU flanks but were unable to find the strikers as the experienced KCU back line held strong and putting 3rds back on defending. Half ended 1- 0.

The 2nd half started as the 1st had ended with KCU applying pressure. Manakau were again left to attack in spots. KCU managed to get couple of quick goals from good pressure and following up on shots from outside the box.

Manakau were able to piece some nice plays together through the park but before the final whistle KCU found their forward again at the back post putting the game to an end. Final score 4 - 0.

In a game that was dictated by the weather and player unavailability, Manakau showed heart by fighting the whole 90mins of a hard game. This was the last game of the round leaving Manakau on a record of W-3, D-2, L-3.

Everyone is looking forward to starting the next round, with extra confidence coming off a good performance in the first half of the season.

MAN OF THE MATCH POINTS : 
3 - Hamish Graham (Goalie)
2 - Josh Sannazzaro (mid field)
1 - Thomas Day (center back)

Div 1 : Manakau Hui Mai 2-2 Paekakariki

MANAKAU DOMAIN - 9th June 2012 :


Ben McHugo scored an equaliser with 10 minutes to go to earn Manakau Hui Mai a 2-2 draw with defending champions Paekakariki at the Manakau Domain.

A strong westerly wind greeted both sides and blew straight down the ground making the match definitely a "game of two halves" with very contrasting conditions.

Manakau kicked off with the wind at their backs in the first half, but Paekakariki were playing the more composed football and dominated possession while the home side played on the counter attack.

That fast breaking tactic paid dividends for Manakau just before halftime when Neil Harvey got on the end of a cross from Nick Cudby and knocked the ball back in to the centre for James Wylie to control and then drill a shot of the only goal of the first half.

However, Paekakariki quickly redressed the balance in the second period, using the wind to good effect with two goals in the first 10 minutes of the half to take a 2-1 lead and a potential rout looked possible.

But Manakau dug in and kept defending stoutly, and as the match progressed Neil Harvey, and Brixton Cowie started to create breaks enabling Manakau to get a couple of chances - one of which was converted by the determined Ben McHugo.

MAN OF THE MATCH POINTS :
3 = Ben McHugo
2 = Logan Vanhooff, Thomas DAy, the referee (for doing two games back to back)
1 = the rest of the team

Div 3 : Manakau Thirsties 1-0 Otaki Youth

MANAKAU DOMAIN - 9th June 2012 : 


Jamie Lamplough scored the only goal of the game, curling in a shot direct from a corner to give the Manakau Thirsties a 1-0 victory over Otaki at the Manakau Domain.

Div 1 : Manakau Hui Mai 0-4 Waikanae Geezers

Waikanae's first goalscorer
seemed familiar to us ... ?

Manakau Hui Mai had no answer to Waikanae's swift counter-attacking play and slid to a 0-4 defeat in greasy conditions at the Manakau Domain.

Three goals in the space of 5 minutes midway through the first-half put Waikanae firmly in control, with most of the damage being done by the young pacey pair up front - who were definitely not "Geezers".

The second half was a more even affair, although Waikanae did grab a fourth goal, but Manakau did not give-up and kept striving to get back into the game competing well for possession and territory.

However, the Manakau club are finding that the promotion to the top division is a tough task, and probably need to find a couple more experienced football players in order to be able to compete on a level footing in this grade.

The league season is halfway through now - and Manakau have a 1-1-5 record providing 4 points from seven games - so the season target has to be to achieve a better points return from the second half of the league ...

 ... and perhaps to spring a surprise or two in the knock-out Cup competition that follows.

MAN OF THE MATCH POINTS :
3 - Paul Kulhavy
2 - Rob Pollock (referee)
1 - Hamish Graham

Div 3 : Manakau Thirsties 2-0 Levin Vets

Josh Sannazzaro picked up the
man of the match award with
another high energy  display.

After defeating league leaders Waikanae Jets 1-0 last week, the Manakau Thirsty 3rds were amped up to take on yet another top club from Division 3 Levin Vets.

Manakau started with a very solid defensive line-up and were hoping to play the ball through the park while stopping Levin from starting any attack.

For the first 20min both teams were fighting for a foothold in the game with most of the play compressed around midfield.

But Manakau grabbed a breakthrough on the half hour when Craig Vidulich received a quality through ball from Andy Cooper and showed a cool head to control the ball and place it in the bottom corner to open the scoring.

Manakau grew in confidence after the goal and were 2-0 ahead just before halftime when a Logan Vanhooff shot hit the post and in-form striker Gavin Lafrentz was on hand to score for the second time in two games.

Levin started strongly in the 2nd half and trying to create chances but the ever solid defence of Shaun Stout, Alan Crosby and Rob Pollock guided by Thomas Day were able to hold them out.

With Andy Pieta and Ben Henry maintaining a strong midfield with Josh Sannazzaro and Logan Vanhooff doing alot of running, Manakau were able to win the ball in the center of the pitch and keep pressure on Levin.

Final result was a 2-0 victory for the Manakau Thirsty 3rds.

That makes it now 2 wins in a row now for Thirsty 3rds. Team morale is at a high and the team is meshing well with good combination play. By maintaining a solid back line and now making the most of our chances upfront Manakau are firmly in mid-table and improving fast.

MAN OF THE MATCH POINTS :
3 = Josh Sannazzaro (Right wing)
2 = Shaun Stout (Defender)
1 = Thomas Day (Sweeper)

Div 1 : Otaki Off-Target 4-0 Manakau Hui Mai

Manakau just could not get to grips with Otaki Off-Target on Saturday, and Manakau took a heavy 0-4 defeat at the hands of the league leaders.


Otaki scored early in the game when a long distance shot was deflected and turned into an perfect cross for an an marked player to open the scoring - and the advantage was doubled on the 20 minute mark when a 25 yard shot found it's way into the net.

Jackson Murray almost pulled a goal back for Manakau before halftime, latching onto a through ball and chipping the Otaki goalkeeper but the shot bounced off the crossbar and was scrambled clear.

Otaki took a stranglehold on the match just minutes into the second half when a pass across the penalty area was missed by two defenders and an Otaki striker stepped through to score from six yards out. Otaki made it 4-0 in the 80th minute when an angled shot was saved well by Paddy Sannazzaro, but Otaki reacted quicker to the bouncing rebound to slot it home.

Manakau almost grabbed a consolation goal in the final minute when Mike Urlich played in Brixton Cowie to the edge of the penalty area and Cowie rifled the ball home, but the referee ruled that the move was offside to chalk off the goal.

MAN OF THE MATCH POINTS :
3 = Daniel O'Neill
2 = Paddy Sannazzaro
1 = Nick Cudby

Div 3 : Manakau Thirsties 1-0 Waikanae Jets

Thomas Day celebrates the win

Manakau expected a tough game from the table-topping Waikanae side so took to the pitch with a very solid starting line-up. From the kick off Waikanae went on the attack and putting Manakau under pressure.

Manakau were able to move the ball round well and find some momentum to start a few attacking plays of our own as the game progressed, with Andy Peita and Ben McHugo winning the ball in the middle of the park. The game was still scoreless at the halftime break.

In the second half, Manakau picked up their attack with Logan Vanhooff running down the left wing, crossing the ball in and also getting back to help the defenders when needed. Another strong game from Josh Sannazzaro as he maintained his high work rate.

The only goal of the game arrived when a cross from from Josh into the box found James Wylie who flicked the ball towards goal, forcing a good save from the Jets Goal keeper could only deflect the ball to the cross bar, and the ball fell for Thirsty's forward Gavin Lafrentz who drilled the ball into the back of the net.

Waikanae came back with a constant attack, but Thomas Day took charge of the Manakau back line and was able to hold strong, guiding Shaun Stout, Rob Pollock and Alan Crosby and keeping the Jets out. For his first game in charge of the defenders and facing one of the best attacking sides in our division Thomas grew in confidence and earned the man of the match.

At the final whistle Manakau had held on to win 1-0.

Only conceding 1 goal in 3 games, the Thirsty 3rds are proving to be one of the best defensive teams in the division. Team moral is at a new high with everyone looking forward to next weeks game.

MAN OF THE MATCH POINTS :
3 = Thomas Day
2 = Logan Vanhooff
1 = Gavin Lafrentz