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The 1997 Season - more highlights ….
still BOP Division Two
July 12 v Tauranga City (1st div) Tasman Cup. Ian Finch playing in the unusual position of centre back, alongside Barrie Hawkes, tackled strongly and fed the ball back well to the midfield. On the flanks, Sam Scrimgeour and Paul Evans did their jobs with their customary singlemindedness. However it still needed several excellent stops from keeper Christian Wetting to keep the visitors scoreless. Extra time, lost penalty shoot out. The City coach, Ron Boyle, acknowledged that the home team had probably deserved the game on their play on the field, adding that it was the best he had ever seen an Edgecumbe team play. Club stalwart Margaret Elliot couldn't single out a player of the day, and instead named the whole team.
July 19 v Rotorua Suburbs. After twenty minutes George Elliot found space on the left wing and crossed the ball into a rather crowded penalty area. Kerry Hawkes kept his head and volleyed the ball calmly into the goal. One minute later, right fullback Paul Evans intercepted the ball and played an excellent early ball forward. Striker Bas Overdevest timed his run exquisitely, collecting the ball and beating defence and keeper in the one finishing move. Edge 2 Subs 0.
July 26 v Tauranga City. ..Ian Finch pushed forward from defence on a good run late in the half. Collecting the ball inside the area, he volleyed it superbly past the keeper. Player-coach Christian Wetting, enjoying a game in midfield for a change, took on the City defenders with a solo run and bagged a good goal. Bas Overdevest then put away his third goal, which meant he'd scored a hat-trick against Tauranga City both times the teams had met this season. George Elliot had tormented his markers for much of the second half with his clever runs. He, typically, beat the right fullback and crossed the ball in. Aaron Muggeridge met the ball on the full, flicking it past the keeper. Edge 7, Tau City 0.
August 2 v Kahukura. A totally committed effort by Plains Hotel Edgecumbe on Saturday saw them do what no other team has managed so far this season - take points off the visiting BOP 2nd division leaders Kahukura. Both teams knew this was the crunch game of the season, and gave no quarter to the other. Kahukura made much of the play in the first half, but were unable to break down the determined home defence. They also had to contend with a fired up Edgecumbe midfield, with player-coach Christian Wetting outstanding, that never gave them a moment's breathing space... a well hit shot being parried by keeper Rhys Berghuis and then cleared off the line by left back Carl Robertshaw, who had another tremendous game... dedication to the job was typified by Berghuis. A long high ball forward was coming down just outside his penalty area. Having no option, with a fast opposition striker bearing down with it, he raced out to head the ball clear successfully at the same time colliding head on with his opponent... Edgecumbe camped in the opposition half, but couldn't score. The resulting 0 - 0 draw gave Kahukura the point it needed to secure the league title, with three rounds still to go. Defenders Robertshaw, Berghuis, Ian Finch, Barrie Hawkes and Paul Evans were single-minded in their work. They have now gone 400 minutes without conceding a goal. Edge 0 Kahukura 0.
Edgecumbe finished 2nd and won promotion to Division One for 1998.
It was time for the summer break.
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