Football: City too strong for visitors

Tauranga's Adam Roach (in blue) on the charge.Photo/George Novak

The points, and goals, just keep coming for Tauranga City United.

The Northern League Second Division leaders picked up three of the former and five of the latter at Links Ave yesterday, proving too strong for overmatched Onehunga Mangere United in front of an upbeat home crowd.

The 5-1 score perhaps flattered the visitors, who brought plenty of application and intent to the proceedings but no way to break down the home side's stout defence.

Tauranga City United, in the form of an in-form Jerahl Hughes, in effect decided the contest early on.

His curling, dipping corner found nothing but the side and then back of the net at the back peg before many knew what had happened, and he would have doubled the advantage soon after if not for a class kick save from goalkeeper Glen Pascoe.

An impressive Connor Taylor scored the second with a nice touch from a low Andrew Cooper cross midway through the half, before Hughes showed how valuable he is just before the break.

Frustrated at times with balls played too far in front, he jagged on to a nicely waited touch pass to play himself through a flat line.

The finish was at once class and routine; one more touch past the besieged Pascoe to prove Hughes has the ability to play as a classical striker as well as an overlapping creator out wide.

The second half reached no great heights, with the home side conceeding a penalty in between a well-taken sniping goal from Cooper and a carbon copy Hughes effort through the middle for a hat-trick in front of WaiBOP United coach Peter Smith.

Goalkeeper Tom Pamment let the first one past him in weeks, but cut a jovial figure after a match that included a number of assured low diving saves.

Belvedere Group Tauranga City United 5 (Jerahl Hughes 3, Andrew Cooper, Connor Taylor) Onehunga Mangere United 0