After a bye-week, the PlaceMakers PNBHS 1st XI Football team were ready to get back into the swing of things. This week’s game against Whanganui Athletic would be the beginning of a long string of football, with mid-week fixtures adding to the schedule. PNBHS comfortably took the points from this fixture, beating Whanganui Athletic 6-0.
The first twenty minutes of the game saw a balance of possession and territory. It was not long before the momentum swung in PNBHS’s favour, as possession was protected, and multiple passes were strung together to create opportunities. It was only a matter of time before the scoring begun; Jaiden Meyer notching up a pair of near-identical goals, both teed up by Ben Mori in the mid-field. A multitude of opportunities were presented following this; however, the Whanganui keeper bested these efforts. This rounded out the first half and gave PNBHS a comfortable lead.
Right from the whistle, the PlaceMakers PNBHS 1st XI continued to play attacking football. In his first Horizons Premiership game for the 1st XI, Riley Maclean was the next to add to the score. Beginning with a long goal kick from Brooklyn Browne, Aadesh Ganugapati intercepted a Whanganui mid-field header to begin the press forward. Xavier Coleman, playing high and wide provided the ball in behind for Riley to pounce on. As the pressure continued, so did the scoring, with Whanganui giving away a handball penalty in the box and Ben Mori converting. Xavier Coleman fed the attack to set up the next goal, putting Jaiden Meyer on goal, touching the ball around an advancing keeper, and burying the ball into the net. Riley Maclean made the most of his debut by closing out the game with the final goal, coming by way of a headed corner kick.
The PlaceMakers PNBHS 1st XI continue to play fantastic football, taking the lead of the Horizons Premiership standings, Jaiden Meyer leading the league goal-scoring and Ben Mori sitting third. Congratulations to Alec Strydom for making his debut for the 1st XI: the 24th player to take the field, showing the strength and depth of PlaceMakers PNBHS extended squad.
Thank you to our 1st XI Football Sponsors.
