1st Team Lose 3-4 Thriller

BMAFC have lost their penultimate league match 4-3 to 1st Division Championship winners Western Springs Diamond Geezers at Te Puru.

Western Springs had already sown up the league and were looking to maintain an unbeaten record for the season against Beachlands - their nearest rivals in second place. And Beachlands Maraetai were keen to make amends for a horror finish to their round 1 clash which saw Springs grab two late goals to secure a 4-2 victory at Seddon Fields.

The match opened with both teams showing plenty of intent and hinted at the thrilling display that was to unfold for the large crowd that had gathered to support the locals. Coincidentally there were two other Western Springs teams playing at Te Puru on Saturday with the Reserves going down 3-0 in a tough battle with their Division 7 opponents in the afternoon's curtain-raiser, and, playing adjacent to the 1st Team match, BMAFC's Over 35's side thumped Springs 7-2.

So with the bumper crowd and the weather turning on ideal football conditions the stage was set for a titanic clash of the Division 1 heavy weights, and it didn't take long for the drama to arrive.

Western Springs made their intentions known early - presenting a more physical game plan then their opponents, Springs gave away an early penalty in a bad challenge on Beachlands' striker Ant Schomaker. The whistle, however, left Beachlands dumbfounded as Ant managed to beat the rough-housing but was denied the advantage of an opportunity to go one-on-one with Springs' keeper. An almost certain goal went begging due to the referee's premature call and the resultant free kick attempt failed to trouble Springs.

The early play was all Beachlands' pressure but then a quick break for Springs through less than committed midfield defence. The Springs striker managed to get a duffed shot at goal under duress from Beachlands' scrambling defence and the miss-hit shot wrong-footed keeper Kevin Walker: 1-0 to Springs.

Schomaker took his revenge soon after when a gloriously constructed move down the right flank culminated in a characteristically powerful strike from the captain to level the scores.

Springs reclaimed their advantage as a corner kick failed to be cleared sufficiently and another scrappy shot at goal founds its way clear of so many Beachlands defenders who appeared more undone by the muddy goal mouth than any precision in the strike.

And before half time Ant's striking partner Bryce Henney leveled the scores once again as Beachlands settled back into their footballing rhythm. Another passage of team work topped off by individual skill sent both sides to the half time turn-around locked at 2-all.

Confident of a favourable result, the locals opened the second half with more of the same quality football and plenty of desire. Again it was the home side who produced the more spectacular team-football and more shots. Midfielders Sean Langford and Matt Henney both came close to notching another mark on their belts but Sean's was marginally off target and Matt's was saved by the Springs keeper at full stretch.

Springs did have quality of their own in their striking ranks their movement and physicality proved to be the difference in the match as they were next to score from a well constructed play of their own. With the match at 3-2 to Springs and time running out Beachlands were able to hit back almost immediately once gain through the mercurial Ant Schomaker. Ant's devastating strike fanning the flames of hope for Beachlands.

As pressure grew in the closing stages of the match you could feel the atmosphere of each side shift - Springs looking more deadly as the match grew old and Beachlands more anxious. With their substitutes bench cleared Beachlands were a side marred by walking wounded with at least three players putting their hand up to come off, but with no respite available were forced to battle on in varying degrees of discomfort.

Springs had made a habbit of pouncing on their opportunities and did so for a fourth time to claim the match as a strike from Springs' left side deflected off a Beachlands defender's rump and gave keeper Kevin Walker no hope of a save.

Time still remained but proved too little for the locals. Beachlands were to rue Springs' two early goals which were both preventable, even soft, compared with the more enterprising play from the home side. But it's not the quality of the goals that count and Beachlands' failure to find the lead in the mach proved their ultimate downfall in the match.

Attention now turns to Sunday's double-header as BMAFC's Women's team looks to maintain their top position in Division 3 against Otahuhu, 11:00am at Te Puru and following that match the 1st Team takes on South Auckland Rangers in the Counties Manukau Knock-out Cup, 2:00pm kick off.