U15 boys reach final, girls bow out

Triumph and heartbreak marked the semifinals for the Wanganui Under-15 teams at their national tournaments in Wellington and Christchurch yesterday.

The Wanganui boys have got themselves back to the final for the second time in two years, seeing off Auckland 4-2 in the semifinals in Wellington.

Coach Andrew Spence said his players were not tired and still had more to give for today's final against either South Canterbury or Horowhenua, who were contesting the other semifinal yesterday.

"They are absolutely fizzing, it was an exciting game."

However, on a warm afternoon in Christchurch, the Wanganui girls were in their second extra time thriller in as many games, after being deadlocked with North Harbour B 3-3 at the end of regulation.

Wanganui were in an identical fight in Thursday's quarter-final against Manawatu, because in golden goal both teams drop off players at each period until the winning goal is struck.

This time, Wanganui could not hold on and North Harbour got the score in the second period of overtime.

"They played really, really well, they've got to hold their heads up," said Wanganui coach Jan Dixon.

The team was exhausted. "It's just so hot down here, it's 20 something degrees, we weren't used to it."

Wanganui silenced North Harbour's big contingent of supporters with the opening goal, before the reply came right before halftime.

Both teams scored back and forth goals in the second half with North Harbour getting the equaliser five minutes before full-time. Kate Belsham, Grace Godfrey, and Sophie Redmayne got the goals.

Wanganui will face either Canterbury or South Canterbury in today's play-off for third/fourth.

The Wanganui boys understand heartbreak - most of them were in the Under-15 team that lost the final last year to West Coast in a penalty shootout.

But Spence said after such a great tournament they would not accept falling at the final hurdle.

"To win a championship for these boys would be absolutely awesome - this has to be our year.

"The way the boys are playing, they'll win it based on passion alone."

Wanganui scored twice in the first 10 minutes against Auckland, but thoughts of another runaway victory were dashed when the city team grabbed two goals in the 10 minutes before halftime.

Then it was the Cohen boys who took the match away - first Jordan beat three players and pushed the ball to the side of the goal, and then brother Ethan got the matchwinner off a break. The final is likely to be a tight affair.

Wanganui drew with South Canterbury 1-1 during the tournament, while Horowhenua beat them 1-0 earlier in the season.

The game starts at 3pm.