Football: Lindisfarne make early statement at tournament

Lindisfarne College midfielder Charlie Bayly on the way to one of his three goals against Taradale High School. Photo / Warren Buckland

Hawke's Bay United midfielder Karun Mandair was one of two players to score hat-tricks as Lindisfarne College opened the New Zealand Secondary Schools boys second tier football tournament in emphatic fashion in Napier yesterday.

Mandair, who is about to start his second National League summer campaign with Hawke's Bay United, and fellow midfielder Charlie Bayly scored six of Lindisfarne's goals in a 9-1 drubbing of Taradale High School at Park Island. Their team led 3-0 at halftime.

Lindisfarne coach Henry Harland was thrilled to report his other goalscorers, striker Mitchell Snell, left wing Ian Cutler and centre midfielder Brendon Joe were all Year 11 students.

Harland also managed to give two Year 10 players game time in what he described as a polished team effort.

Striker Zac Madsen scored Taradale's goal while central midfielder Chase Dowrick impressed with his workrate for Taradale.

"We should have done better," Taradale coach Al Bain said.

Havelock North High School opened their campaign with a 4-3 win against Rutherford High School of Auckland.

The Grant Hastings-coached Hastings Boys' High School team were 2-0 down after 10 minutes but fought back well to beat Paraparaumu College 3-2 in their opener after trailing 2-1 at halftime.

"Our start was poor but I was proud of the way we came back," coach Hastings said.

Jack Parker scored Hastings' first half goal. Fellow striker Brody Lucas scored the other two, his second from a free kick.

Along with Lucas and Parker, defenders Stefan Krekelar and Sean Lee performed well for Hastings in this win.

Hastings Boys' were beaten 1-0 by the unbeaten Whangarei Boys' side in their second encounter. Whangarei scored early in the first half.

"It was a good even contest. We tried hard to get it back but it wasn't to be," coach Hastings said.

Lee and left back Nick Yorke were the pick of the Hastings players in this match.

Today's games will be the last for striker Jarvis Aletisi and centre back Fetuao Belcher at the tournament as they have been selected to play for Samoa at the September 9-22 under-17 World Cup qualifying tournament in the Solomon Islands.

The four Hawke's Bay teams are among 24 in this week's tournament which ends on Friday.