Kerikeri penalised for missed chances

Neither Kerikeri nor Oratia could dominate the other for long enough to stamp their mark on the Federation Cup final, leaving the game to be decided by penalty shootout at Toll Stadium.
The shootout saw both keepers stopping more shots than were scored - pushing the match into sudden death penalties. Oratia's Shane Fowler broke the deadlock by scoring, leaving Kerikeri's Dwayne Beazley - one of the most impressive players during the preceding two hours of the final - to decide the team's fate.
Like several of his teammates, he chose power over placement and blasted the ball over the net, sending the 10-man Oratia side into a jubilant scrum as they mobbed their goalkeeper Karl Clarke - who was responsible for keeping them in the game in the second spell.
For Kerikeri, who were trying to add some lustre to their season with some silverware, it was a case of not taking their chances.
Playing into the strong wind in the first half, Kerikeri struggled to settle but the visitors soon did, stroking the ball around on the stadium's surface. Kerikeri were limited to break-out chances and were soon 1-0 down, thanks to a failure to clear the ball from their own penalty area, which was pounced on by Chris Limmer who poked the bouncing ball in the net.
The goal strengthened Kerikeri's resolve and they began to menace the Auckland side's goal. Sam Green hit the crossbar and then Kerikeri skipper Kieran Nagal missed two good chances from corners and they remained one goal down at the break. The second half saw them increase their dominance in the midfield, with Clarke saving from Anthony Chalder-Royle and then Zdanek Rosa missing a sitter in front of goal. Despite a shot by Beazely hitting the upright, victory still seemed on the cards for Kerikeri, with Oratia players losing their temper and receiving several yellow cards.
Kerikeri goalkeeper Chris West didn't have much to do in regular time but he kept his side in the game, pushing a near-post screamer from Oratia striker Steve Doherty aside for a corner.
When the goal-scorer, Limmer, was sent from the field for retaliation, Kerikeri had the numerical advantage but the equaliser evaded them until just a minute remained on the stadium clock.
Central defender Ryan Hoalker pushed forward and sent a cross into a packed penalty area - the ball was caught by the wind and drifted over Clarke and under the crossbar to finally level the scores.
Both sides were flat in two periods of extra time, with Kerikeri guilty of trying to walk the ball into the goal and the match went into a shoot-out.
Nagal said luck wasn't with them in the end.
"We had a few chances to score but the woodwork seemed to always keep us out and although the boys played well, there has to be a winner on the day.
"We're just gutted it wasn't us and the game had to finish like that," he said.
Oratia skipper Neil Hannard described the match as a "funny old game".
"I think we dominated the first half but Kerikeri absolutely hammered us in that second half but in extra time both teams were knocking long balls around and I think playing for penalties really," he said.
"We expected a close game and that's what we got, both keepers deserve loads of credit for the way they played, in the end they only let in five goals from 12 penalties," he said.