Talk about a game of two halves when Nelson Suburbs swamped Northern AFC 11-0 in their Southern Premier League match at Saxton Field today.
The home side could only convert one of its 11 shots on goal in the first half but then rattled in 10 in the second.
When Johnny Reynolds slipped the ball past the Dunedin keeper in the 17th minute, a repeat looked likely of the 5-0 win over the same side in the Chatham Cup in Nelson a week ago.
“Northern defended well but we changed the formation for the second half and put on three subs,” says Suburbs coach 'Skippy' Stewart.
So what was said at the break.
“Just standards. Lifting them. It wasn’t good enough in the first half,” confirms the skipper Cory Vickers.
One of the replacements, 19-year-old Jay Anderson, brought real spark and scored almost immediately.
“Fantastic young lad. Great ability,” declares Cory.
That triggered the onslaught.
Striker Lennon Whewell and midfielder Ben Polak both scored hattricks and Johnny completed a double.
Lennon’s third goal was an absolute cracker as he twisted and turned and, while falling, still fired his shot into the net.
He was then yellow-carded for taking his shirt off again to celebrate and was subbed off soon after, job done.
Lennon and Johnny have both notched 11 goals in the league this season.
Another sub Brock Cotton and captain Cory also got on the scoresheet.
It capped a great day for Cory, originally from the Lake District, after his English countrymen beat Norway 2-1 in their Football World Cup quarterfinal.
“It doesn’t get much better than that,” quips the 33-year-old.
The midfielder was also quick to point out the team has won seven straight games, across the league and the cup, since he started wearing the skipper’s armband.
“It was a tactical move so I could talk to the officials.”
Suburbs’ seventh and most emphatic win of the SPL lifted the side to fourth place ahead of Nomads United on goal difference.
The team will face struggling Selwyn in Christchurch before hosting its much-anticipated Chatham Cup quarterfinal on Sunday week.
“We are travelling better now than we were at this stage last season and we can’t wait for the cup rematch with Auckland United,” says Cory.
Auckland won the semifinal 3-0 at home last year.
Skippy is urging the wider sporting community to come and get behind his Suburbs outfit as it tries to repeat its quarterfinal heroics against Birkenhead City last year.
