Magpies’ Josh McMenamin, right, scored two goals and had an assist in the upset win over Petone. PHOTO/FILE
FOOTBALL
CHRIS COGDALE
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Douglas Villa Magpies 3
Petone Thirds 2
Douglas Villa Magpies ended Petone’s unbeaten run in Capital division three with their best performance of the season at Park Sports Ground on Saturday.
The team opened the scoring when striker Josh McMenamin finished a flowing movement before Willy Syben gave them a 2-0 halftime lead.
Petone pulled a goal back shortly after the restart, only for McMenamin to restore the two-goal advantage midway through the half.
The visitors scored a late consolation goal, but the Magpies had done enough to secure the three points and consolidate second place in the championship.
Magpies coach Malcolm Cox said the result came because his team stuck to their game plan to keep Petone’s big players quiet.
“They some pretty big boys, including a 6-foot 4 inches guy as a striker. The game plan was to nullify him and not give him any space, and it worked,” he said.
“Our 4-3-3 setup worked well. Tremaine Rimene-Albrett and Kurtis Paine were outstanding, but we worked as a team, and everyone played well.
“The guys played with a smile on their faces, and it was good to see.”
Cox said that the win sent a message to the rest of the league that Petone are beatable.
The Magpies’ next opponents are bogey side Waterside-Karori Magpies, who they have not beaten in three clashes over the past two seasons.
“We have some unfinished business, and we want to show them what we have, and the guys are confident.”
CAPITAL DIVISION 4
Greytown 3
Stop Out Thirds 1
With player-poach Nikali Finlay wanting to concentrate more on playing, Greytown Fresh Choice have a new coach at the helm with an even younger coach in 22-year-old James Smith now guiding the side.
The new coach could not have asked for a better start with the 3-1 win over Stop Out Thirds in Capital Division Four at Soldiers’ Memorial Park on Saturday.
Smith has playing experience in the third and fourth level of professional football in England but suffered a career-ending injury and has turned to coaching.
Saturday’s game followed the trend of many other Greytown games this season where they bossed possession but couldn’t turn it into goals, ensuring a scoreless first half.
Daniel Frischknecht found a hole in the Stop Out defence to open the scoring early in the second stanza, his eighth of the season in just nine games.
Frischknecht was again involved in the second goal after feeding Jarrod MacDonald, who was upended in the penalty area and scored the resulting penalty to give the hosts a 2-0 lead.
Stop Out closed the gap to one goal with 20 minutes to go, but a fast-flowing movement ended up with MacDonald putting the ball in the back of the net to seal a 3-1 victory.
Defender Bill Reynolds was rewarded for a strong performance by being named Man of the Match, and Angus Preston, Andy Traill, and Harvey Parker all had good games in the midfield.
Greytown, now seventh in the 10-team competition, travel to Porirua next weekend to take on Western Suburbs Red in the first game of the second round.
