Football: Rovers player in sad end to season

It must feel like walking into a theatre when the film has already started and leaving before the climax of the plot for Andrew Bevin.

"It's always sad when the time at home comes to an end," says the Bluewater Napier City Rovers player before his last game of the winter against Palmerston North Marist in Napier tomorrow.

"It's sad but that's how it is," Bevin says before the 2pm kick-off at Bluewater Stadium, Park Island, in the Lotto Central League football match.

However, the 22-year-old, who is jetting back next Friday for his final two semesters with the West Virginia University, is equally excited about the challenges and excitement that await him in the United States.

The business administration major leaves at a time when the Bill Robertson-coached Rovers are precariously perched on the second rung of the league behind country-mile leaders Miramar Rangers.

They are on equal 26 points with Wellington Olympic and Western Suburbs but boast an inferior goal average.

"The second place is far from guaranteed ... Bill is focusing on retaining second place with one game in hand," Bevin says.

The Danny Wilson-skippered Blues are also in the semifinals of the national Chatham Cup (knockout) away against Central United (Auckland) in a fortnight.

"It's not easy to get into the semifinal or final of the cup so it's been a successful season," he says although he accepts the thrill of adding more silverware to the flagship club is overdue.

"Winning it [the cup and league] will always be better and the boys are capable of it.

"It'll be pretty special and I'd still feel like I've won it," says the man who religiously follows the Rovers' fortunes from the States.

Robertson says while they have a "genuine concern" with the cup distraction, they also have the O'Brien Challenge Shield at stake tomorrow as well as the team's unbeaten streak this winter on their home turf.

The Blues have beaten Marist twice this season - 2-1 away on May 24 and 5-4 in extra time in a humdinger of a cup match on June 15 at Park Island.

"If we set our standards high, as we've done this season, then the end result will go our way."

The Blues will be without inspirational Welsh import Miles John (concussion)

Bevin says the Rovers are among illustrious company in the top four of the league ladder, having beaten the Greeks twice at home and lost away.

"The Wests are also a good side who took two points off us in Wellington."

Versatile midfielder/striker Bevin made the Capital One Academic All-America First Team last year, as selected by the College Sports Information Directors of America.

The West Virginia Mountaineers men's soccer representative was among 11 to the first team and the lone selection from the Mid-American Conference (MAC) for not just his feat on the field but also his academic nous.

The son of Theresa and Sean Bevin, of Napier, boasts a 3.88 grade point average. He was named All-MAC First Team in 2013, All-MAC Second Team in 2012 and All-Big East Third Team in 2011. The former Napier Boys' High School pupil also earned Big East Rookie of the Year in 2011.

This season here, he has scored seven goals since arriving home in May.

Tinsley is the Rovers' golden boot leader with nine goals, four behind overall leader Paul Whitmarsh, of Petone FC.

"I hope my season continues in the States," Bevin says, mindful his biggest adjustment will be adapting to the heat and humidity of the northern hemisphere.

Marist coach Simon Lees and his troops are coming off without having played last weekend because of the cup quarter-finals.

"We haven't played to our standards, when we beat Wairarapa and Miramar," says Lees, desperately seeking continuity.

"I think Napier have had a very good season because they are not relying on individualism even though they have players like Andy Bevin and Miles John.

"Other teams, like Petone, are heavily reliant on one or two players."

The Palmerston North bank officer says it's wise to stand down John who knocked his head in the cup match last weekend.

"It's the right thing for a player who is concussed and everyone knows it so he shouldn't be playing."

While the top-four goal set before the season may be a bridge too far, Lees says they are gunning for a minimum 27 points to finish fifth in the league.

They play relegation-facing Lower Hutt City, Tawa and Upper Hutt City in their remaining clashes this winter.
MATCH DETAILS

WHO: Bluewater Napier City Rovers v Palmerston North Marist.

WHEN: Tomorrow, 2pm kick-off.

WHERE: Bluewater Stadium, Park Island.

REFEREE: Matthew Stoneman.

AR1/AR2: Robert Scholes/Gareth Sheehan.

NAPIER CITY ROVERS: 1 Jonty Underhill (GK), 2 Josh Anstis, 3 Daniel Ball, 4 Bayley Chadderton, 5 Bill Robertson, 7 Matt Hastings, 8 Stu Wilson, 10 Andrija Ilic, 11 Andy Bevin, 12 Oli Chapman, 14 Josh Stevenson, 15 Ryan Tinsley, 16 Danny Wilson (c), 18 Angus Kilkolly, 20 Chris Greatholder, Kyle Baxter (RGK).

Coach/player: Bill Robertson.

Manager: Malcolm Wilson.

PALMY NTH MARIST: 1 Gurkarnvir Singh (GK), 3 Jeremy Wild, 4 Wade Randle, 6 Jordan Martens, 8 Tyson Brandt, 9 Thomas Mosquera, 10 Jerram Tuck, 11 Michael Crisford, 12 Dom Milne, 15 Rhys Gayler, 16 Jonothan Steele, 17 Fin Milne (c), 18 Michael McKnight, 20 Woody Maxey-Graham, 21 Ashish Sahayam.

Coach: Simon Lees.

Manager: Steve Green.

Other games today:

Lower Hutt City AFC v Wairarapa United: 2.30pm at Fraser Park No 5.

Miramar Rangers v Western Suburbs: 2.30pm at David Farrington Park.

Tawa AFC v Wellington Olympic: 2.30pm at Endeavour Park.

Upper Hutt City v Petone FC: 3.30pm, today at Maidstone Park.

GOLDEN BOOT

13: Paul Whitmarsh (Petone).

12: Hamish Watson (Wairarapa United), Henry Fa'arodo (Miramar Rangers).

11: Samuel Mason-Smith (Miramar Rangers).

10: Jerram Tuck (Palmerston North Marist).

9: Ryan Tinsley (Napier City Rovers).

8: Elliot Collier (Western Suburbs), Jimmy Haidakis (Wellington Olympic), Luis Corrales (Upper Hutt City), Sam Blackburn (Wellington Olympic).

STANDINGS, round 16, before this weekend's kick-off (played/points): Miramar 13-36, Western Suburbs 14-26, Rovers 13-26, Wellington Olympic 14-26, Wairarapa 14-21, Petone FC 14-20, PN Marist 14-16, Lower Hutt City 14-12, Tawa 14-9, Upper Hutt City 14-7.