Ahinga Selemani (left), with Joshua Signey, and Dylan Sacramento, found the equaliser for Hawke's Bay United against Canterbury United in Christchurch today. Photo/file
Ahinga Selemani (left), with Joshua Signey, and Dylan Sacramento, found the equaliser for Hawke's Bay United against Canterbury United in Christchurch today. Photo/file
Any time teams return from English Park, Christchurch, with a point, never mind three, they know they have earned it in the national summer league.
Thirsty Whale Hawke's Bay United will attest to that after defying the bookies' odds to share a point with Canterbury United in their week-four, 2-allstalemate in the Premiership match today. Down 1-0 at halftime, the Chris Greatholder/Bill Robertson co-coached Bay United took the lead in the second half and were left ruing not taking maximum points.
"We score and turned the screw really but for the large parts we were the better team although for the smaller periods they were a good team as well so both sides had their chances but we're really disappointed we haven't got the win because we have created enough and played well enough to claim three points, " said Greatholder of the Ruben Parker Hanks-captained side.
The hosts were in ownership for the first 10 minutes so the goal from Cory Mitchell in the fourth minute — coming from a cornerkick scramble and bobbling off his knee — endorsed that.
Greatholder was happy with how the third-placed Bay managed the first half. The 1-all equaliser came from Ahinga Selemani with a left footer to the far post in the 63rd minute before midfielder Sho Goto put the visitors up 2-1 in the 74th.
Regrettably the Dragons struck back a minute later to level 2-all from Juan Chang Urrea who had latched on to a shot on the far post after a cross in front of the goalmouth.
In an arm wrestle on the turf on a 28C day, he said the match had become a war of attrition but pleased with the commitment from the lads.
"If we keep doing what we're doing we'll be well up [the ladder]."
Goto received a yellow card but it won't affect the composition of the squad on their next encounter against defending champions Eastern Suburbs in a 2pm kickoff at Park Island, Napier.
Fourth-placed Suburbs were playing Waitakere United in a 4pm kick off today.
