Football: Western Springs youth turn tables on rivals

ABOUT TIME: Jubilant Western Springs team celebrate after beating Birkenhead United 2-1 in the Lotto U19 Youth Tournament final in Napier today. PHOTO/Duncan Brown

It was a repeat of last year's main draw final but today it was the turn of Western Springs to claim the bragging rights to youth football supremacy in Napier.

It was the victorious coach Neil Emblen's time to clap a favourable 2-1 result and Birkenhead United coach Paul Hobson to reminisce, after 73 minutes of unadulterated display of talent in the final of the Lotto Under-19 Youth Tournament.

Even the most parochial fans would have felt it was cruel for any side to lose, such was the intensity and level of entertainment at Bluewater Stadium, Park Island, on a balmy spring day as Birkenhead reflkected the spirit of the event in according Western Springs a guard of honour from the field.

For a despondent Birkenhead coach, Paul Hobson, the historic fairytale tourney treble proved to be elusive.

It was Western Springs who drew first blood in the sixth minute through a deft shot from pint-sized striker Oscar Browne which curled past a diving Birkenhead goalkeeper, Jack McQuoid, to thud into the back of the next.

That stung the defending champions into action with midfielder Dan Edwards making their intentions clear just two minutes later when he rifled in a shot from acute angle past goalkeeper Elliott Munford to make it 1-1 for a scoreline that remained into halftime.

In the second spell both sides created opportunities but failed to turn them into goals although there was a hint that Western Springs' defenders were becoming a little lethargic and giving away silly fouls.

Substitute Birkenhead striker Sean Skeens had many chances to put his side ahead but seemed to casual at the clinical end.

However, Western Springs Lucas Imrie made amends in the 64th minute, after picking up a yelloiw card in the 57th minute, when he volleyed in a ball into the back of the net after it was lobbed back into a crowded 18m box following some lackadaisical attempts from Birkenhead to clear the ball from the stock exchange.

In the semifinals in the morning, defending champions Birkenhead beat overwhelmed Bay Olympic 4-1 while Western Springs pipped Glenfield Rovers 1-0 in an all-Auckland club affair.

In the satellite final, striker Max Mata was the toast of Onehunga with a hattrick in tjhe 11th, 37th and 58th minutes to seal a victory against Melville United who got a soliatory goal from Mark Glenister in the 44th minute for a 3-1 result in a clean and entertaining affair.

A Melville defender was sent off and a penalty kick awarded to Mata in the dying minutes for his hattrick in what was deemed to be a professional foul on a scoring opportunity.

Melville slayed the Marty Akers-coached Napier Marist 2-0 in their semifinal, dashing any hopes of two Bay flagbearers in next year's tourney, while Onehunga edged out FC Twenty XI 2-1.

The effects of seven other 25 to 30-minute games over three days were visibile in both finals.

Onehunga and Melville were both assured main draw berths before their final kicked off.