Bright first half before Melville romp away

Harry Gawtry in possession against Melville United at Links Ave on Sunday. Photo / George Novak

Melville United showed why they are one of the top four top teams in the Northern Region Division 1 with a classy 5-0 drubbing of Tauranga City United on Sunday.

The bare realities of the scoreline would indicate a one-sided romp on the manicured turf at Links Ave following Melville's record 10-0 win earlier in the season.

But that was far from the reality, particularly in the first half.

The young, inexperienced Tauranga City team, missing first team regulars in goalkeeper Tom Pamment, midfielder Josh Nelson and right back Will Clague, not only held Melville scoreless but totally dominated the opening 43 minutes of the match.

With a tad more composure in front of goal it could easily have been 1-0 or 2-0 to the home side. But good teams away from home know how to take their medicine, to soak up the early fury from the home team and then pounce on the counter attack.

Melville had one clear chance and veteran striker Marc Evans buried it from a free kick for a halftime lead.

Stand-in Tauranga keeper Daniel Thorby made a sharp save at the start of the second half but he was powerless to stop Evans scoring number two and Aaron Scott the third with barely an hour gone.

As Tauranga pushed forward to try and get back in the game there was more space exposed at the back which Melville gleefully capitalised on, scoring two late goals that on the run of play were hard on Tauranga City.

Still the younger Tauranga City players new to this level will have learnt more from this defeat than a season's worth of wins, which can only be a good thing as coach Barry Gardiner looks to build a stronger squad for next season.

"There were definitely signs of a better performance today but I am still not happy with the result. The first half we were very good. We had a game plan in how we wanted to approach the game and I think we did that very well," Gardiner said.

"It was disappointing to lose a goal just before halftime but it was a great finish from a free kick from Marc Evans. The last five minutes in the first half we were probably not quite at our best and again the first five minutes of the second half they scored again.

"When it gets to 2-0 the complexity of the game changes and you saw that in the second half. I think fatigue and tiredness came into it a little bit but I am really disappointed with the end scoreline."

The need to build more depth in the squad has been a high priority for Gardiner and against the better teams in the league is an absolute to compete.

"All year we have had concerns with injury. The squad's not been deep enough so when we have two or three players out you can actually see an effect of that.

"But full credit to the likes of DT (Thorby) who stood in as goalkeeper today. I thought he was very good in goal."