Football: South reinforces resolve

Bay skipper Finlay Milne keeps Southern United's Lewis Jackson at Bay. Photo / Otago Daily Times

Three points emerged from Hawke's Bay United from their football conquest in the Deep South yesterday, apart from stating the blatantly obvious.

Firstly, the Brett Angell-coached franchise have the character and resilience to eke out victories on the road during their ASB Premiership campaign this summer.

Secondly, the visitors' 2-1 victory over Southern United again showed in Dunedin they have a propensity to remain calm and not frantically reach for the panic button when the odds are stacked against them.

Finally, and perhaps most importantly, the Finlay Milne-captained Bay United have depth in spades when they can roll out player/assistant coach Paul Ifill from the bench to grab the winner in the 82nd minute after an educated cross from Fabien Kurimata.

"It was one of those games where you could easily slip up," said Milne, who in the dying minutes collected a straight red card after the referee deemed him to have brought down Sam French in the 18m box at the covered Forsyth Barr Stadium.

Fortunately for Milne, goalkeeper Joshua Hill denied former Bay United winger Harley Rodeka the 2-2 equaliser after diving to his right to anticipate the attempt at goal.

The centreback felt perhaps the angle from which the ref was watching, while he and French had their backs to him facing the goal mouth, might have suggested he was culpable.

"I feel confident it wasn't a foul," Milne said, believing he made a tackle and did not get the ball cleanly but that he and French collided after the ball was gone.

That rules out the defender for the crucial No1 and No2 premiership table match against Auckland City this Sunday at Park Island, Napier.

However, he alluded to Bay United's depth and quality to get the job done in the 3pm kick-off against Auckland who maintained their two-point margin after beating Wellington Phoenix 4-2 yesterday but also have a game in hand.

The other O-League campaigners, Team Wellington, had to settle for another draw 2-2 at home against Canterbury United who sit two points adrift of Bay United with Matt Calcott's men another point behind but on the fifth rung with upstarts WaiBOP United above them on abetter goal difference.

Yesterday, Bay striker Sam Mason-Smith drew first blood, 1-0, when he pounced on Southern goalkeeper Tom Batty's corner-kick parry.

The hosts equalised through youth league substitute Lewis Jackson in the 75th minute after Jack Caunter and Rodeka strung a few passes.

Milne said his men created numerous opportunities but weren't always clinical in their finishing.

"It's just that final ball or shot that let us down so we we were making things more difficult for ourselves."

He didn't think the Southerners were any more physical than any other opposition in the national summer league although their "more direct approach" and passages of aerial play posed situations of confrontation.

Three points made and duly taken to stay in touch.