Football: Bay United win timely despite low-key celebrations

Hawke's Bay United coach Brett Angell says a victory was long overdue in the desperate charge for premiership playoffs this summer. Photo / file

The last time and the only win Hawke's Bay United had going into last weekend was on October 29 last year, on the road against Hamilton Wanderers.

Consequently for Thirsty Whale Bay United coach Brett Angell the 3-2 victory over Wellington Phoenix Reserves on Saturday was long overdue in their ISPS Handa Premiership campaign.

"It's the right stop back for our winning ways," said Angell as captain Bill Robertson and his men, at times, made hard work of it but came away with three points, the Bay franchise team's second win of the summer.

"I don't know whether it was the fatigue or what it was but it felt like it had been so long that boys just didn't know how to celebrate it," he said of the televised curtain-raiser match to the Wellington Phoenix v Western Sydney Wanderers 1-all A-League affair.

Birhanu Taye scored from a penalty kick in the 22nd minute, Gavin Hoy extended the lead in the 47th minute but Oliver Whyte narrowed it to 2-1 for the hosts three minutes after the restart.

Adam Thurston pushed the visitors up 3-1 in the 53rd minute and although Wee Nix captain Sarpreet Singh gave his youthful side hope with a 61st-minute screamer, Bay United showed character to deny them a leveller.

Having made every playoffs in Angell's four-year stint here, Bay United face the prospect of missing out unless they win a lion's share of games.

It doesn't get any easier as they prepare to face defending champions Team Wellington in another televised clash in Porirua this Sunday after Eastern Suburbs beat the latter 2-1 on Saturday.

"It was great to just get three points, which was probably more important than the performance," said Angell, adding consistency and a dose of luck were vital especially when the opposition strike back and it starts playing on his players' psyche.

"We're going to have to start to change that mindset because it happens and happens quite regularly when we take the lead and start worrying about the opposition rather than strengthening our lead."

He said Nix were a talented group and at times made poor decisions but given time and space were as good as any side.

"Sarpreet hasn't played for them for a while and he showed his qualities with the second goal and also provider of the third."