Chris Greatholder. Photo / Paul Taylor
It came in the last match of the season but it was nonetheless a great lesson in football.
The dead rubber was a catch-up Lotto Central League game yesterday and if anything it showed how the gap should be bridged between the second-placed Western Suburbs and other teams not only in the competition but around the country.
The 1-0 victory over Bluewater Napier City Rovers at Park Island, Napier, is a rubberstamp of how the beautiful game should be played even if you're one man down for a lion's share of the game with predominantly youngsters.
Suburbs coach Lloyd O'Keefe said their style hinged on possession and entertaining the crowd.
"Sometimes there's risks associated with attacking football but we certainly don't want to compromise that style.
"Even on a heavy pitch we try to move the ball and move it quickly so it was really pleasing how we played today," a beaming O'Keefe said.
The composed youngsters ran rings around the Blues. While they looked like making flower arrangements in the 18m box at times, there's no doubt they will find a killer instinct to shoot at goal as they mature.
"We're trying to find holes in the gaps all the time with ones and twos ... yes, probably we should be more proactive and take our chances when they open up, rather than over playing it a bit," O'Keefe said.
The defining moment of the match came in the 38th minute, when referee Matt Stoneman sent off Suburbs goalkeeper Mitchell Stewart-Hill for bringing down striker Angus Kilkolly outside the 18m box.
Reserve keeper Lewis Gordon ran on while defender Stefan Krystman came off.
The Blues fans howled as Miles John had driven the ball into the empty net but, in fairness to Stoneman, he had blown the whistle before that.
Usually one fewer player on the paddock raises expectations of dominance, but the Rovers looked like the side a player down, devoid of possession and sitting back deep and chasing shadows.
Conversely the visitors attacked relentlessly with keeper Gordon playing deep as a field player, maintaining Stewart-Hill's jay-walking traits.
"It's part of our tactics ... if the balls are hit behind he deals with them. He has to be a footballer before he can be a GK," O'Keefe said.
The Suburbs beat Rovers 4-1 in Wellington on June 7 and it showed why yesterday on a sticky paddock.
They beat league champions Miramar Rangers 7-1 but O'Keefe said it could have been 10-plus. "We just need to keep winning games going into the start of next season and yes, we have closed the gap on Miramar," he said.
The Rovers only looked like scoring in the 27th minute when John on the right flank found Kilkolly unmarked at the far post. The striker's ensuing header clipped the left upright, skewed across the face of the goalmouth, clipped the right upright and agonisingly bounced back into play.
In the 60th minute, Patrick O'Keefe put the Wellingtonians up 1-0 after poking the ball from the 18m box after a counter attack.
The Bill Robertson-coached Blues disappointingly spent too much energy on trying to exploit that window of opportunity former Bay ref Stoneman presents.
Blues midfielder Chris Greatholder said the Reds were impressive.
"They are from the Ole academy so they train full time and they were really good in passing and moving today," Greatholder said.
He felt the Rovers couldn't stop the rot after their Chatham Cup semifinal loss.
"We wanted to finish with a bag to show we were a better side than we are ... but the old story that the league table doesn't lie so we've finished fifth."