"They gave me discipline but were lacking in the other two areas," Howard said, bemoaning how confidence had deserted the Rangers who needed to breed a level of technique and work ethics.
Marist coach Dave Carswell wasn't at the game but said a win was always in the pipeline so it was nice to claim one rather than ruing another close affair.
Western Rangers 0 Marist 2 (Brendon Jones 21st, Don Butler 36th). HT: 2-0.
Port Hill 0 Rovers 2
It was a game that yielded a similar result as the one above and both parties expressed pretty much similar sentiments.
Adapting well to a greasy surface, Promotem Napier City Rovers controlled the game from the start and stuck to their defensive commitments against Ericksen Honda Port Hill United, according to coach Matt Hastings.
"We made some poor decisions and they were good at counter attacking," Hastings said of the Tim Claudatos-coached Port Hill at Marewa Park, Napier.
"[Goalkeeper] Matt Gould only made one save about 20 minutes to go and it was tremendous," he said, naming Ollie Chapman the toast of Rovers.
Claudatos said his men were stuck in their third for the first 15 minutes but didn't concede any goals although they got the ball forward in the last 30 minutes to score but the goal was disallowed.
Port Hill 0 Rovers 2 (Nick Matheson penalty, Rudi Bauerfeind). HT: 2-0.
Taradale 7 Maycenvale 0
It was nice to keep a clean sheet but it sounded like Cape Physio Taradale coach Robbie Parker was saying it's not how you start but how you maintain standards to the end that matters.
"We scored in the first two minutes... but the next 35 minutes we were quite average and we sort of dropped off," Parker said. Although it was nothing a "quiet word or two" couldn't fix in the changing sheds at halftime in the 7-0 flogging of Cru Bar Maycenvale United at Taradale Park, Napier.
Taradale 7 (Leon Birnie hattrick, own goal, Brendan Adema, Richard Gearey, Chris Bruin) Maycenvale 0. HT: 3-0.
Gisborne 1 Havelock 0
You don't often hear coaches say this but Blake Mulrooney confessed last night he would have been happy even if his team had lost yesterday's game in Gisborne.
The Jennian Homes Team Gisborne coach said after a 1-0 victory at Childer's Park Reserve over Best Travel Havelock North Wanderers: "To be honest, the game could have gone either way.
"If we would have drawn I would have been happy. If we had lost by a goal I would have been equally happy because it was simply a good game to be part of," Mulrooney said of a clash that offered physicality and good football.
It wasn't clear if Wanderers coach Bruce Barclay agreed with his sentiments as the villagers were still on the road last night.
Gisborne 1 (Liam Ryan) Havelock North 0 HT: 0-0.
Federation League
Taradale 3 Wanganui 4
Three-one up with 15 minutes to go - how could a team lose that?
Ask Your Solutions Taradale coach Chris McIvor and he'll tell you how, after they choked 4-3 at home against Wanganui City.
"I'm bitterly disappointed. I think we sat back a little so it was one of those days," McIvor said.
Reluctantly assuming the mantle of Wanganui player/coach after regular coach Kyle Haywood was "got rid of", former Hawke's Bay United player James Oxtoby's men exacted revenge after losing 1-0 to Dale at Wembley Stadium in their first clash this season.
"We worked hard on our fitness and the men worked well all year so it was good to get a result," Oxtoby said of Wanganui, who kept to their word to reverse the result.
Taradale 3 (Nathaniel Wright 2, Dan Ball) Wanganui City 4 (Jordan Joblin-Hall, James Satherley, Zane Robinson, Kyle Graham). HT: 1-1.
