GBAFC makes history in highly successful season
The Golden Bay senior soccer team has won the Glen Stephens Memorial Trophy, underlining one of the GBAFC’s most successful seasons ever.
The team won the knockout trophy for second, third and fourth division teams , beating the holders Tahunanui 2-0 in the final. Playing in front of a large contingent of supporters, The Bay team started strongly against a fired up Tahuna 1st XI. Tahuna had the first scoring opportunities from fast breaks down the flanks. In the twentieth minute, GB goal keeper Kent Barrett charged forward to close down a Tahuna striker and deny Tahuna the lead. However it was midfield possession that saw the Bay team take control. Late in the half, a perfect left-foot cross by Bodhi Symmons saw Joshi Hack slide between the Tahuna defenders and head the ball into the net to give GB the lead. GB threatened to score again early in the second half but it wasn’t until the sixtieth minute that Neil Mason found a small pocket of space just outside the box and rocketed a right foot shot past the keeper. Tahuna rallied, throwing players forward in attack and were unlucky not to score twice. Once the Bay defence headed the ball off the line and next a strong strike bounced off the crossbar. Golden Bay regained their composure and controlled the final moments to claim the biggest title in the club’s 44-year history. Player of the day went to David Astill, an important part of a solid defensive unit that laid the foundation for the victory.
Club president Adge Tucker said that the history-making team was “a mixture of schoolboys on the way up in their first or second season at senior level, plus some of the older heads who have been there and know what it’s like. One of them, Jason Wells, has played 16 seasons for the Bay.”
Jason said that this was the best season he could ever remember.
“We’ve only lost one game in 22 and we’re still alive in the AR Hurst Cup. We play the semi-final this week against Mapua and if we win, our season goes on another week. We’ve never had to play this far into September before.”
Adge says that the overall development of the club is in part a tribute years of excellent work in the lower grades by dedicated coaches.
“The young players in this top side, for example. are showing the benefits of seven or eight years of concentrated coaching work with Martin Milligan,” said Adge.
Continuing the winning theme, the Golden Bay Raiders won their last game 7-1 against Richmond Spurs and have now officially won the 12th grade Red Division Nelson Soccer Competition. In the regular competition the team played 10 games, winning nine and drawing one. They scored 39 goals and had only seven scored against them.
A feature of the team’s development in this competition dominated by 12-year-old players had been their improved passing game, said coach John Gawith.
“Their attack was built around some superb crosses and corners that led to great goals. They showed maturity beyond their years in playing some outstanding soccer. Other team coaches and parents commented on the good inter-passing and the teamwork that led to nine of the 14-man squad scoring at least one goal.”
In the final game, leading goal-scorer Jaden Thompson (17 for the season) set Zebedee Fersterer-Gawith up for three of his four goals with great crosses. Zebedee scored 10 for the season, and Josh Ryan, who often swapped positions between goalie and striker, scored seven for the season.
“There were no real weaknesses in the side and the defence and midfield were as skilled as the strikers. Everyone played and trained well all season,” said John.
It is rare for any player to score a hat trick of goals, but on Saturday two Golden Bay brothers did in different games. While Zebedee (11) scored four goals in Takaka for the GB Raiders in their 7-1 win, his older brother Alex Fersterer-Gawith (15) scored three for GB Glory in the under-17 team’s 6-4 loss to the Waimea Rockers.
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