Soccer: Nicholson saves day for Auckland City

Canterbury's Stuart Kelly (left) and Paul Seaman. Picture / Glenn Jeffrey

Auckland City goalkeeper Ross Nicholson spared soccer bosses any blushes with two match-winning saves in the dramatic penalty shootout needed to find the winner of the New Zealand Football Championship grand final at Kiwitea St on Saturday.

Locked 3-3 with Canterbury United after a spirited second half to the season's finale, City repeated last season's double-double [league-final] when Nicholson pulled off two heroic saves for a 4-3 shootout triumph.

The win spared any embarrassment for New Zealand Soccer officials who had decreed the winner of the grand final would go through as the second team to next month's Oceania Club Championship unless, of course, one won both the NZFC round-robin (over 21 rounds) and the final.

In winning, City opened the way for YoungHeart Manawatu to deservedly join them in the Oceania play-offs, which offer the chance of a $1 million payday at Fifa's World Club Championship in Japan this year.

But, for a time earlier in the final, Nicholson figured more as a chump than a champ when he literally threw the ball into his own goal in failing to hold a Daniel Terris corner kick. That own goal got the visitors back to 2-2.

The first half of the match, played in front of a disappointing crowd - obviously the decision to play at the same time as local leagues had hit hard - was spared from mediocrity by a well-taken stoppage time goal from Grant Young after good build-up from substitute Chad Coombes and Keryn Jordan.

With All Whites and NZ Knights striker Jeremy Brockie forced out with injury at halftime, Chris White stepped in. Fourteen minutes after the break he was able to join his teammates in celebrating Stuart Kelly's equaliser.

That joy was short-lived though, as Jordan continued his goal-a-game heroics in firing home between goalkeeper James Bannatyne's legs for 2-1. Then came Nicholson's blunder to again level the scores.

Four minutes on, normal transmission resumed when James Pritchett broke deep before finding Jordan, who turned the ball for Coombes, who was well-placed to steer home for a seemingly safe 3-2.

Back came the southern men. Seven minutes later Kelly sneaked between the City defenders to get his foot to a bouncing ball and hitting home first time.

Less than a minute into extra time, United should have been reduced to 10 men when Terris cut Jordan in half as the last defender.

There were half chances at both ends but little more as the game headed to the shootout.

Jordan made no mistake but Terris, United's captain, had his attempt saved by Nicholson. Paul Urlovic then had his effort saved by Bannatyne before shots were traded to reach 3-3. City skipper Neil Sykes hit home for 4-3, and when Nicholson saved former All White Glen Collins' attempt, it was all over.

The victory came at a cost for City. Hard-working midfielder Jonathan Smith lasted only 41 minutes before being forced off with a knee injury.

It was a bitter blow for Smith and coach Allan Jones as Smith, after being on the bench for the first 45 minutes of the first game last season, had not missed one since.

"We won't know until Tuesday just how bad it is," said Jones. "He has suspected medial ligament damage and could be out for six to eight weeks.

"An injury like that was my biggest fear going into a game. I had long questioned about being played at all."

Until Jones gets a clear picture on the injury, he will not be in a position to name his 20-strong squad for the Oceania champs

He has already called in All White/Waikato defender Che Bunce, and must name the rest of his squad by Friday's deadline.