Manurewa 9th Grade Gold Team

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Manurewa 9th Grade Gold Team
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On Sunday 3rd May, the Manurewa 9th Grade Gold
team entered its first tournament of the year at
Papakura AFCs home ground of McLennan Park. The
team went in feeling a little underdone, as due
to cancellations and school holidays, and only
having 2 grading games against Drury and
Papakura, which they had won with relative ease,
25 0 and 28 0 respectively. No time for
warming up or mistakes, the tournament consisted
of two groups playing round robin games and then
at the completion, dependent on your position,
straight into respective finals.
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We won all of our round robin games apart from
one. An eventual 2 -1 loss to Papakura Celtics
(the lesser of two fancied Papakura sides
entered). If not for a couple of dubious calls
from the referee, the game would have finished in
an evenly contested draw, thus placing us in the
Championship Final. Not to be, we had to settle
for the Plate or Runners Up Final. Into the
final, after a long day, we find ourselves up
against the top and highly respected Papakura
side (who have elected to play their regular
Saturday football matches up a grade in the 10th
grade division).
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Manurewa Gold ended up playing arguably their
best game of the tournament, showing outstanding
commitment and sportsmanship to the very end.
After a scoreless match, extra time was played
,again leaving the two sides locked together
scoreless. Enter the dreaded Penalty Shoot
out. For most , this was the first time
they had ever competed in a shoot out and with
quite a large crowd now watching you couldnt
help but feel for the kids. As per usual, 5
names were entered onto the card for penalties.
Papakura won the toss, and elected to shoot first
placing the ball pass our keeper with only
millimeters to spare. Up we stepped for our
first attempt, and the Papakura keeper managed to
get his body behind the ball and save -  to this
the referee called Papakura the victors and
winners of the Final (hmm sudden death penalty
shoot out ????)
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All and all, Manurewa were well represented and
played extremely well through out the day. We
welcome the next tournament for bigger and better
things to come!!!
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Special mention must go to Issako Enosa, for
picking up the Overall Striker of the
Tournament medal, and also to Hayden Dickson,
whom in the final, played in goal and pulled off
numerous saves that most senior goalkeepers would
be jealous of, and in doing so kept his team in
the hunt. Not a bad day kids keep it up and be
proud of your efforts !!!
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Congratulations Team