Tauranga City return to winning ways

Tauranga City celebrate after Jay Silcockā€™s winning goal. Photos: Chris James.

To a team in Tauranga City's position on the Northern Football League Division One table, three points are welcome however they come.

As has been the case so often this season 90 minutes of hard graft looked to be coming to an unproductive end, with a point for an uninspiring goalless draw with Auckland's Fencibles United the best they could hope for.

It was no great surprise then that eye-catching teenage prospect Jay Silcock's glanced header into the net was celebrated around the club's Links Ave ground like a World Cup winner.

'It was a day where we needed three,” says coach Nic Millichip.

'Today we looked like we wanted it. We actually looked like we came out and had a mentality of wanting to win the balls that we needed to and get balls into the box. We've been creating corners and moments where the balls were coming across and finally had one we got on the end of.”

'Jay's intensity was really good today but every week he throws himself around,” he said of his goalscorer.

'He gets himself into good positions. Now I think he's learning the league. He's getting to the point where some of the things that he's been doing are coming off for him. He's just kept at it and he doesn't give up.”

His team will be grateful for his tenacity. They had their chances to put the game to bed but the lack of clinical finishing that has plagued them all season reared its head again.

Silcock rises to glance the ball into the net.

After going down 3-1 to Fencibles earlier in the season in a game Nic says they dominated for long periods and could have won it was a satisfying result for the boys.

'I think they'll be well up tonight. And then after that we'll be back into it again Tuesday and Thursday and away we go next week.”

The result leaves them tenth in the 12 team league but within touch of a number of teams above them.

With their squad looking more settled after earlier injury issues they are looking forward to building some momentum in the remaining eight games of the season and putting pressure on those clubs.

Three points will be firmly in their sights again this Saturday when they travel to second to bottom club Manurewa.

You may also like....

0 comments

Leave a Comment


You must be logged in to make a comment.