Football: Serious defensive errors cost Tauranga C a win

Jerahl Hughes' corner goes straight into the Forrest Hill-Milford net to spark the Tauranga City United comeback. Photo / George Novak

The resilience and determination Belvedere Tauranga City United have displayed all season turned a losing cause against Forrest Hill-Milford AFC into a 2-2 draw at Links Ave yesterday.

Trailing the more experienced visitors 0-2 with 15 minutes to go it seemed the match was as good as over. So comfortable were Forrest Hill their former All Whites David Mulligan and Andy Boyens stayed on the bench.

But no one told Tauranga City and especially inspirational wide attacker Jerahl Hughes it was over. From a corner the former Crystal Palace junior curled an inch perfect ball straight into the Forrest Hill goal to ignite the comeback. Three minutes later Hughes set off on yet another jinking run towards the Forrest Hill defenders and slipped past into the box. As he went to shoot he was held back enough to blunt his shot. Luckily the eagle eyed linesman spotted it and signalled a penalty.

Striker Colm Kenny so nearly won it for Tauranga City with the last action of the match only to be denied by a quite brilliant save by young goalkeeper Louie Caunter.

The 2-2 draw was the least Tauranga City deserved as they had the better of the match but made two serious defensive errors to concede the goals. In the first half defender Raymond How lost his bearings under pressure and sent a sweet shot into his own net before a communication breakdown later on left Ryan Morrow unmarked inside the box to score.

Tauranga United are in second place with six wins, one loss and one draw in the Northern League first division after winning promotion last year.

Coach Duncan Lowry says they are in the promotion spot they want to be in.

"We are playing against very good teams in this league. It is a step up no matter what we do and there are no bad teams in this league really. At home on this pitch we have not lost for a year and a half. From the time Jerahl Hughes arrived we have not dropped three points at this place so it is a bit of a fortress. We will try and keep it like that."

• AFC Fury were unlucky against Albany away on Saturday.

After Erik Aceituno put Fury 1-0 up, striker Matias Bartolozzi scored what seemed a superb individual goal, but a mystery rip in the goal net meant a goal kick to the home team instead.

The final score was 1-1.