Football: City show mettle in win over Shore

Tauranga City's Josh Nelson (left) challenges for the ball with North Shore's Lewis Furmenger at Links Avenue on Good Friday. Photo / Andrew Warner

Any concerns Belvedere Tauranga City United would struggle this season after promotion to Northern League division one have been discarded after the opening two matches of the season.

In round one Tauranga travelled to Hibiscus Coast, who missed promotion to the premier division by just two points, and surprised the pundits with a 1-0 victory.

Back home at their beloved Links Avenue pitch on Good Friday, Tauranga took on one of the glamour clubs in North Shore United and won 2-1 to sit second on the table on goal difference behind Ellerslie.

Head coach Duncan Lowry was proud of his new-look team's resilience. Despite moments of indecision between the back four and keeper Tom Pamment, which saw him rounded three times by Shore players but not conceding a goal, Lowry insists his defensive system is working.

"We are playing deep, playing zones, playing boxes and I am quite happy with how we are going," Lowry said. "They almost broke us a down a couple of times but we knocked over one of the big top teams in a good performance. We were 2-0 up at halftime and then we closed the door and said to them come and break us down.

"Andrew Carter got both our goals. Jerahl Hughes has done extremely well and big Colm Kenny, the Irish boy up front does a terrific job for us like a bigger, stronger Jack McNab."

Tauranga constantly looked likely on the break through the midfield due to the likes of Hughes and Josh Nelson. They were good value for their 2-0 lead at halftime, although North Shore's youthful strikers should have buried at least one of the chances given by the Tauranga defence's inability to clear.

Carter crashed in the first goal with a sharp first-time shot from an accurate cross from the classy Hughes on the right. His second was a classic striker's instinctive reflex header.

North Shore rallied in the second spell after stern words from coach Paul Temple. They managed to hit the posts twice before Jaryd Gray finally tucked one past Pamment to set up an anxious final 20 minutes.

However, Tauranga held their nerve to claim the three points. The reaction of the players and supporters at the final whistle from ref John McCoskrie left no doubt what the win meant.

Result: Belvedere Tauranga City United 2 (Andrew Carter 20' 43') North Shore United 0.

-Tauranga City United travel away to play sixth-placed Mangere United in a round-three clash this afternoon.