Coaches proud of how teams respond

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A LATE penalty by midfielder Grant Jones won the Poverty Bay Cup for United (3) at Childers Road Reserve on Saturday.

It was the start of a good day for team coach Chris Adams.

He hit the winning spot kick for United firsts in the Bailey Cup penalty shoot-out in the following game on the same pitch.

In the curtain-raiser, United (3) went ahead through central midfielder Michael Mercer, a standout performer on the day.

Smash Palace Shockers equalised just before halftime, when striker Damian Pilitati scored from 15 metres.

The late penalty came when a Shockers player was judged to have brought down a United player inside the penalty area.

Outstanding for United were Mercer, Jones, leftback Myk Hall, centreback Ben Galloway, sweeper Tim Urry, goalkeeper Alan Knight and strikers Logan Grant and Josh Taylor, while veteran Lloyd Dickinson looked set for a big game before injury sidelined him.

Shockers have rebuilt over recent seasons and feature two father-son combinations — twin strikers Damian Pilitati and son Riva, and centreback Stephen Honey and son and central midfielder Fletcher, all of whom did well on Saturday.

Others to shine were left-winger and cup final birthday boy Willie Mortleman, centreback Frazer Elliott and goalkeeper Justin Kohere.

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BOTH coaches were pleased with their teams in the Emerre & Hathaway Cup final, a 2-0 victory for Lytton High School over Gisborne Boys’ High School (3).

Lytton right-flank midfielder Ryan Hall scored in the 65th minute and Esteban Mariette, operating wide on the left, scored in the 87th.

The goals capped fine games by both scorers, while striker Cole Bava came close, hitting the crossbar twice.

In a solid all-round team effort, holding midfielder Travis White was outstanding, coach Ryan Majstrovic said.

Midfielder Merlin Parsons did well playing out of position at centreback in the first half, then pushed into midfield in the second half when regular centreback Harry Win-Hewetson arrived after finishing his Cactus (Combined Adolescent Challenge Training Unit and Support) programme.

Leftback Mat Hatten chipped in with a goal-line clearance in the first half, and Ollie Moss did well wide on the right and in the middle of midfield.

Boys’ High coach Peter Ray said Lytton had most of the play but his team never gave up.

Outstanding were defenders Woojin Chong, skipper Claude Sutherland and sweeper Zorik Peneha, keeper Travis Mitchell, midfielders and brothers Zac and Seth Wilson, right winger Misao Kearney and striker Jesse Rambay.

“The whole team worked together really well, as they have done for some weeks,” Ray said.

“I’m proud of the way they stuck to their guns.”