Soccer: 'Steal' proves costly for United

It was one of those Minties Moments ... Hawke's Bay United soccer defender Aaron Jones will be grateful the ASB Premiership doesn't attract television coverage.

A defensive blunder from Jones cost Kinetic Electrical Hawke's Bay United a draw in this home leg semifinal match at Napier's Bluewater Stadium yesterday. With the score locked at 1-all Jones attempted to run the ball out instead of clearing it in the 87th minute.

Team Wellington midfielder Colin Murphy stole the ball from Jones before unleashing a cracker from 22 metres out which found the right hand corner of the net.

Despite a flat third quarter and a patchy first from the hosts, Hawke's Bay United enjoyed enough dominant patches to win the match but at the same time would have accepted the draw. United had 11 shots on goal, three less than Team Wellington.

On at least three occasions there was quality construction from the hosts but a lack of finishing, in particularly nobody on the opposite post, to receive the pass.

Such opportunities must be taken at the do-or-die stage of the season.

Wellington opened the scoring in the 54th minute when midfielder Justin Gulley fired a cross towards goal. The ball looped over United keeper Richard Gillespie and in off the far post.

Twenty minutes later the hosts player of the match, centre midfielder Tom Biss, scored the equaliser when he capitalised on a poor clearance from the visitors. Close behind Biss as United's best were fellow centre midfielder Sean Morris and Gillespie.

Morris had a phenomenal workrate on defence which inspired his teammates. It was pleasing to see the hosts adopt a never-say-die approach to regain possession when it was lost, an aspect of play which has often let them down this season.

Gillespie's glovework was classy and he helped captain and defender Bill Robertson marshal the defence superbly at times. United scrambled well as the visitor's attack was often too quick for the likes of United defender Ross Haviland.

United striker-winger Sean Lovemore had one of his best games of the season. A key work on for United this week will be maintaining intensity for the entire game particularly the defensive work in the midfield which lacked the necessary cohesion and dominance during that lethargic third quarter and for long periods in the first quarter.

United head coach Chris Greatholder agreed his troops should not have lost the match. "Lady luck wasn't with us but I saw enough from our boys to suggest we're good enough to go down and win on Saturday. We worked hard and there were times when we looked like we were the only side going to win it," Greatholder said, referring to this weekend's away leg game.

While happy with his team's effort Team Wellington coach Matt Calcott stressed it was "only halftime".

"I'm happy with the total focus but we can't get too excited. We've got to do it all again on Saturday and if we can do this on United's turf we know they can do the same on our turf ... there's a lot of respect within our camp for that Hawke's Bay United outfit."

Calcott will be hoping keeper Jacob Spoonley returns from his All Whites commitments in Japan this week injury free. Spoonley was scheduled to leave the country within two hours of yesterday's final whistle.

Defenders James Musa and Shaun Timmins and midfielder Joel Stevens all impressed in a cohesive Team Wellington side.

On Saturday Minor Premiers Auckland City again emphasised why they are favourites for the end-of-season silverware with a 4-0 win against Super City rivals Waitakere City in their away leg of their semifinal.

Scorers:

Hawke's Bay United 1 (Tom Biss 74'), Team Wellington 2 (Justin Gulley 54', Colin Murphy 87'). HT: 0-all.