Soccer: Keepers' holy grail - a clean sheet

Regarded by many as a rare breed, goalkeepers often grab a decent - some might say indecent - share of the footballing limelight.

The New Zealand Football Championship has shown just what part the custodians can, and do, play.

Michael Utting's antics stirred up more than usual interest through the early rounds but, generally, the work between the posts has been top-rate.

Otago United kept themselves in the thick of the championship race through the early rounds on the back of some expert work from talented Canadian-born Lutz Pfannenstiel who is now pulling on his 'keeping gloves in Europe.

Elsewhere the goalkeepers have attracted plenty of attention.

None more so than great friends and rivals Ross Nicholson (Auckland City) and Simon Eaddy (Waitakere United) who go head-to-head in tomorrow's big battle at Kiwitea St.

Nicholson has been in sparkling form. Two absolutely top-class saves played a key role in City's 2-1 win over Team Wellington a week ago. He might need more of the same tomorrow.

"I'm not really thinking too much about it," says Nicholson.

"I'm just doing my job. I feel I have been consistent and have been helped by the players in front of me who have done a magnificent job."

Nicholson, 29, also pays tribute to the work he has done with City goalkeeping coaches Paul Cadman and Gene Grainger.

"We all work well together. There is a great team spirit off and on the field."

Asked if he was disappointed in any one of the 21 goals his team had conceded this season, Nicholson says: "All of them, it's a personal challenge to keep a clean sheet."

City coach Allan Jones has no complaints, saying he pointed the finger at Nicholson for only one of those goals.

"And that didn't cost us as we were 2-0 up at the time.

"He has kept us in the game a thousand times pulling us out of the fire many times."

Jones is not surprised at the generally high standard among the goalkeeping ranks.

"Brian Clough always maintained the first player you sign is the best possible goalkeeper. He was the first manager to pay 1 million for a goalkeeper," says Jones.

"In paying that for Peter Shilton he was repaid many times over."

And then there is Eaddy who has picked the ball out of the Waitakere net just 15 times in 18 games this season.

"We are great mates," says Nicholson.

"I'm sure we will have a chat after the game - no matter what the result."