Welcome to the home of the Under 17 Team

The Wanderers Under 17 team play in the Metro Under 17 league

 Standings

Metro Youth Team – Match Reports

July 25^th 2010

Home v East Coast Bays (Taylor) 2 - 0 Win

One sentence tells the tale here, lots of possession, little reward to show for it. The Wanderers youth totally dominated this game with approx 75-80% of the ball, but a first half penalty from Shane Jenkins (Captain for the day) and Ali were all that we could show for it. It wasn’t for the lack of trying, and some really good football was played, but it was just one of those games where the ball refused to hit the net. To give credit due the ECB boys battled away all day and didn’t make it easy. The result keeps the team in the top five.

July 18^th 2010

Away v North Force 4 - 2 Win

This was a game that we were supposed to be playing in Whangarei but North Force agreed to meet us at North Harbour Stadium, and many thanks go to them for that.

The game itself was played at a frenetic pace for the opening 20 minutes with the opposition scoring first. We responded before half-time when Shane snuck in an indirect free-kick after a defender back-passed to his keeper. After the restart the Wanderers boys asserted themselves a little more but still played in ‘fits and starts’. We scored next when Jackson slammed a 30 metre shot low into the net. Elliot then got on the score-sheet to extend our lead, and Ali finished a fine move that he started with a touch off from James allowing him to hit the net from 25 metres. North Force scored a very late consolation to finish the game.

July 4th 2010

Away vs Birkenhead Utd 2-1 Win

We travelled to Birkenhead who were just above us in the league, and started off much as we had against HibiscusCoast except that we couldn’t score.  James, Ewan and Elliot all had shots saved or off target.  Halfway through the first half they were awarded a somewhat dubious penalty, not sure for what, but they converted it to go in 1-0 up at the break.  Wanderers came out after the break and turned the game on its head controlling the midfield and being rewarded when James was fed in on a great run and he fired past the keeper into the far corner. Frustration was setting into the opposition as we denied them ball and with 8 minutes left a great inter-pass move between Cam, Bo and Ruben gave a cross from the latter to find Cam on the corner of the area, where he controlled and looped the ball into the top left corner of the net to break the Birkenhead hearts. We knew how that felt as HibiscusCoast had scored to level with the last kick two weeks previously and deny us three points. Fantastic comeback from the lads with three regulars away from the team.  They can be justifiably proud of their efforts, a mention that both Birkenhead and HibiscusCoast provided some eats after the game, thanks to them. The team currently sit in fifth place on the table with a 10 game, 6 win, 1 draw, and 3 losses record so far this season.

May 23^rd 2010

Home v Fencibles    1 – 0 win

The way the team started in this game it looked like a rout was on the cards as Ali scored within 1m 40s of the kick-off. We then proceeded to stop showing for each other and dropped the tempo of our game to the speed of the opposition allowing them back into it. Had we scored late in the game then the slower pace of it would have suited, but we lost the chance to increase our goal-difference. After the break we did pick things up but couldn’t add to the tally on a pitch that wasn’t great and against a team who seemed more intent on ‘clouting’ us than actually defending. Ending the game with just the 1 – 0 win; the result though disappointing puts the team in the top four and we have Oratia visiting us next week.

May 16^th 2010

Away v Western Springs                  1 - 4 loss

With both Jarrod and Gavin on duty for the reserves we took a somewhat depleted squad up to Western Springs. Peter Davies accompanied us and we played on the best Auckland surface we had encountered so far. This game, unfortunately, was a story of missed opportunities; Whilst Western Springs played one-touch around our area and converted most of their chances (including two free-kicks), the ‘Blues’ missed a hatful, including four ‘one-v-ones’. The result flattered our hosts but we must start putting the ball in the net, we created more chances in this game than in the previous two but composure in front of the sticks cost us dearly. Scorer was Ali.

May 9^th 2010

Home v Eastern Suburbs    1- 0 win

Home today we played the current league leaders, who had just come off a 5-0 victory the week before. The lads were really pleased with finally getting to play on Porritt’s main ground. We started pretty brightly and managed a number of attacks down the flanks, as did the opposition. Both teams tried to play enterprising footy but they went in at half time still locked at 0-0. Early in the second half the Wanderers boys got awarded a spot-kick when Ali was pulled down in the box with the goal at his mercy. Jarred Young converted the penalty to give the locals the lead, with the Suburbs ‘keeper having earned a red card and his team being reduced to ten. As so often happens in football this acted as a spur to the Aucklanders, who pressed continually for the rest of the game for no reward as the wanderers defence stood. Final result was a 1-0 victory which pushes us up the league table to 6^th.

May 2^nd 2010

Away v Three Kings             2 - 1 win

This game was expected to be harder than that of the previous week. The lads started off looking really very sharp, with crisp passing and movement cutting into and penetrating the opposition defensive lines.  As Ryan was not available Shane was elevated to partner Ali up front and he produced the goods finished off a good movement by Jared, Campbell and Harry to put us one up. It must be said that the ‘Kings’ goalkeeper was very good and kept the score respectable denying first Harry, then Ali (twice), Shane and Elliot before Shane hit a rather speculative ball goal-wards which he spilled into goal at the high far post. To Shane’s credit the ball had been imparted with an extraordinary amount of spin which made saving it hard work. The first half finished with our boys totally dominating the opposition. The second half turned out to be very different and was a dour battle, with Three Kings getting very physical and pushing up to press us at every opportunity. As the game wore on the home side scored with about 10 minutes left and the boys had to knuckle down and fight for the points. Again showing discipline despite an indifferent performance from the official we held out to secure our second win out of three.

April 25^th, 2010

Home v Ellerslie       1 - 0 win

The boys started off the game by soaking up the pressure from the opposition for the first ten minutes before a breakaway led to Ryan Miller finishing under pressure beating both defender and ‘keeper to put us in front. This took the wind out of the opposition’s sails somewhat and the Wanderers boys dominated the rest of the game. Some slick passing and generally tidy play left no doubt who the victors would be, but, if we were at fault , we were a little too enthusiastic, failing to slow down the game and let them chase it. The boys were actually unlucky to not go further ahead on more than one occasion, with Ryan, Shane, Jared and Ali hitting the post and bar and drawing saves from their ‘keeper. In all, a very competent display from the Wanderers boys, a good three pointer. Thanks to the boys from the youth Fed squad who came up and to Ruben and parents for their support.

April 18^th, 2010

Away v Central          1 - 2 loss

The Wanderers youth had a rather erroneous start to their season visiting Central at Eastdale Park in Auks. The game started well for us with some incisive passing and good work on the flanks. We went ahead at our fourth corner when Ali got on the end of the ball and glanced it in. The game from there took a turn for the worse, however, as the referee decided that a Central handball in the area wasn’t worth pointing to the spot for. The same official allowed the opposition to score the winner with a 50/50 challenge being deemed as a Wanderers foul in the area. This wasn’t his only error as according to ‘city’ football ‘law’ the home side seem d to be given the ‘carte blanche’ to foul at will.

Despite massive pressure from our lads the ball wouldn’t go in and an obvious spot kick was waved away again so we finished quite disgruntled really as far as the result went. The boys played good football and deserved to get more from the game, but management were proud of them for the discipline they showed when it would have been easy to ‘lose the plot’.