Football: Mosgiel wins tie that had it all

Green Island's Tennesse Kinghorn tries to evade Mosgiel's Jesse Wright, who has Aaron Corkill in...
Green Island's Tennesse Kinghorn tries to evade Mosgiel's Jesse Wright, who has Aaron Corkill in support, during their Chatham Cup match at Sunnyvale yesterday. Mosgiel won 3-2. Photo by Christine O'Connor.

Mosgiel emerged with a 3-2 win over Green Island in the Chatham Cup tie at Sunnyvale yesterday.

However, the scoreline tells just a fraction of the full story.

A match dripping with drama had two penalties given, went to extra time, had Green Island down to 10 men, and eventually produced a spectacular last-minute winner.

In demanding drenched and slippery conditions, both teams produced excellent wet-weather football, setting up controlled moves, harnessing pace and creating a swag of goal-scoring chances.

Mosgiel started as favourite after its impeccable start to its Football South Premier League campaign and, in a move straight off the training field, strung passes together, found wide space and delivered a perfect cross for marksman Reagan Coldicott to head home in the 20th minute.

Green Island shrugged of the pressure and played its own cards with tidy control, then worked passing opportunities to harness the pace that exists in coach Malcolm Fleming's side.

So there was cut and thrust as Mosgiel's classy midfield of Eder Franchini and Morgan Day slid measured passes forward trying to breach the staunch Island defence led by Cam McPhail and Nathan Gunn.

Yet, going forward, the Island showed its ability to break wide with pace, as well as short passing up the middle, and possibly created more scoring opportunities than Mosgiel, but lacked a cool head to finish moves.

Referee Richard Roberts entered the equation by awarding Green Island a penalty, but Mosgiel's keeper Zane Green made an alert save to deny the home side.

The ding-dong battle was almost over when another penalty was awarded in the 85th minute of normal time, and captain McPhail scored from a rebound, to tie the score at 1-1 and extend the match to two hours of play.

Tennessee Kinghorn struck early in the extra-time period, clinically finishing after a swift break that had caught Mosgiel's defence undermanned.

A noisy home crowd roared approval as Green Island went 2-1 up.

All the more so because Green Island after, using its full quota of substitutes, was reduced to 10 men late in the first half.

Day stepped centre stage and laced a superb 30m equaliser past keeper Dijkstra.

Better known for tidy midfield passes, Day said: ''I just decided to have a go, and it paid off.''

Incredibly, the game's energy appeared to accelerate as the prospect of a penalty shoot-out loomed, then Coldicott's deceptive pace and acceleration struck in the 114th minute.

Keeper Dijkstra will have recurring nightmares as what looked a regulation gathering of the ball near his post vanished as Coldicott spun inside him, stole the ball and laced in the winner from an acute angle.

Both coaches took their hats off to their teams' skills and fitness on a wet day in which tight ball control was essential.

Coach Fleming praised his side's spirit in playing for so long with a man short.

Mosgiel's Andrew Brooks also praised Green Island efforts, and was relieved when his own team returned to its game plan, and came away with a well earned win against a worthy opponent.

Dunedin Technical and Caversham might have been texting each other as they both beat Invercargill teams 11-1.

Technical beat Old Boys, and Caversham mirrored that result against Queens Park.

Roslyn-Wakari ran out an 8-1 win over South End United, University beat Pleasant Point 5-0 and Dunedin Division 2 side Mornington beat Waihopai 1-0.

The only casualties were Northern which lost 2-1 in extra time to West End AFC in Invercargill, and Grants Braes which was beaten 9-2 by Timaru side Northern Hearts.

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