If Nelson Suburbs' Scott Wallace and Jordan Yong were so inclined to enjoy a cold beverage tonight, you’d hope they were not the ones paying for it.
The duo combined twice to score Suburbs’ two goals in its 2-2 draw with Nomads at Saxton Field today.
Christchurch-based Nomads, was bottom of the Southern Premier League heading into the game, which third-placed Suburbs would have expected to win.
And the game started like the hosts would indeed have their way, dominating possession, particularly down the right flank where La Bu Pan and Ross McPhie combined well. Despite the possession, Suburbs struggled to get the ball to striker Aiden Higgs on his debut for the club.
Nomads set up defensively but were the first to score with a nicely worked goal. A piercing Nomads’ pass split the Suburbs defence on their left flank before it was crossed into the box where Declan Hickford was able to tap into an open goal.
Chasing an equaliser late in the first half, and with a gusty wind at their backs, Suburbs were guilty of too many long balls that rolled harmlessly out of danger.
A bright spot of the first half was the performance of stand-in goal keeper Ewan Mullett. He was called on to make several important saves in the first half, the first was a one-on-one with Nomads’ Daniel Thorn on 17 minutes. Thorn couldn’t make the most of the chance with Mullett saving to his left. The second save was one for the highlight-reel, he was horizontal as he pushed away a free kick which was top-corner-bound before his intervention.
Suburbs changed its formation in the second half, pushing Yong further forward from left back, where he started the game. And that was where Suburbs would ultimately find a way to goal.
Suburbs first goal started with a brilliant piece of work from Yong to beat his man and then fire in a cross where he found Wallace who took a touch before firing home.
Any momentum was short-lived though, with Nomads re-establishing their lead just a minute later, again through Hickford.
Suburbs made a raft of changes in search of an equaliser and finally it came in the 85th minute. Again, it was Yong beating his man on the left, crossing into the box where Wallace found the back of the net.
Nelson Suburbs' coach Ryan Stewart says he was disappointed with the result. “I thought we started well with some good football but a big issue for us is taking chances and I thought we got done by that today. We didn’t take our chances and they went down the other end with one chance and scored.”
He says the fight back from his team was good but to concede straight after levelling in the second half was disappointing.
“You can’t have 65-70% possession and not win the game. We have to be patient, I think we were a little bit naïve at times.”
Suburbs 2 (Wallace 66th min, 85th min) drew with Nomads 2 (Hickford, 22nd min, 67th min)
