Hawke's Bay United co-coach Chris Greatholder said he has never been in this position before in his career so he's having some difficulties putting his finger on what's wrong. Photo / file
Hawke's Bay United co-coach Chris Greatholder said he has never been in this position before in his career so he's having some difficulties putting his finger on what's wrong. Photo / file
It's hard not to miss the tone of resignation and frustration in the voice of Hawke's Bay United co-coach Chris Greatholder.
"I don't know because I'm beginning to sound like a broken record," says Greatholder after Waitakere United thumped the Thirsty Whale-sponsored Hawke's Bay franchise side 5-2 in the nationalsummer league on Saturday.
Where the stylus starts grating for him on the old vinyl record is that the Ruben Park Hanks-skippered outfit had dominated the week 18 match and created more opportunities but came away with nothing against the third-placed hosts at Seddon Fields, Auckland.
"We've missed three or four sitters ... aah ... I don't know, mate, I don't know but we've played well and gave a good account of ourselves and we've lost the game," he lamented after they trailed 2-1 to the Paul Hobson-coached Waitakere United at halftime.
The visitors had drawn first blood from striker Ahinga Selemani in what the Waitakere United Twitter feed described as "a goal of real quality" in the 15th minute. The Canadian-born American striker had woven past two defenders before drilling a worm burner past goalkeeper Nick Draper for a 1-0 lead.
Striker Ahinga Selemani had drawn first blood with a quality goal but Hawke's Bay United fans had little to cheer about in the heavy defeat to Waitakere United. Photo / Photosport
Unfortunately, as it has happened for a good part of the season, Bay United conceded within a minute or two from a Lachie McIsaac pass across the face of the goal mouth that Bay defender James Hoyle turned past Hanks to make it 1-all.
Dane Schnell made it 2-1 in the 32nd minute with a classic curler that had, reportedly, left Hanks flat-footed.
Nicholas Zambrano gave the hosts a two-goal (3-1) buffer when he did justice to a Luke Searle cross from the right flank in the 53rd minute.
It was Searle's turn to add to Bay United's agony when Hanks parried Shuiab Khan's header from captain Sam Burfoot's corner kick to the near upright but Searle needled the ball through the busy traffic for a 4-1 lead.
Bay United new signing Angus Kilkolly instilled some self-belief with a goal in the 79th minute to make it 4-2, after poking in a deft cross to the far upright from right wing back Jorge Akers.
However, Schnell rubbed more salt in the would with a penalty kick goal one minute into the referee's time when he was brought down in the box "unceremoniously".
"We've lost the game by five goals so I'll never know [why we lost]," said Greatholder. "I've never been in this position ever in my life."
He said the ninth-placed Bay United had started well and should have been up by three goals in the first 15 minutes although he named keeper Draper as his man of the match.
"We've just conceded goals, again, against the run of play and we've not made the opposition work hard enough to create that goal.
"They have taken their half chances and buried them as five goals and we've created better chances and not converted them."
Greatholder said that pretty much summed up the story of their season with playoff chances dashed two rounds ago.
New signing Angus Kilkolly also got on the referee's score card. Photo / Photosport
Bay United had rested co-coach/centreback Bill Robertson while Josh Signey had returned, in a consistent effort to keep changing the shape a little.
Greatholder was pleased with his troops' attitude and commitment.
"That's football, isn't it? They've had about eight or nine chances and scored five goals and we've probably had 15 chances and got two," he said.
Bay United host the Hamilton Wanderers at Park Island, Napier, in a 2pm kick off on Sunday next week. They had lost on the road to the Wanderers just before Christmas.
