Football: Only net result falls short

Angus Kilkolly

Tawa 0 Rovers 4 Central League

The victory was never in doubt - just what the damage was going to be when the dust settled after 90-plus minutes.

TSB Bank Napier City Rovers came away from Redwood Park, Wellington, with a 4-0 return against Tawa FC on Saturday.

However, the newly crowned league champions' balance sheet didn't reflect the anticipated capital gains against the flogging boys of the Lotto Central League in the Rovers' quest to eclipse the competition record of most goals scored in the season.

With two games remaining, the Danny Wilson-skippered Blues need seven more goals to find equity in the league history books during a stellar season with a Chatham Cup semifinal against Birkenhead United in Auckland on August 28-29.

"It was a reasonable performance but we would have liked to have scored more goals chasing that record," said Rovers coach Bill Robertson after the visitors established a 3-0 lead at halftime but went off the boil in the second half.

"The lads are disappointed ... but I admire them for maintaining the high standards all year," said Robertson of a side whose expectations were understandable considering they thumped Tawa 7-1 at Park Island on April 19.

No doubt, he is mindful that he would have brushed aside as wishful thinking any suggestions they would have been chasing down records after claiming the bragging rights.

The golden boot race among the Rovers trio of Angus Kilkolly, Ryan Tinsley and Saul Halpin took another twist after Tinsley bagged a hattrick to leapfrog pre-match leader Kilkolly by two (20-18) while Halpin remains on 15.

The English midfielder (right) opened the Blues' account in the 16th minute from the edge of the box and then followed it up with a header from inside the box in the 27th minute to extend the lead to 2-0.

Striker Kilkolly made it 3-0 about 10 minutes later when he cut in from the right to rifle off his left foot. Goalkeeper Lance Ramaekers got his hand to the ball but it still rolled into the net in "okay conditions".

Tinsley used his head again from inside the 18m box for the final result in the 67th minute following a corner kick.

The Rovers play arch-rivals Western Suburbs this Saturday in Wellington before hitting the highway again to face Petone FC, their only slayers (1-0 in Napier) in the league this season, in the final roll of the dice after the cup playoffs.

"Suburbs are a decent side. We've beaten them comfortably in the previous two games but we're not going to be complacent," Robertson said.