Manchester United NZ vs China (3)

A grey afternoon at Allan Wood Park in Mt Albert welcomed the Man Utd NZ soccer team to their third encounter with the China Star team.
Numbers were down, so everyone got to play a whole game and Marc was the referee (lack of boots, hangover, annoyed that he didn‘t play the week before and broke a 148 game streak !!!).
We lined us thus, Kens mate Mike in goal, Walter, Ron, Phil and a Star sub in d, Hayden, Steve Taylor, KJ, Alex in the middle and Mike Tull and Jan up front. As usually happens when there are no subs, people settle in to their roles much better and so it was again, in a tight first half, the play was evenly shared until a little ripper of a Star winger got free, raced 40 metres and slid the ball under Mike, quite a good goal really. So into halftime and the mood was good, the belief of a win strong, especially after last weeks comeback.
Well the Chinese quickly showed how talented they were as they launched a cavalcade of attacks, scoring 2 more goals and unlucky not to get a couple more, but the Reds saviour came from the most unlikely source, as Jan bundled his way thru the Star defence and smacked the ball into the net! Instantly the guys found more life and within minutes the ref gave a dodgy penalty which Steve confidently put away, woo hoo, 2-3, the next fifteen minutes were full on with the Star attack fading and the Red Machine switched right on and it was the always hard working Mike Tull who made the break and scored a cracking equaliser. Now the ref started considering time variables and such but succumbed to fair play and blew for full time.

This was the third match we have played these guys and I think we can see that we could easily have beaten them in the final of the Asian Cup, but every game has been clean and there has been some wonderful talent on show from both teams.

Manchester United vs Newcastle

United at Lyon

22 m: Rio nearly scores, for them !

24 m: Rooney breaks away, but fails to chip the keeper !

44 m: Ronaldo drives a freekick across the Lyon goal, but no one gets a touch.

53 m: darn

69 m: Rooney taps in Tevezs header but he is ruled offside.

86 m: Ronaldos freekick is brillantly saved by the Lyon keeper, the following corner is pushed out but only as far as Nani, who crosses towards Ronaldo, but the ball ends up at Carlos Tevez's feet and he powers home the equaliser.

Man United NZ vs China (2)

Well, definitely a game of two halves as United did battle against the same Chinese team who beat us last week at the Asian New Year tournament.

A collection of young and old Koreans, including KJ and Ji joined Walter and Ron from Metro and some of our lads.

The first half started poorly with the China Star team scoring in the first minute and continued badly with the Reds going in 0-5 down by the end of the half. But the second half was a complete turn-around with Ron Quick being rewarded for some strong forward work, with a great opening United goal. Then Steve Taylor put a penalty into the net to make it 2-5 and the tide was definitely turning as the Red Machine kept continual pressure on the Chinese defence. Next it was all In Taek, as he dazzled the blues and comfortably put away the third, oh yeah. The Star team started to crumble and our Koreans really took it to them, especially a young blonde headed guy called MK, he was totally in control in the midfield and awesome in attack. Then Steve T headed on a beautiful ball to Phil, who blasted it in to the back of the net. Yeeeee haaaa, 4-5, but more was to come, as two minutes later Hayden scored a ripper to draw us level at 5 all. Well, the whole bench was up by now and cheering on the lads, but it was not to be and China Star got a late dodgy penalty and won 5-6. Still, it was a wonderful afternoon at Alan Wood Park in Mt Albert.

The management would like to thank all the guys who turned up, especially the Koreans, including Ji, KJ and In Taek, Walter and Ron from Metro, Rowan, Hayden, Kens mate Mike, Jan, Phil and the irrepressible Steve Taylor, thanks also to Phils missus for the wonderful vocal support.

And China want another game next week at same ground, so if you are keen to play, kick-off is a little earlier at 3 pm, try and be there by 2.45.

All Welcome, no age restrictions.

Another Beautiful Morning !!!!

Luckily I had stayed up late (abt 1 am) doing some work when I heard the Manchester United game against Arsenal was going out live, I quickly set the DVD and crashed.

Well, what can you say, an awesome performance from United, with goals to Rooney, Fletcher, Nani and Fletcher again, to completely destroy the hoodoo that Arsenal have had over us the last few years.

Well if you didn’t see it, set the vid for the replay and enjoy !!!!

The Asian New Year Tournament Final

After cruising past the Korean team the week before, the lads liked their chances against a crack China Star team. But as previously said, these guys had been playing all summer and I was a little worried at the start, but a strong response from the Metro old boys gave me hope.

The squad lined up as, Garry, Steve Mellor, Ji, KJ, Marc, Mike, Cardiff, Danny, Walter, Ron Quick, Phil, Steve Taylor, Alex, Hayden, Mike Tull, Ken, Rob Harris and Barney, with great support from Jim, Pauline, Yvonne, Wesley, Brian Wood, Anthony, Carrie and the other girlfriends, wives and kids.

Before the game we had a one minute silence in remembrance of the Munich air disaster, well observed by all, then we kicked off and immediately the speed of the Chinese was to the fore as they launched two quick attacks, both cleared away by Cardiff. The Metro influence helped calm the game down and Steve Taylor and Ron linked well up the front but we couldn’t stick one in. Mike Tull had an exceptional game as well, but the Chinese kept double teaming the two forwards and no one got a clean shot on target in the first half. Though, we should have had a penalty after Colly was hacked down twice in the penalty area, but Greg (our old Korean ref) decided against it, despite Colchester Steves appeals. The second half turned into much the same affair with numerous breaks for us, but no rewards, the Star team had tired quickly and only had a couple of shots on target both saved brilliantly by Garry and the staunch defence of Cardiff, Danny and Steve Mellor combined with wonderful clearances by Walter made sure they weren’t getting any closer. KJ and Ji played well but lacked that touch from the week before and the game finished 0-0.

On to penalties and though we were confident with Garry in goal, penalties can be fickle things and disaster struck early as Mike missed the first, Garry managed to save one, and Cardiff and Rob scored, but when Colchester Steve missed his, the game was over.  So it was strange feeling on the sideline after the trophy presentations and photos (check the local China newspaper, great pics), but the boys all sat down and had a beer and the atmosphere was great as people realised it had been a great game played in the right spirit and we were only starting our season compared to the more seasoned Chinese team.

Thanks to all who played and to all our wonderful supporters !

Manchester United NZ Supporters Club meeting

A great attendance for last nights meeting, held to remember the tragedy of Munich 50 years ago.

The TV was going full speed with highlights of Manchester United over the decades and lots of lively chatter about events past and present.

Later Jim related his experience of being in Manchester at the time of the tragedy and standing in line while the funeral cars passed by. We held a minutes silence and then settled back and watched United beat Newcastle 6-0 from a few weeks ago.

A great evening of football, chat and Rogan Josh.

The club wish to thank John (manager of the Speakers Corner) for his great support and for offering his home as a venue for this weeks derby match !

Man Utd NZ at the Asian tourney

What a day, big trip down memory lane with all the old boys needed for this over forties tournament. With Garry, Riccardo, Steve Mellor, Marc, Ken and Yvonne it was like 1999 all over again.
Before kickoff, we had a minutes silence in memory of the Munich air disaster, 50 years ago. The Korean team had being playing all summer, so were slightly favoured to win, but Garry in goal and that familiar defence held them out for most of the first half. There were few attacking chances for Ian and Steve Taylor up front and the midfield took their time settling down, but once KJ (our Korean elder) started taking the ball up, the game took on a different appearance. Enthused about playing against his friends and ex team-mates, KJ ripped into everything and the defence of Steve Mellor, Riccardo, Phil and Mark Finnigan was excellent, so it was a little surprising to go into halftime one nil down after a long ball caught the midfield and defence out.
The halftime chat was extremely positive and the lads could sense we had a chance in this and so it was, straight after the whistle United launched an attack down the left with Barney slipping a nice ball thru to Colchester Steve who finished superbly, the game picked up in pace as the Red Machine gained confidence and our second came from the unstoppable KJ who took on half of the Korean team on the right wing and then sent a cross in, where Steve somehow got a foot on it and steered it in, YEE HA, 2-1, normally we would have stayed back and tried to defend our lead, but KJ, Ji and Steve were having none of that and we attacked again and again till Steve finally got space and sealed his hat-trick with a brilliant individual goal. Then we stiffened up the defence and held out the Koreans for a wonderful 3-2 victory. It was a great TEAM effort and though Steve Taylor deservedly got the glory, KJ and Ji weren't far behind and Garry played like he had never been away. Absolutely top stuff and it means United are in the final next week. So come along and support the old boys ! And thanks to all the guys that played and the great supporters on the line.
L-R: . Barney, Riccardo, Marc, Phil, Garry, Ian, Rowan, Hayden //. Ji, KJ, Steve T, Mike T, Steve M, Mark // .. Jan.

On Munich, the Manchester United NZ Supporters Club February meeting is now on THIS Wednesday at the Speakers Corner in Browns Bay, kick off 7.30. The meeting has been moved forward as we gather in remembrance of the Munich air disaster.

ALL WELCOME

And good news on the Wesley front as he is out of rehab and back home, I would personally like to thank all of you who prayed or thought of this talented young lad so very nearly taken away from all of us.

Man Utd vs Spurs

Go Carlos !!!!!!!!!!