Football: Tauranga romp to big victory

Calling it a crisis meeting could be overstating it by some distance, and it probably wasn't even feisty enough to pass as a team summit.
Truth session, a chance to clear the air ... whatever Tauranga City United achieved behind closed doors early last week might be worth repeating more regularly as they re-ignited their chase for promotion with a wonderfully one-sided 4-0 romp over North Shore at Mt Maunganui's Links Ave reserve on Saturday.
Team sessions, where everyone gets to have a say and grievances are aired bluntly and publicly, are nothing new in sport. Jordan Culpepper, skipper of CNS Clinic-sponsored City, didn't want to shed much light on what was said a week ago, other than to label it a 'worthwhile exercise', coming a few days after the side's shock loss on the road to lowly Warkworth.
"It was a good session to get rid of a bit of baggage and a chance also for the guys to re-set some goals for the rest of the year. Obviously I don't want to say anything I shouldn't but some stuff came up that maybe had been building for a couple of weeks and last week was the right some for guys to have a say. The good thing is everyone said what they wanted, we're all back on board for a positive run and you could see there was 11 guys there today all backing each other."
North Shore fronted with high hopes of edging ahead of Tauranga in the standings but limped off the ground lucky to have kept the rampant home side to just four. Every 50/50 ball was Tauranga's, they made a ton of chances in front of goal (although the finishing wasn't always as glorious as the creativity) and at times they knocked the ball around for 15 or more passes like it was an exhibition game. It all started at the back for Tauranga on Saturday, with the defensive quartet of Ben and Mark van der Salm, Graham Craven and Steve Smith giants, Craven even opening the scoring in the 15th minute when he got his head to a lengthy Tom Crawford free kick that floated to the far post.
The back four's solidity allowed the midfield to flourish, using the full width of the park on both sides as an attacking channel.
Tauranga struggled to beat Shore's shallow offside trap but their patience was rewarded on the stroke of halftime when Tom Crawford slotted home from the penalty spot after striker Ian Stringfellow, a constant thorn in the visitor's side with his ability to hold the ball high in the middle, was chopped down in the penalty area. Joel Wakelin made it three just after halftime when he did get in behind North Shore's defence, poking home under the flailing arms of keeper James Powell, before Stringfellow sealed the deal four minutes later, flicking home a header after Culpepper and Crawford worked a set move from a short corner on the left.
Four seemed to be the number of the day, with Tauranga's win moving them back up to fourth on the table and their other main rivals for the Northern League division two crown also hitting the back of the net four times.
Competition leaders Mt Albert-Ponsonby hit back from their shock loss to down Mangere United 4-1, while second-placed Fencibles United were 4-1 winners at Waiuku. Ngaruawahia United won the all-Waikato derby, downing Cambridge 4-1, while Western Springs stayed in the hunt with a 3-2 victory over Warkworth.
Hibiscus Coast scored a 2-0 win over Papakura City to sit a point above Tauranga in third with 16 points from eight games, with Mt Albert Ponsonby on 22 from nine games and Fencibles on 19 from eight.
Culpepper said the win was an important marker on several fronts - points in the bank, a point to prove, goal difference and a lift to team morale.
"Individually and as a team we needed to show other teams in the league that one bad game didn't mean we weren't going to turn around and fight. Today was must-win because dropped points here would have put us right back down where we didn't want to be."