Eastern Suburbs vs Auckland United FC: Final round match report and photos

Auckland United FC Premier Men have finished third on the Northern League table after a final round 2 - 2 draw vs the unbeaten Eastern Suburbs.

The first half was a fairly stop-start affair with several breaks for injury and Eastern Suburbs dominating possession for long periods with a breeze at their backs.

Suburbs certainly had the better of the chances including an free-kick from very close range after the young referee Ashley Wilson ruled that Ross Havliand had made an intentional back pass to keeper Mack Waite at the 35 minute mark.

Player of the Match Mack Waite cops a free kick in the face at point blank range as his teammates look on in horror. (Photo by Lucas Souza Leite).

The were some doubts around the call as it appeared that Haviland had been pushed on to the ball, and although the resulting shot didn’t find it’s way into the back of the net, it did strike Mack Waite directly in the face. This resulted in a long stoppage as the Auckland United FC Player of the Match re-gathered himself and after being assessed by medical staff heroically continued his duties in goal.

It came as no surprise that it was Suburbs who eventually opened the scoring just before halftime through Francis de Vries (45+2’) who converted a penalty after Will Stephen was adjudged to have clipped Adam Thurston’s heels just inside the box.

Eastern Suburbs' Kelvin Kalua and Auckland United's Will Stephen contest for the ball. (Photo by Lucas Souza Leite).

The first half came to an end after NINE additional minutes, the added time enough for Adam Thomas (45+5) and Noah Billingsley (45+7) to collect yellow cards.

After the break the game slowly started to flow a bit more with United warming into their work and looking at bit more comfortable with the wind behind them.

In the 60th minute Will Stephen and Daniel Atkinson were replaced by Fumiya Ito and Xavier Green which added an immediate injection of energy into United’s attack.

Auckland United FC celebrate Josh Redfearn’s second half goal vs Eastern Suburbs AFC. (Photo by Lucas Souza Leite).

Eight minutes later United’s top scorer Josh Redfearn had an equaliser, curling one past the keeper beautifully after Sione Fa’apoi chipped long to Xavier Green who out-leapt his opponent, heading the ball into space for Ishveer Singh who served it up on a plate for Refearn after his back-heel assist breached the last line of defence.

The intensity of the contest continued throughout the match with Francis de Vries becoming the fourth player to collect a yellow card in the 78th minute, and after Fumiya Ito touched one in for United to go ahead in the 88th minute it looked like the men in black might snatch a late victory.

Yousif Al-Kalisy was a handful for the Suburbs defence, spinning and weaving his magic throughout. (Photo by Lucas Souza Leite).

The go-ahead goal came from a wonderfully executed set play after the impressive Yousif Al-Kalisy won a free kick during one of his numerous jinking and spinning drives forward.

After shaping to take the resulting free kick himself, Al-Kalisy then ran over the ball before DeAndre Vollenhoven slipped the ball through for Al-Kalisy who fired in a cross that Ito simply helped on it’s way.

Yousif Al-Kalisy crosses the ball for Fumiya Ito who scores to make it Suburbs 1, United 2. (Photo by Lucas Souza Leite).

By this stage the momentum was well and truly with United, however the lead was short lived with Suburbs responding almost immediately through replacement Jackson Jarvie who put away a loose ball after de Vries had hoisted one into the box in the 90th minute.

To add to the drama of the encounter DeAndre Vollenhoven was shown a red card in the aftermath of Suburbs’ late equaliser, for reasons still unknown by this author…

The ever illusive DeAndre Vollenhoven collected a red card in the 90th minute. (Photo by Lucas Souza Leite).

The match and Northern League season finally came to an end in 97th minute, referee Ashley Wilson calling time on successful campaigns for both sides, United finishing in third place and Suburbs finishing second after maintaining an unbeaten run, but still narrowly missing out on the title to Auckland City FC, who were also impressive across their unbeaten season.

Focus now turns to preparations for the National League Championship which gets underway on 23 September, the draw set for release very soon.

Auckland United FC celebrate Fumiya Ito’s go-ahead goal in the 88th minute. (Photo by Lucas Souza Leite).