Football: Vale live up to bogey status

Western Rangers player Asa Anderson tangos with Napier Marist players at Park Island, Napier, on Saturday as referee Gerry Hughes keeps an eye on the proceedings. Photo / Duncan Brown

No, it wasn't a fluke. More compelling evidence on the football field puts it beyond reasonable doubt.

As bogey sides go in the ComputerCare Pacific Premiership, Promotem Napier City Rovers again struggled to shrug off Cru Bar Maycenvale United in the opening round of the league cup pool B match on an untypically icy Hawke's Bay Saturday.

The teams finished 1-1 at Park Island, Napier, after the visitors struck first from Themba Sikupa in the 21st minute following a scramble from a freekick before Reece Brew cancelled that advantage in the 31st minute.

"We could have pushed at the death for a win but we've come away this season with two draws and a win so we're pretty pleased," Maycenvale player/coach Ethan Dent said.

"If someone had said that at the start of the season we would have taken it. We have been a bogey side for them," Dent said, naming centreback Campbell Whitworth his player of the match.

Rovers spokesman Mark Henderson said it wasn't a great game.

"The wind just made it a lottery," Henderson said, adding both sides tried playing football but neither were really tested, especially ex-Rovers and Maycenvale keeper Shaun Peta who brilliantly parried a Luke Horn first-half attempt for a corner.

"Fair play to Maycenvale who we haven't beaten all season.

"It's a credit to Ethan Dent and his players because it's a tough job [coaching] and we wish him all the best," Henderson said.

Marist 7 Rangers 2

In group A, Western Rangers kept Hotshots Napier Marist honest in the first half, trailing 3-2, before the hosts ran away 7-2 winners at Park Island.

"Western Rangers played really well in the first 20 minutes with the wind against them," Marist club captain Alan Dick said after the Hastings side shot into a 2-0 lead with goals to Luke Donovan (20th) and Cory Janssen (19th).

"You know what they say about a 2-0 goal line - it's the most dangerous time," Dick said.

Switching Dave Ellison from left-mid position to striker paid dividends immediately.

Ellison pulled one back in the 39th minute before Don Butler levelled at 2-all in the 43rd. Jack Kneedes made it 3-2 on halftime.

Kneedes found the net twice again (76th, 81st) for a hattrick while Keegan Bright added two (78th, 86th).

"They took the foot off our throat," Dick said.

Rangers coach Ritchie Howard lamented the first goal after halftime, for a 4-2 lead, as a telling one.

"Once you're in a rut it's hard to get out of it so it was hard for us to get hold of that confidence," Howard said.

Gisborne 3 Port Hill 1

Sunshine Brewery Team Gisborne are 2014 premiership champions for a reason.

Leading 2-1 at halftime at Childer's Road Reserve, the hosts showed they will be the team to beat in the league cup competition, too, after they beat Appmed House Port Hill United 3-1.

"We were down 2-0 but we created many opportunities," Port Hill coach Tim Claudatos said, adding the changing room at halftime oozed confidence in scoring an upset win.

"But they scored in the first 20 minutes of the second half and we couldn't do it first," Claudatos said.

Magnus Hansson scored for the Napier club side.

The coach, whose toes were frozen, said he had a full squad, for a change, so he wasn't going to dig deep for any excuses.

"Magnus' goal pumped up the boys but in the last 20 they got their third goal."

Dale 9 Hastings OB 0

Your Solutions Taradale AFC were 5-0 up at halftime against Hastings Old Boys but player/coach Chris McIvor lauded the win-less schoolboys for an "exceptional" fighting spirit.

McIvor scored a hattrick, Dean Johnstone got two and so did Mike Daly.

Brad Perks and David Gearey got one each.