Hawke's Bay United

Otago United

2

1

Andrew Abba 52, 59

Robbie Deeley 58-pen

by nzfc.co.nz

Teenage Solomon Island striker Andrew Abba struck twice in the second half as Hawke’s Bay edged Otago 2-1 at Park Island on Sunday to get their New Zealand Football Championship campaign back on track.

A first half arm-wrestle developed into a fully fledged standoff between Jonathon Taylor and James Reichwein as the Hawke’s Bay captain to exception to a late challenge by Reichwein midway through the first half.

It may have been handbags at dawn stuff but the raised hands and trading of shoves was enough for Antony Riley to intervene with a red card for each player, leaving it ten-a-side for the last hour.

Not that it opened the game up at all.

Still neither side could break through, although Dave Dugdale saw an offside chance bounce of the post adding, to the frustration.

The home side threatened to break through with a flurry of first half activity but the inside of James Waggitt’s post denied Chris Greatholder what would’ve been a sensational long range goal, and Leon Birnie needed boots just a half-size bigger to catch up with a ball flicked across the face of goal as the oranges were getting sliced and plated.

But then the breakthrough came, as a long clearance was cut out by Otago but only as far as Abba who promptly beat his man and calmly slotted home for an opportunistic 1-0 lead.

It was soon all square again as Hawke’s Bay’s Dan Wilson – the striker was drafted into the back four when his captain was sent from the field – was ruled to have fouled Dugdale in the box.

Robbie Deeley converted the spot kick but Abba promptly popped up with a re-run of his first effort to restore the one goal advantage.

The last 25 minutes was all Otago but they couldn’t find a way through the black and white wall and ultimately had to pay the price for their own defensive lapses within 15 second half minutes.

“You can’t win games if only four or five players turn up,” said Otago coach Malcolm Fleming, “and that’s all we had today.”

“Last week against Auckland everybody fronted but today Hawke’s Bay did to us what we did to Auckland last week.”

Hawke’s Bay coach Matt Chandler was content to consign last week’s away loss to history and start make a positive start at home.

“It’s a great response to last week,” said Chandler
“We defended well, and we needed to because Otago came at us hard, and we lost our centre back in the first half.”

Our home form last season was a disappointment for the club, so it was crucially important to start off on the right note today.”

Hawke's Bay United

V

Otago United

23. Richard Gillespie (GK)

1. James Waggitt (GK)

2. Sam Halligan

2. Rhys Henderson

4. Chris Greatholder

3. Tristan Prattley (Day 75)

6. Jonathon Talyor (c)

5. Chris Jenkinson

7. Matt Hastings

6. Tom Sadd

8. Leon Birnie (Barabrouses 70)

7. Robbie Deeley  (Dave Shaw 86)

9. Dan Wilson (Thompson 60)

8. Stu Kelly

10 Joachim Rande

9. Ryan Faichnie

11. Andrew Abba  (Hansson 85)

10. Dave Dugdale

20. Chris McIvor

12. James Reichwein

21. Stuart Ferguson

17. Tim Horner (c)

Substitutes

Substitutes

1. Shaun Peta (RGK)

4. David Shaw

3. Phil Clarke

13. Brian Brown

13. Magnus Hansson

15. Tom Connor

16. Marama Thomspon (in 60)

16. Morgan Day (in 75)

24. George Barbarouses (in 70)

=goal

=yellow card

=2 yellow cards

= red card

Welcome to Park Island where it's a little colder than usual. Temperature in the mid teens and overcast conditions.

0mins

Refree Riley gets us underway

5mins

Opening exchanges fairlry static

8mins

First chance of thegame as Dan Wilson blasts a long range effort wide of the mark

12mins

The home side are begining to get on top now, possession-wise, but nothing incisive up front just yet.

15min

At the other end Dugdale gets a little room inside the penalty area but can't get his shot on target.

16min

A free kick to Hawke's Bay just over halfway is worked toward the penalty area but Otago clear safely.

Otago, of course, are coming off the back of a 0-0 draw down at Carisbrook, so it'll be interesting if they take teh same defensive appraoch away from home. Fleming has promised an attacking style but could be forgiven last week for shutting up shop against a side that had just won it's first two games of the season 5-0.

23mins

Otago have come back into the game and evened up the possession and territory stakes but neitehr side can really break the other down.

28mins

James Reichwein hits Jonathon Taylor with a tackle that seemed a little late and Taylor takes exception to it. Bit of pushing and shoving, and I'm sure a bit of name calling as well, but from here it looks like handbags.

28min

RED CARDS! Taylor receieves his marching orders! And so does Reichwein! Antony Riley must have seen something untoward in the kerfuffle and now it's 10v10. This could open it up a bit.

29min

Dugdale breaks through the Hawke's Bay defence but smacks his shot on to the post. He was offside anyway, so it wouldn't have counted.

35min

The reduction in players hasn't seemed to have created any extra space or opportunites. We're still deadlocked.

39min

It looks like midfielder Sam Halligan has dropped into defence to cover for his expelled captain.

41min

Correction, It's actually Dan Wilson, the striker who has dropped back into the back four for Hawke's Bay

43min

Chris Greatholder unleashes a firece drive from all of 30 metres but it hits the inside of the post and bounces out.

45min

Leon Birnie stretches but can't catch up with a flicked ball inside. Hawke's Bay looking dangerous as the half closes.

45min

A dramatic first half comes to a close. Neither team can shake the other even now each has lost a player. It's been an arm wrestle but tired legs in the seocnd half may create some openings.

Halftime 0-0

46min

Off again. No changes from either side.

52min

GOAL 1-0 to Hawke's Bay. A long ball from Hawke's Bay is cut out by the Otago defence but it falls for Andrew Abba 30 yards out, who beats his man and slots a left-foot shot past Waggit to open the scoring

58min

Penalty! Dan Wilson gives away a penalty for a what he claims was a shoulder-to-shoulder challenge. Robbie Deeley sends Gillespie the wrong way and it's 1-1

59min

GOAL 2-1. Its all happeneing here at Park Island. Almost from the kickoff the home side go down the other end and Abba slots another left footer to restore the lead.

60min

SUB HBU. Makeshift centere back Dan Wilson is replaced by Marama Thompson as Matt Chandlet lokos to shore things up.

70min

SUB HBU. New signing George Barbarouses (formerly of Team Wellington) gets his first run in Hawke's Bay colours. Barbarouses was added to the Hawke's Bay squad during the week.

72min

Otago pushing for an equaliser as Hawke's Bay have gone into their shells somewhat.

75min

Otago Sub. Morgan Day comes in for Tristan Prattley as Malcolm Fleming goes for three at the back and puts Day into midfield.

76min

Yellow card for Deeley for a late challenge

76min

As above but with Jenkinson seeing yellow.

81min

Matt Hastings gives a way a freee kcik in a dangerous position and picks up a card for his touble

82min

The free kick is swung in but defeclted wide. Still, it's all Otago at the moment and the prospect of an equaliser is a very real one.

85min

Sub HBU. Abba gets a warm round of applause from the Park Island faikthful as he's replaced by Magnus Hansson making hi HBU debut

86min

Otago's goalscorer also leaves teh field with Deeley replaced by Dave Shaw.