Kaeo-Inter player Aaron Birt (left) tries to play the ball through past FC Whangārei's Aaron Adamson for teammate Lee Rocque to latch on to. Photo / Tania Whyte
Kaeo-Inter player Aaron Birt (left) tries to play the ball through past FC Whangārei's Aaron Adamson for teammate Lee Rocque to latch on to. Photo / Tania Whyte
With his team trailing 3-1 just after halftime against FC Whangārei on Saturday, Kaeo-Inter's premier men's football coach Stefano Virgili wasn't a happy man.
But thanks to an extraordinary comeback from the Italian team from the north, Kaeo-Inter scored three second half goals to win the game, 4-3 at MorningsidePark.
Virgili's side, who sit at the top of the Northland premier football table with 10 wins from 11 games, were favourites going into their afternoon fixture against FC Whangārei, who are yet to win a game this season.
But it seemed the form book meant little to the hosts who jumped out to a two-goal lead before Kaeo-Inter pegged one back just before halftime. Thanks to a goal early in the second half, belief flooded FC Whangārei as they spied an upset victory against the league leaders.
As the game drew closer to the final whistle, Kaeo-Inter started to dominate with multiple chances on goal. Against a tiring FC Whangārei backline with the score at 3-all, Kaeo-Inter's Paulo Montino made some space at the edge of the 18-yard box and fired a shot into the right-hand corner, taking a deflection of the keeper and post to win the game.
Kaeo-Inter's Paulo Montino (left) stepped up to the task in Saturday's game against FC Whangārei, scoring the winning goal, seen here jostling with the opposition's Johnny Elliss. Photo / Tania Whyte
"It took everything to win today, it was awesome," Virgili said.
"In my book, [the last goal] deserved a pile-on celebration, but I think people were just too tired."
Virgili, who stormed the pitch to hug his players at the sound of the fulltime whistle, said to score at the end of the first half was essential to carry the momentum through into the second half.
"The only thing that gave me hope, later in the first half, was that [FC Whangārei] were tiring a little bit," he said.
"All it needed was some composure and it was a true test of composure."
FC Whangārei coach Andy Forbes said he was disappointed for his side not to get their first win, especially with a strong lead in the second half.
"At 3-1, I thought we could have stolen the game, I really thought we had it if we stayed tight," he said.
The game featured three penalties, two to FC Whangārei and one to Kaeo-Inter, but both coaches said referee Les Moorhouse managed the game well. Forbes credited Kaeo-Inter on their composure at the end, but couldn't have been more proud of his team.
The game was a hard fought one, Bryan Beard from Kaeo-Inter seen here colliding with FC Whangārei's Johnny Elliss. Photo / Tania Whyte
"I thought our boys played outstanding, but [Kaeo-Inter] took their chance at the end which cost us and we might have been tired towards the end.
"It shows the results don't reflect how the boys play, they're a much better side than that."
In the round's other games, Kerikeri overcame Tikipunga, 2-1 and Onerahi won a tight encounter against Madhatters, 3-2.
Northland FC's first men's team claimed a convincing 6-1 win over Rotorua club, Ngongotaha, at Tamarahi Reserve on Saturday. The side, which has been lacking in goals in recent weeks, scored four second half goals to win the tough away fixture.
The Northland FC men's reserve team also won their game against Ngongotaha reserves in convincing style, winning 6-0 and jumped to the top of the Lotto NRFL men's second division reserve competition table.
