Tararua District football derby winds up season

The Pahiatua and Woodville men's Manawatu division three football teams after their final match of the season at Bush Multisport Park. Photo / Dave Murdoch

After a long 18-game season, Manawatū third grade men’s football wound up with a local derby between Pahīatua and the Woodville Spartans.

Played at the Bush Multisport Park in perfect conditions, it was a case of the newcomers versus the experienced when Woodville and Pahīatua took the field.

This year Woodville were fielding a men’s senior team for the first time in 28 years, while Pahīatua have been perennial runners-up and winners for some years — runners-up last year and potentially winners this year if they beat Woodville and Marist loses a delayed match.

Woodville club captain Angus Hutton said football had never been stronger in the town, with 112 registered players ranging in age from 4-year-old Funkicks to the senior men with four primary age teams in the Tararua district competition, and a youth team recently created playing in the Manawatu Secondary Schools Under 15 competition.

Great skills from these youngsters show the future is positive for both teams. Photo / Dave Murdoch

Angus says the senior men had a squad of 17 players and acquitted themselves pretty well, winning three games, drawing seven and losing eight, the best win 9-2 over North End last week.

He said Manawatū Football was delighted to have a Woodville team in the third grade as Dannevirke Rangers had been promoted to the second grade this season creating a bye.

For Josh Chard, manager/coach of Pahīatua, his team had to win to have a chance to win the competition. His team had lost only two games this season and was playing well, but he knew Woodville Spartans would be eager to knock off their neighbour.

Strong Woodville defence against a mid-field launch. Photo / Dave Murdoch

So it turned out. The first half was quite even with plentiful shots at goal by both teams in an exciting encounter before an appreciative crowd. It was 0-0 at halftime.

Great attack by Woodville but equal defence by Pahiatua. Photo / Dave Murdoch

Into the second half the Pahīatua midfield began to take control with a well-delivered midfield centre finding the net to go 1-0 up after 20 minutes. Woodville Spartans still had their moments on attack and the result was still in the balance 10 minutes from fulltime when an excellent cross was barrelled into the net on the full.

The cross that eluded the goalie's grip making it 3-0. Photo / Dave Murdoch

Close to fulltime a further goal sneaked past the Woodville keeper by the post to make it 3-0 — a result that confirmed Pahīatua’s position in the competition but a game in which Woodville showed their potential.

Strong skills and pace out wide gave Pahiatua an edge. Photo / Dave Murdoch

Angus has hopes there will be a Woodville women’s team entered next season to keep the momentum going. Woodville are already punching way above their weight by national standards in terms of numbers and the Fifa Women’s World Cup can only encourage growth further.

Dave Murdoch is a part-time photo-journalist working for the Bush Telegraph and based at Dannevirke. He has covered any community story telling good news about the district for the past 10 years.