Pullar Builders Whakatane vs Otorohanga

Pullar builders Whakatane have drawn 2-2 at home to Otorohanga.

What should have been a win ended up a near loss had it not been for two late goals by Whakatane who at one stage were down 2-0.

Whakatane were again slow to start and seemed sluggish from the outset. Fortunately, Otorohanga were unable to seize this opportunity and only managed to get into the Whakatane half on a number of occasions. Whakatane held the majority of possession and territory but were simply doing nothing with it.

Passes were not being completed and there seemed to be no direction or game plan by either side. In fact it was quite a dull game due to the lack of good football being played and the amount of times the refs whistle was being blowed for 'nothing'. Of course there were times when Whakatane looked like they were shifting into second gear and they did win plenty of corners but failed to convert and all too often the game would slip back into the slow pace it was going.

At half time the score remained 0-0.

Without much change the second half continued and it was Otorohanga that scored first. A defensive error let the visitors in on goal and they made the most of it slotting the ball past Whakatane's stand in goal keeper Paul Shakes.

This is usually the wake up call that Whakatane respond to but instead moments later the visitors were up 2-0 when they managed to squeeze in a shot into the top left corner from outside the 18 yard line.

Whakatane began to pick up the pace and credit must go to them for not putting their heads down and giving up. Instead a breath of life was put back into them on the 80 minute mark when Carwyn Evans managed to score by steering in a cross from Terry Stilgoe. With 10 minutes remaining the visitors sat back and watched as Whakatane repeatedly made their way for goal. With a minute remaining it was Paul Taylor who managed to head home a cross from Werner Rechsteiner and score the equilizer.

The full time whistle blew and Whakatane still had the shield but not the vital 3 points they wanted more. They will also be travelling away to Otumoetai next week short of two players who were sent from the field in the last few minutes of the match leaving Whakatane only 9 men on the field.

Overall a dissapointing effort from the lads with the only upside being that Matamata and Taupo were also held to draws over the weekend and so these three teams remain bunched near the top of the table.