Velazquez ‘made things happen’ from midfield for Wainui

Wainui attacking midfielder Kaoru Velazquez scored two goals and was man of the match in their 4-1 Eastern League first-division victory over High School Old Boys Black Hearts.

Two goals lashed from outside the penalty area helped earn man-of-the-match honours for Wainui attacking midfielder Kaoru Velazquez last Saturday.

Neighborhood Pizzeria Wainui Sandbar coach Craig Stirton was unstinting in his praise of Velazquez: “He pushed the ball into dangerous areas, he didn’t hang on to it too long, his movement off the ball was good, and he picked his moments when to shoot.”

Velazquez scored the second and fourth Wainui goals in a 4-1 Eastern League first-division victory over C & G Plumbing High School Old Boys Black Hearts.

Wainui were 3-0 up at halftime and, while they took the foot of the accelerator in the second half, were comfortable victors on their home ground.

HSOB scored about 15 minutes from the end when right-winger Caleb Craig latched on to the loose ball after a cross and, from eight metres, slipped it past the goalkeeper to make it 3-1.

Five minutes later, Velazquez scored his second goal – a blistering 20-metre drive into the top right-hand corner.

Wainui started briskly, scoring 10 minutes into the match. A well-worked move through the midfield ended with winger Gonzalo Dotta making a run in behind the defence and guiding his shot into the corner of the goal.

Velazquez belted in the second goal from 22 metres, and five minutes before the break right-back Macario Mangiacabailli climbed high to head in a corner and make it 3-0.

Stirton said Alex Larkins had another good game at centre-back, Dotta caused HSOB plenty of problems on either wing, and Velazquez made things happen from midfield.

HSOB player-coach Matt McFatter said striker Oscar Williams was his side’s man of the match and right-back Robert Ford was next best in a good team performance.

“The boys were a bit unlucky,” McFatter said.

“Wainui played really well and got away to a good start but I don’t think the score reflected the game. We missed three or four chances and Wainui put theirs away.”

In other Division 1 matches, Heavy Equipment Services Gisborne United kept their two-point lead at the top of the table with a 2-0 victory over Thistle Youth A on Monday, while Sunshine Brewing Wainui Sharks beat clubmates Coates Associates Wainui Demons 4-2.

In Chris Moore Cup games for Division 2 teams, Thistle Youth B beat league leaders Gizzy Bobcat Services Thistle 3-2 on the wide open spaces of Childers Road Reserve No 1, and Smash Palace Shockers Green beat HES United Seconds 4-1 at Harry Barker Reserve.

Of Division 2 fixtures tomorrow, the match between Thistle Youth B and QRS Wairoa Athletic on Childers Road Reserve No 1 at 2.45pm (after the 12.30pm Federation League game between Thistle and New Plymouth Rangers) could be a window on the development of youngsters at the lower-league level.