City battle on longest away day expedition

Tauranga City’s veteran goalkeeper Tom Pamment pulled off a string of fine saves in Saturday’s match.

A major logistical exercise to reach probably the country's most exotic football destination proved fruitless for Tauranga City as they went down to Waiheke United 2-0 on Saturday.

The scenic delights of a ferry ride across Auckland's Hauraki Gulf provided some reward for the effort, but one they would have happily swapped for a result to help improve their lowly position on the Northern League division 1 table.

The early morning start and travel, combined with a few injuries and overseas departures, meant getting a side on the park was a minor triumph for coach Nic Millichip.

'Yeah it was a bit of a planes trains and automobiles day,” he says.

'It was a day where we were putting a side out to be as competitive as we can. If we could have nicked something that would have been great, but the reality is it would have been an upset if that had happened.”

Nic couldn't fault his team's effort, however, against a team sitting third on the table and chasing hard for promotion.

It was a game with ample chances at both ends, but it was the home side who managed to take the ones that came their way.

City's best chance came in the first half after the home side had gone two up.

Riley Bidois – playing in a central striking role in the absence of regular frontman Joaquin Reynoso - was unlucky to miss out on an assist when he got free and ended up one on one with the goalkeeper, but the shot from his squared ball was cleared by a recovering central defender making a desperate lunge.

'That would have been 2-1 at half time,” says Nic, 'and that could have just added that little bit of fire to the second half for us.”

Despite tiring after their travel exertions City kept the home side scoreless in second half, and could have had goals of their own, notably through Andrew Carter who extracted some good saves from the Waiheke goalkeeper.

'We controlled the midfield, and our defence scrambled well all day,” says Nic.

He also had big praise for his goalkeeper Tom Pamment. 'Tom had a cracker of a game. He actually pulled off some fantastic saves. They kept him busy all day – without him the damage could have been worse.”

The familiar figure of Jerahl Hughes, who spent a number of seasons at the Links Ave-based club, was a constant threat, but Nic was pleased with how his side handled the pacey winger, especially his new men.

'The guys stepping up out of the reserves have done well too. John Phillips came up this weekend and he did a good job for us. He was out on the side marking Jerahl, and kept him pretty quiet.”

Nic is not sure what to expect in their next match, at home to Melville United. The Hamilton side has bossed the league and already locked up the title, so could be in a mood to take the foot off the pedal, but may also be determined not to let their WaiBOP federation rivals get the better of them.

Kickoff in this Saturday's match at Links Ave is 3pm.

Waiheke United 2 (Marc Evans 15′, Kris Carpenter 32′)

Tauranga City 0

HT 2-0

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