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FOOTBALL
A HAT-TRICK to Cole Devonport earned Lytton High School a hard-fought victory over Gisborne Boys’ High School in Championship football at the Rectory on Saturday.
Lytton won 3-1 after Boys’ High had taken the lead 10 minutes after halftime.
“I’m extremely proud of the way the boys went at the weekend,” said Lytton goalkeeping player-coach Cameron Cairns, who is recovering on the sidelines after suffering a broken shoulder blade in a game against Thistle Massive three weeks ago.
“Going a goal down early in the second half, they could have gone one of two ways. Either their heads would go down or they’d step up to the challenge.
“They certainly stepped up.
“The goals started flowing when impact sub Travis White went on at the start of the second half. He set up two goals for our adult player Cole Devonport, who scored a hat-trick.”
Cairns said he was impressed at how well second-team goalkeeper Tariq Albert had stepped up — at short notice — from the Conference competition to the higher level of the Championship.
“This game was a great pre-tournament test for the lads and showed their resolve under pressure,” Cairns said.
Boys’ High had gone ahead in the match when left midfielder Tommy Peterson finished a counter-attack launched by centreback Ollie Aldridge’s long ball between the Lytton defensive lines.
Peterson showed considerable pace to get on the end of the pass, and his finish was clinical.
But Lytton came back at Boys’ High and punished them for not making more of the chances they had made.
“In the first half we had the wind, got in their penalty area seven or eight times and had two really good chances,” Boys’ High coach Sebastian Itman Bocchi said.
“In the second half they had the wind, and had five chances and scored three.
“Apart from our goal, we had four chances in the second half and we couldn’t score again.”
Boys’ High want what the rest of the football world wants — a finisher. At every level, the top teams have at least one, but they’re not falling out of the sky.
Best for Boys’ High were Peterson, for his energy and attitude up front, man of the match and central midfielder Matt McNeil for his industry on attack and in defence, Janai Randall for his work in a defensive midfield role, and Seth Piper who, since early July, has been playing in goal for the seconds and then in a defensive midfield role for the first team.
“He’s doing well in both positions,” Itman Bocchi said.
“Seth has a positive attitude and plays with heart. He’s one of those players you always want in a team.”
One of the team’s main strikers last season, Jirah Wanoa, has excelled as a central defender this year.
But he hurt an ankle in physical education at school and is in doubt for the Bailey Cup final against Heavy Equipment Services United on August 17.
“I don’t think he will be available for the final but I hope he can make it back on to the field in time for our national tournament in Taupo in September,” Itman Bocchi said.
United and Carpet Court Thistle Massive remain at the top of the Championship Division 1 table after both teams had big wins at the weekend.
Thistle beat Sunshine Brewery Wainui Sharks 9-1 and United beat Coates Associates Wainui Demons 6-0. United lead the competition on goal difference.
In Division 2, Thistle Vintage beat Boys’ High (2) 3-0 at the Rectory and ShipWreck Medical Bohemians beat Wairoa Athletic 4-1 in Wairoa to stay at the top of the table.
In the Gisborne Conference, school teams Campion College and Boys’ High (3) produced a hatful of goals in a 4-4 draw at the Boys’ High ground.
Three Rivers Medical Bohemians beat Smash Palace Shockers 4-3 at Nelson Park, and Heavy Equipment Services United (3) beat Lytton (2) 7-0.
ITM Thistle had the bye but have a game in hand and still lead the league by a point, from United.
In the women’s competition on Sunday, Tatapouri Marist Thistle beat Top 10 Holiday Park Bohemians 2-1, league leaders Heavy Equipment Services United beat Gisborne Girls’ High School 4-1 and Gisborne Laundry Services Riverina beat Riverina AFC 9-0.