Reserves Maintain Winning Feeling

Friday, 27 May 2011 10:51

The senior reserves stepped out onto Te Puru with possibly one of the best cultures within the club last Saturday. With the team getting a taste of the winning feeling against Three Kings the week before, the attitude and belief within the Senior Reserves had grown further, and there was a real desire to keep it going at home.

The Uni Mt Wellington team was a large, physical group of players and they sat 2 places above BMAFC in the table. The gauntlet was thrown down by Unimount, and BMAFC picked it up! The teenage sensation Reid Sozpa punched well above his weight and was causing huge issues with his pace, and worked in well with Paul Startin who received good ball distributed from a settled centre midfield partnership of Mark Laidlaw, Brent Cooper and Ross Murphy who worked tirelessly all day. The game was wide open and there was an increased level of intensity in the game play from the week previous that saw BMAFC put under pressure from the start. This week however there was not the defensive lapses of previous games, and a back three of Mark Bignell, Justin Irvine and Josh Robinson (stepping into his father's position) were able to absorb the pressure and play out through the back. This gave the team confidence as everyone defended well and won possession back time and time again. The pressure told and a well structured move saw Reid rewarded for his graft with a great finish and a 1-0 lead that ran through to half time as a tense struggle ensued.

The second half started with a change in referee and the Unimount ref began with some very dubious corner calls, resulting in a number of Unimount corners being defended off the line by resolute BMAFC defence. The pressure was absorbed and responded to, with some wonderful 1-2 touch football down the flanks. The introduction of Caid Sozpa to join his brother resulted in a stunning volley from the edge of box after a corner was not cleared well enough by the Unimount defence. The Sozpa rocket made it 2-0 and the team started to really apply the heat and raised the tempo of the game. Training against the BMAFC AFF Championship team was showing results as the intensity and accuracy of football being played by the reserves started to take its toll on the Unimount team. Not long after Mark "Sweaty Jock" Laidlaw worked some one/two's on the left flank and crossed a searching ball that floated into the top corner of the Unimount goal. Sweaty still claims to this day that it was a shot on goal and he spotted the keeper off his line......

The fitness of the reserves started to show, and while we curse the warm up sessions and sadistic training regime of the coaching unit of the BMAFC senior squad, it was the ability of the players to remain intense during the last quarter that kept BMAFC in control. With 15 minutes to go the custodian at the back Justin Irvine, broke down a passing move in the Unimount midfield to take the ball and then ran it into the Unimount half to release Reid Sozpa to be one on one with the keeper, which he calmly knocked around the diving keeper to walk into the back of the net. If you want to see what sheer joy looks like, watch a 15 year old striker knock in his 4th goal in 2 games for his club's senior team! It was a very proud moment for the older players in the squad to see him take his chances.

The last 15 minutes was a tense struggle, and man of the match Josh Robinson was part of a complete defensive unit that held out for their first clean sheet of the season. It was a tireless effort again from Ross Murphy and Brent Cooper as they dropped deep and shut off the midfield interplay that had made Unimount a very tough adversary. It was without doubt the best team performance of the season for the Senior Reserves who now look forward to there toughest test this year against an Ellerslie team that tops the table, away at Michaels Ave.

Special thanks goes to all the supporters and 1st team players that came along, you made a big difference. And to Tim Bateman who has given his time to coach us through to a great performance.

By Justin Irvine