Stop Out regained top spot in the men’s Central League for one day, but ended the round sharing it with Western Suburbs, who beat Team Taranaki in New Plymouth on Sunday.
At home to Napier City Rovers the game was evenly balanced with the teams going goal for goal, but at 2-2 Stop Out managed to push ahead and take all three points with a 3-2 victory.
Western Suburbs dominated the second half against Team Taranaki, who lost a player to a red card early in the half, winning 3-1 at Merrilands Domain to go top equal.
A lapse in concentration came at the back and allowed Western Suburbs to equal the scoring while a second yellow card for Domenico Squatriti saw him leave the field 15 minutes into the second half.
From that point it was all Western Suburbs who created chance after chance while converting two of them superbly.
It was frustrating for Energyworks Team Taranaki coach Ian McGrath who had earlier watched his team play well for the first 45 minutes. Taranaki opened the scoring through a nicely taken goal to Joshua Smith and looked to be the equal of their opposition.
“We were in total control at 1-0 up until the mistake, almost instantly the second half started, which was crazy,” McGrath said. “The second mistake, which was the red card, which wasn’t necessary, killed us. There after they were given the opportunity and they took it.”
McGrath said the young Western Suburbs team made them look like they were in sixes and sevens for periods and that was really disappointing.
The players’ fatigue after they went down to 10 men saw them lose their shape, with changes off the bench unable to steady their nerves.
“It’s hugely disappointing – to be in control and then throw it away, it’s hard to take.”
The loss was Team Taranaki’s second on the bounce after they were beaten 5-1 by Wairarapa United last round.
The fact they had a number of influential players missing from the last two games could see them improve on those results when they return but McGrath was not making any excuses.
“They punished us, sides at this level will do that.”
AT A GLANCE
Central League Round Six
Stop Out 3 – 2 Napier City Rovers
Palmerston North Marist 3 – 5 Miramar Rangers
Wellington United 5 – 4 Wairarapa United
Lower Hutt City 1 – 3 Wellington Olympic
Team Taranaki 1 – 3 Western Suburbs
Standings
Stop Out 13, Western Suburbs 13, Wairarapa United 12, Wellington United 10, Team Taranaki 10, Miramar Rangers 9, Wellington Olympic 9, Lower Hutt City 4, Napier City Rovers 4, Palmerston North Marist 1
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