Team Wellington

YoungHeart Manawatu

0

4

Seule Soromon (25)
Seule Soromon (54)
Seule Soromon (55)
Seule Soromon (73)

by David Cross at Newtown Park
nzfc.co.nz

Vanuatu international striker Seule Soromon bagged four goals and could have had a fifth as YoungHeart Manawatu blasted Team Wellington 4-0 at Newtown Park today.

Soromon – who starred for Hawke’s Bay United last season – wasted no time in opening his goal account for Bob Sova’s team when he broke the deadlock in the 25th minute after he surged into the area with only Team Wellington captain James Bannatyne to beat.

Bannatyne closed Soromon down with a good save, but the resulting deflection clipped the left hand upright and the ball sat invitingly for Soromon to walk the ball in to the empty net to give Youngheart a 1-0 lead.

Soromon later gave up scoring from such close range with the remaining three of his strikes all applied from further distance.

Team Wellington forced YoungHeart Manawatu’s experienced keeper Ross Nicholson into some smart saves in what developed into an even first-half clash.

Nicholson’s delivery from clearances was a source of discomfort for the Team Wellington defence and it was from one of these clearances that YoungHeart Manawatu pounced when Banks held possession until a tackle saw the ball break free to Soromon who scored with a long range shot beyond Bannatyne from 18 yards.

Within sixty seconds Soromon had his hat trick with a carbon copy strike. Campbell Banks’ made a smart layoff to Soromon from another long clearance and Soromon coolly finished past a stranded Bannatyne.

YoungHeart Manawatu’s endeavor was nearly rewarded with another goal in the 66th minute when Banks and Soromon again left Team Wellington’s defence stranded, and only a last ditch tackle by Austrian defender Michael Winsauer who nabbed the ball off Soromon’s foot at the crucial moment saved Bannatyne from more anguish.

That proved to be a mere stay of execution with Soromon picking up his and YoungHeart Manawatu’s fourth goal in the 74th minute, breaking through two tackles before he smashed home a stunning strike from 18 yards. 

Unlucky not to top off his day with a fifth goal in the closing stages Soromon’s display was perhaps the most scintillating seen at Newtown Park by a visiting player for some time.

“That’s what Soromon can do to you if he gets half a chance. He could have had five or more today” said a despondent Team Wellington coach Stu Jacobs of the fleet-footed Vanuatu star.

Jacobs was less complimentary of his own team’s performance.

“We just lacked any sort of killer instinct all over the park today.  We fell away, and didn’t create much in the second half at all.  That was a comedy out there.”

“Our build up has been good, we’ve played five games, including the Phoenix twice and this display wasn’t there.  It’s a shame there is a weekend off because of the O-League so we can’t go straight out and turn that around”

YoungHeart Manawatu keeper Ross Nicholson was understandably pleased with the result “What can you say about Seule?  He said it all out there.”

“Maybe Team Wellington underestimated us. While they have assembled a good squad, we’ve kind of snuck under the radar” said Nicholson.

“But we won’t rest on this - Bob Sova won’t let anyone relax on the back of that.  We’ll be back in to it tomorrow”.

Nicholson’s training with the New Zealand U-17 side and the New Zealand Women’s side looks to have paid dividends with a number of smart saves but across the park YoungHeart put in a display that suggests they could be one of the NZFC’s surprise packets.

The return of Campbell Banks alongside he all action Japanese pairing of Nobuyoshi Ishi and Takayuki Omi proved too much for a Team Wellington who will need to go back to the drawing board if they are to bounce back straight away against defending NZFC champions Auckland City in two weeks time.

Team Wellington

V

YoungHeart Manawatu

1. James Bannatyne (c)

1. Ross Nicholson

2. Adam Birch

2. Nobuyoshi Ishi (56)

4. Chris Bale

4. Colin Falvey

5. Michael Winsauer

6. Matt Kennedy

6. Chris Davies

8. Nathan Cooksley

7. Cole Peverley (59)

9. Seule Soromon

9. Greg Draper

10. Adam Cowan (c)

12. Bryan Little

14. Marco Parracchini(90)

14. Darren Cheriton (71)

18. Takayuki Omi (67)

18. Trent Watson

21. Cory Chettleburgh

19. Andy Barron

23. Campbell Banks

Substitutes

Substitutes

11. Jyler Noviello (59)

gk Matt Borren

13. Karl Whalen

11. Scott Robson (90)

17. Gary McDermott

16. Raf de Gregorio (67)

20. Richard McClay (71)

20. Jimmy Haidakis (56)

23. James McPeake (gk)

22. Daniel Benson

=goal

=yellow card

=2 yellow cards

= red card

Welcome to Newtown Park for this (delayed) commentary.  Lovely day here with the Capital Wome's team leading the Mainland Pride on Newtown 2.  The game has just got underway and the line-ups will be up soon.

In selection news, Team Wellington have the international clearances for Winsauer and Draper but not for Rod Brown.  Raf de Gregorio has recovered from injury concerns to take a place on the bench for Youngheart.

1 Min

Bryan Little breaks soon after the kick-off and fires across Ross Nicholsons goal.

4 min

Team Wellington corner, but low and short, easily cleared

5 Min

Dangerous cross from Youngheart dealy with by Team Wellington.

10 Min

Even opening exchanges possessionwise, Team Wellington looking the more incisive.

13 Min

Nice build up from Team Wellington, but Peverley send the resulting shot high and wide.

15 Min

Wide free kick to Youngheart on Manwatu's right, doesn't clear Team Wellington's first man.

17 Min

Similar porition free kick the other way, but easily cleared by the Youngheart defensive line.

18 Min

Soromon gets in behind the Wellington defence and drives the ball across goal, but no one on the end of it.

19 Min

First aggressive contact of the da.  Chris Davies avoids the referees ire, just a talking to.

20 Min

From the resulting free kick the ball goes out for a corner.  Again the corner strugglees to beat the first defenders.

23 Min

Youngheart free kick in a dangerous pposition fails to clear the wall but sent in again quickly.  SNap shot saved down low by Bannatyne.

24 Min

Wellington break to the other end, but Drapers tame header held by Nicholson.

25 Min

GOAL Manawatu.  Soromon with a simple tap in after Bannatyne made a wide save but it deflected off him on to the post.  Bannatyne still prone beyond the goal as Soromon walks it in.

28 Min

Another Manawatu free kick hit's the wall.  Snap shot from the deflection wide of the goal.

31 Min

Team Wellington break but again the final delicery isn't good enough.

34 Min

Capital women picked up a 2-0 win on Newtown 2.  Bannatyne clearing header just on the edge of the area

36 Min

Team Wellington holding possession well but lacking anything in the final third.

39 Min

Gred Draper hits the post after some nice work in the centre of the park

41 Min

Birch crosses from deep, Barron gets on the end of it but runs out of space before the goal line.

42 Min

Draper shot from 25 yards out over Nicholsons goal.  Well struck.

42 Min

Another dangerous position for a free kick.  Yellow for Paracchinni.

45 Min

Bale heads over from 3 metres out, short cross from Bryan Little but Bale surrounded didn't quite get it down.

H/T 1-0 Youngheart.

And we're back.  No changes at the half.  There is some confusion over the goalscorer with Omi and Soromon both near when it went in.  We're sticking with Soromon.

46 Min

Team Wellington get forward with purpose and force Nicholson in to an excellent low save within seconds of the kick-off.

50 Min

Nicholson has had to clear the ball three or four times already this half, but Team Wellington still lacking something incisive.

53 Min

Great tackle in the area from Manawatu.  Draper hits the ground in the tackle and get's a Yellow for simulation.

54 Min

GOAL MANAWATU - Manawatu from the resulting clearance hold the ball well on the outside of the area before a tackle send the ball free and Soromon strikes from 18 yards.

55 Min

GOAL MANAWATU - Almost straight from the kick-off it is repeated.  Banks' ability to hold the ball and Soromon's pace causing all sorts of problems.

56 Min

Jimmy Haidakis replaces the industrious Ishi for Manawatu

59 Min

Cole Peverley off for Team Wellington replaced by Jyler Noviello

65 Min

Haidakis wins a corner down the right hand side.  Decent delivery cleared by Team Wellington.

66 Min

Banks and Soromon again combine and just when it lloks like it could end badly for Wellington Winsauer makes an excellent tackle.

67 Min

Raf de Gregorio comes on for Takayuki Omi.

69 Min

Technical difficulties

69 Min

Manawatu continue to put on the pressure

70 Min

Nicholson gets down well to a Barron rocket.

71 Min

Again Manawatu break from the save and this time it's Chettleburgh who squeezes it just wide of the goal.

71 Min

Richie McClay makes his NZFC debut to replace Darren Cheriton

73 Min

GOAL MANAWATU - That man Soromon again.  The Wellington defence all at sea as he finishes his, and his teams 4th.

75 Min

Draper through, but again Nicholson there.  Possession has been pretty even all match, but Manawatu certainly taking the chances much better than the Capital side.

77 Min

Barron puts a dangerous cross in, but Draper can't quite get to it.

79 Min

Dangerous cross from Little chipped over goal by Chris Davies.

80 Min

Team Wellington waking up.  Needed a couple of saves from Nicholson, and some dangerous crosses.

82 Min

Soromon should have made it 5, beats the offside trap and rounds Bannatyne, but Chris Davies gets back to save with his chest and clear it out.

86 Min

Ball switched wide to Jimmy Haidakis (in black boots today) but his shot is pushed right across the goal.

87 Min

Noviello gets the ball wide and shoots, bit hits the upright and out.

90 Min

3 minutes of added time.

90 Min

Scott Robson on for Marco Parrachinni

That's all folks.  Seule Soromon 4 - Team Wellington 0.