Football: Visitors show too much pace, class

Waikato Bay of Plenty winger Paige Satchell streaks past Football South's Alex McIntosh at Tahuna...
Waikato Bay of Plenty winger Paige Satchell streaks past Football South's Alex McIntosh at Tahuna Park yesterday. Photo by Linda Robertson.
Football South crashed to its second consecutive heavy loss in the women's national league at Tahuna Park yesterday.

The 4-1 loss to a classy Waikato Bay of Plenty side followed last weekend's 6-1 loss to the NZF development team, and means the side has just one point to show from its first four games.

Armed with pacey wingers Paige Satchell and Tayla Christensen, the visitors spent the majority of the match attacking.

Satchell (17), who played for the national under 17 World Cup in Costa Rica last March, and Christensen both scored in the first half to give their side a 3-0 lead at the break.

Satchell was particularly impressive, often leaving Southern defenders behind with her dazzling footwork and express pace down the right hand flank.

But it was Katherine Robinson who scored the opener inside the first 10min, when she latched on to a loose ball after Southern goalkeeper Jade Middleditch failed to handle a shot from Christensen.

The goal was somewhat against the run of play, as the home side looked sharp early and almost went ahead through Samantha Murrell.

But her shot pinged off the woodwork and the visitors quickly opened South up on the counterattack.

Christensen made it 2-0 on the half hour mark with a nice finish off her left foot.

The winger had come close to scoring off her right foot a couple of times earlier in the match, but made no mistake off her weaker foot when given space.

Satchell's goal just before the break was all class, as she scorched the home side on the counter before sliding the ball past Middleditch from an acute angle.

South's Alex McIntosh almost scored a superb goal in the dying stages of the half when her long range chip was barely palmed away by goalkeeper Georgia Williams.

Neither side had any clear cut chances in the first half hour of the second half, but Satchell continued to torment the home side with her pace and footwork.

She made it 4-0 when she exploded down the middle on the counter, before calmly rounding Middleditch and firing into the back of the net.

It was a class finish from a player of the future, and a player who was clearly the difference maker in yesterday's match.

South did get on the board courtesy of a late own goal from Waikato BOP defender Eileish Hayes, but the home side was thoroughly outclassed by the visitors.

Football South will play Central in Palmerston North on Sunday. The Southern youth team lost its first match of the season after being beaten 3-0 by host Wellington on Saturday.

Despite leading 1-0 early, Southern United lost its pre season match against Canterbury United in Timaru on Saturday. The team will play its season opener against Waitakere United in Dunedin next Sunday.

 

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