Fine Weather, Fine Finishing

The Marist Skins finally played to their potential with a 5-1 win over the top of the table Lower Hutt City in fine conditions on Saturday. The Skins have looked dangerous on attack all season, but this game without the striking play of Jim Boutcher, improved their accuracy and were rewarded with five goals. Scott Crookston bagged a hattrick, showing something missed in recent years, pace, while Ray Hardy was the target man, scoring twice.

Playing into the energy sapping sun in the first half, the game was relatively even, with the smaller and faster Hutt side looking dangerous. The Skins first half well worked goal was balanced out by a well taken Lower Hutt goal.

The second half was all Skins as the sun sapped the energy of the substituteless City and it showed. The cool headed Skins dominated possession and didn't panic in front of goal as usual. There were fewer blasts and more well placed shots than usual.

It was a great win and shows what the team is capable of!

Capital 8 Table

The Skins are the sleeping giants of this league, sitting mid table after playing most of the good teams and none of the bottom three. Lower Hutt City up next!


CAPITAL 8:
U/Hutt Spacko's 1 Lower Hutt City 6
Marist Skins 2 Petone JJ's 0
Petone Chuggers 1 North Wellington 5
Wgtn Un Salmon 0 SV Killer Bees 1
Tawa Saintz 2 Tawa Bears 3

P W D L GF GA Pts
Lower Hutt City 3 3 0 0 15 6 9
SV Killer Bees 3 3 0 0 7 4 9
North Wellington 3 2 1 0 12 1 7
Tawa Bears 3 2 0 1 11 9 6
Tawa Saintz 3 2 0 1 6 4 6
Marist Skins 3 1 1 1 3 2 4
Petone JJ's 3 1 0 2 9 8 3
Wgtn Un Salmon 3 0 0 3 3 9 0
Petone Chuggers 3 0 0 3 4 10 0
U/Hutt Spacko's 3 0 0 3 3 20 0

Action!

It was a solid game, this one. Nothing given away at the back, but not too many saves forced at the other end - a bit of wayward finishing confirming Scott's statistics below. Nonetheless, there were incidents of interest, mostly involving the Crookston boys. Presumably, because they are working hard to create their chances, and contributing across the field, they should be considered above criticism. I agree. Up to a point. But this would deny us the pleasure of reliving the moments that bring us such pleasure as the air-hit shot from a cross that bounced behind the swinging leg to smack the backside of young Scott, or the two-yard blaze over the bar from Mark (although there was a slight deflection off the head of Jimmy that could have put him off). It is only fair to put in the portrait of these two.


We also have Aaron giving us his legendary "Old Man Steptoe" impersonation


Dion showing his exemplary throwing technique

And even the kick off. Dan can claim many a beer for his contribution as referee, having been duped by a decidedly nefarious Jimmy.


The Skins comfortably deserved this one

Playing in the Wind is Never Easy

Marist Skins scored a goal in each half in windy conditions to gain a 2-0 win over Petone JJs at Cobham Park on Saturday. The Wellington weather lived up to its reputation as the windy capital of New Zealand as the Skins battled into the elements in the first half. A well taken scrambled goal by striker Scott "Windmill" Crookston gave the Skins a valuable goal lead halfway through the first half. The game was relatively even in possession and territory first half, with the Skins having possession just with 54% but the JJs combination had a 57% territory.

The second half was dominated by the Marist Skins who camped themselves in the opposition half. Eventually the pressure told with a botched JJs header steepling into their own net in the 69rd minute of the match.

The Skins won this match and rightly so 2 nil. With 75% territory and 63% possession.

While it would've been nice to score more, the wind made it more difficult to hit the target than usual. The defence held tight in tricky conditions and the Skins are now out of the relegation zone with a full house from three games placing them in mid table obscurity.

The Skins have the second best defence in the league and equal worst attack with three other teams. On a positive note, the Marist battlers have played two of the top three teams with the other this weekend and haven't played any of the bottom three sides!

Like the man says...

Can't add much to the below. Skins took the first half, and North Wellington had more of the second, although it still required some excellent defence to keep the Skins goalless.

A couple of piccies:
neatly demonstrating Dan's flexibility pre- and post-game...

The Most Enjoyable Nil All Draw in Recent Memory

In this day and age the punters yearn for goals and quality from their Div 8 players, it was refreshing to be a part of a quality nil all draw against North Wellington. The field was large and conditions ideal for the beautiful game, but both defences were more than up to the challenge of snuffing out the opposition attacks.

The North Wellington combination dominated the first twenty minutes as their intensive warm up routine produced dividends, but a combination of desperate defence and inaccurate shooting kept the scores level.

The visitors fought their way back finishing the second quarter strongly and with several chances could've and would've scored had it not been for some quick long striding defence. The Marist wings were dangerous in open spaces, but the Skins couldn't finish off their chances.


I don't know what was in the half time oranges, but the the second half was one sided traffic with the North Wellington side showing some silky skills and dangerous ability on attack, but were often forced to shoot from wide out. They dominated territory and possession, with the only chances for The Skins coming from the counter attack. It got desperate at times, but the goal less draw was a moral victory for the Skins. North Wellington dominated territory 62% and possession 59%.

The Beautiful Game?????

Look familiar?

The newly promoted Marist Skins went down 2-1 against Stokes Valley Killer Bees in the wet Capital Div 8 match at Cobham Park on Saturday. The match made most players look like elephants on roller skates and left players reaching for their goggles and wetsuits. Variable ground conditions made short passing games difficult and judging the bounce, skid and stopping of the ball was a nightmare.

Both teams had plenty of chances, with few on target shots. The first twenty minutes were even, before the Killer Bees pressure told. A deflected clearance bounced skidded and spun more than the Shane Warne "Ball of the Century" (to dismiss Mike Gatting in 1993) to bemuse the defence and the Valley made the Skins pay as they slotted it for a one nil lead.

The home team were sparked into action and created several chances but unfortunately the skillful Marist team were unable to turn the pressure into goals. The halftime score was one nil to the Bees with the Skins dominating possession with 53%.

The second half started evenly, but for a period in the middle of proceedings the Skins scored a deserved equaliser through left back come central midfield Mark Crookston who put a long cross into the mixer and the keepers waterlogged gloves were unable to stop it going in. Finally the Skins got on the board.

Unfortunately for the home team, the Bees responded with the winner in the 79th minutes from a break down their right flank and a well executed cross created havoc in the waterlogged red zone and a nice finish left the goal keeper stranded. They were a constant threat as they sent players forward up the middle, leaving the Skins defence under pressure!

That is the way the match finished. The Marist Skins went down 2-1 in a close game, which on another day may have resulted differently. There was some great play by the home team and there is plenty to build on for next week!

Marist Skins 1 - 2 Stokes Valley

The heavy rain meant this was not a football game in the traditional sense. Airshots, 2 metre passing, hilarious (under other circumstances) tumbling and wild shooting characterised a frustrating day for our heroes. Neither side really had an edge, although Stokes Valley had more pace up front and the Skins more flair through the middle, but the slippery surface helped defenders enamoured of sliding tackles and hampered those reliant on close control and mid-range passing.

SV scored first and last, each being, as I recall, from a ball given away softly and treacherous surface betraying defenders. The Skins goal was (forgive me, Mark) a little fortuitous, and the keeper made a wonderfully theatrical cry after he had palmed the ball into the net and Ray made his presence felt. It looked like a big, far post cross that eluded everyone.

But there were encouraging signs as well. There is a lot of skill spread throughout the side and chances were created without simply relying on defensive errors and lucky breaks.