Soccer: Waitakere playoff hopes hanging by a thread

Waitakere United skipper Jake Butler. Photo / Getty Images.

Waitakere United's playoff chances are hanging by a thread after a frantic 1-1 draw against WaiBOP United at John Kerkhof Park in Cambridge yesterday afternoon.

In a game which had two red cards, two goalkeeper injuries, a penalty, a debated offside goal and 10 minutes of added time, all that was missing was an outright result with both teams ruing the moments which could have seen them come away with three points.

For a match which nearly had it all, the start was rather inauspicious with WaiBOP defending an array of Waitakere attacks well in the opening third. From there, footballing chaos ensued.

First, WaiBOP custodian Andy McNeil went down with a quad injury, leading to Danyon Drake entering the fold for his first appearance this season and he was involved in the action straight away.

A mix-up at the back after a poor header from Tyler Lissette gave Richie Cardozo a chance to finish from close range, an opportunity he missed after scuffing the ball into the path of Brian Shelley, who tapped it home from a yard out in an offside position.

With furious protests coming from WaiBOP fans and players alike, referee Campbell-Kirk Waugh consulted assisted referee Ben Norman, eventually ruling that the goal should not stand.

The game went on to reach halftime at a stalemate but there was a sense that far more was to come and the second spell sure didn't disappoint.

WaiBOP went ahead in the 61st minute when Sam Messam slotted a ball through for Jack McNab, who coolly finished past Adam McDonald, deputising in the Waitakere goal for the absent Danny Robinson.

With Waitakere's season on the line, they had to respond and got a helping hand when WaiBOP's feisty Chilean midfielder Alexis Varela received his second yellow card when impeding the progress of a quick free kick. Just ten minutes later, Waitakere struck from the penalty spot after Allan Pearce was fouled with Cardozo smoothly putting the ball to Drake's right.

Somehow, there was still plenty to come with Drake going down with a dislocated shoulder, leaving WaiBOP, who had no subs left, with nine men and forcing Messam to go between the sticks. Fortunately for the hosts, he wasn't troubled in the ten minutes of added time but the game did offer one final twist, ending with just 19 men on the paddock when Chad Coombes received his second caution.

Left to catch his breath after the hectic experience, Waitakere co-coach Paul Temple was disappointed with his side's failure to grab the three points.

"It's one of those games you reflect on wondering what went on really," he said.

"I thought we were certainly the better team all game, we dominated but we didn't put our chances away. We did all we could, the boys gave everything. We couldn't have asked for more, it just didn't go in for us at the end."

His counterpart in the opposite dugout, Peter Smith, was also slightly aggrieved to not gain the win but was pleased with the effort of his troops.

"I think the fans here today have seen a different WaiBOP team from the start of the year - the guts, the determination, the culture," he said.

"We were down to nine players and we still dug in deep, the players deserve huge praise. At the start of the season, if you told us we'd be drawing with the champions then I'd have been happy with that."

With Waitakere now needing results to go their way for a chance to defend their title, their position is precarious but nobody is giving up just yet in the Waitakere camp.

"Obviously, we won't completely give in until it's mathematically impossible. The way the season is going though, anyone can beat anyone, so it may be a different mood tomorrow," Temple said.

The remaining three matches of Round 13 all take place on Sunday with Southern United hosting Auckland City, Canterbury United welcoming Hawke's Bay United and Team Wellington visiting Wanderers SC.