Soccer: Taradale win but slow start worries Parker

Pacific Premiership soccer

They won 4-1, so why is coach Robbie Parker not doing cartwheels?

"It was typical us with a slow start, but we came into the game with the guys controlling the game and we got three points," Parker said after unbeaten Cape Physio Taradale beat Hot Shots Napier Marist at Park Island in their ComputerCare Premiership match on Saturday.

"We'll have to get out of that slow start because sooner or later it's going to cost us," he said after Dale led 2-0 at halftime.

Marist player/coach Dave Carswell rued silly mistakes from a young back line.

"They'll learn from that. It was a closer game than the 4-1 score suggests," Craswell said, adding Marist had a tendency of falling over in the last five minutes.

Marist 1 (Harrison Woolley) Taradale 4 (Chris Bruin 2, Richard Gearey, Dean Johnston). HT: 2-0.

Rovers 5 Rangers 1

It was coach Matt Hastings' first win but he wants the running jokes to subside.

"It's nice to win a game as coach but it's really about the players putting in the hard work on Tuesday and Thursday training nights," Hastings said after Promotem Napier City Rovers' 5-1 win over Western Rangers at Park Island.

"We were smarter on the ball and controlled the areas," he said, adding the Rovers had changed their defensive pattern in three hours of training.

"It was tough for the players and me but it was effective."

Disappointed with his men, Rangers coach Ritchie Howard said it was another Jekyll and Hyde show.

"It's the same story of lack of consistency and we keep shooting ourselves in the foot," Howard lamented, accepting what made his men tick was his dilemma too. But he was confident they would come right.

Rovers 5 (Corey Jensen hat-trick, Nick Matheson, Josh Anstis) Western Rangers 1 (Luke Woon). HT: 2-1.

Havelock Nth 3 Port Hill 0

Not having conceded a goal again, coach Bruce Barclay saluted his Best Travel Havelock North Wanderers defenders, especially centrebacks Dion Adams and Andy Jeffs.

"It was a typical Port Hill physical battle, so we had to match them and we did," Barclay said of the villagers, who have continued their unblemished run after putting behind their opening match three-point debacle over the ineligibility of a player to Taradale.

Barclay felt his men had room for cohesiveness up front.

Adams' goal came from a freekick again, testing Barclay's prediction that if he claims three then the veteran's no fluke.

Havelock North 3 (Patrick Wall, Keiran Young, Dion Adams) Port Hill 0. HT: 1-0.

Maycenvale 0 Gisborne 3

Coach Blake Mulrooney changed his formation from 4-4-2 to 4-4-3 at Childers Park Reserve, Gisborne, for the desired result.

"With two young boys and a traditional centre forward it seems to be working for us," Mulrooney said after Jennian Homes Team Gisborne beat Cru Bar Maycenvale United 3-0 at the Hawke's Bay Regional Sports Park in Hastings.

Maycenvale 0 Gisborne 3 (Corey Adams, Max Logan, own goal). HT: 2-0.