United fight back for well-earned draw

Tauranga City United just fell short of completing a perfect comeback in a pulsating 2-2 draw with Forrest Hill Milford on Sunday afternoon.

The game looked lost for the Bay of Plenty side when the visitors raced into a two-goal lead midway through the second-half.


Tauranga City United and Forrest Hill Milford drew 2-2 in Mount Maunganui on Sunday afternoon. Photos: Cameron Avery.

But the Aucklanders were undone when United winger Jerahl Hughes netted two in two minutes to bring the scores level before Jordon Culpepper missed a glorious chance to complete the turnaround at the death.

After a frantic opening that saw both sides fail to find their rhythm, Forrest Hill should have been in front on 16 minutes when Jamie Mason capitalised on a slip from his marker, only to see his neat chip drop wide of the far post.

But their first did arrive just two minutes later – and there was more than a touch of good fortune about it.

Midfielder Harley Rodeka worked his way into a good position inside the home side's penalty area, but when the ball fell to United skipper Raymond How, his attempted clearance found the top corner of his own goal.

Tauranga went looking for a response, and really should have been level on the stroke of half-time when a Hughes corner found its way to Dean Styles, who dragged his shot wide from an inviting position.

But the visitors were gifted a second after the restart when Ryan Morrow was given the freedom of Links Avenue to head Jordan Kimpton's cross beyond the grasp of Tom Pamment and into the bottom corner.

With an uphill task ahead of them in the Mount Maunganui sunshine, the Blues were back in the game with 15 minutes remaining when Hughes scored direct from a corner after good determination from striker Colm Kenny.

And just moments later, the game was all-square.

Hughes was once again instrumental, but when his shot found its way to visiting keeper Louie Caunter, the chance looked to have gone.

But a linesman's flag pulled the play back and Israel Whitley was adjudged to have impeded United's number 10, who sent Caunter the wrong way from the penalty spot.

The scene was set for a frantic finale, and Tauranga missed the best opportunity of the game in stoppage time when Caunter's save from a snap-shot inside the area fell to Culpepper.

With the goal gaping, a last-gasp winner looked a formality, but the midfielder couldn't find the target and sent his header over the crossbar from just three yards out seconds before the final whistle.

After the game, United coach Duncan Lowry admitted his players had struggled to find their feet early on, but was pleased with a point against tough opposition.

'It was 35 minutes before we got in to their half,” said Lowry, 'and in this league you can't make any mistakes.

'We're playing against a good team every week and you just can't afford to switch off.

'But we dug in, we came back and we almost nicked it right at the end.

'If you'd told me at the start of the season we'd be second from top after eight games then I'd have taken that, so it's going well.

'Links Ave has become a bit of a fortress for us, but when they scored their second goal I thought our unbeaten home record had gone. So we did very well to get back into the game.”

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1 comment

mr ken

Posted on 04-05-2015 15:54 | By pamken

good game guys better second half very poor marking for them to score the second and how did we miss a header from 3yrds out, still you did well to come back from 2-0 down again well done.


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