The 1998 Season - highlights

April 4
Edgecumbe soccer team opened its campaign in the BOP 1st Division in satisfying style. Edgecumbe had won its place in the first division through its second placing in division 2 in 1997. A good pre-season tournament in Kawerau where Edgecumbe won their section, set the tone for the opening league fixture at Tauranga City. Bas Overdevest grabbed a first-half hat-trick with a superb lob over the keeper. Later, he broke from halfway and using his pace to set up a one-on-one with the City keeper. Clinical finishing matched his earlier efforts. Edge 5, Tauranga City 3.

April 25
Stand-in Edgecumbe keeper Joel Ogilvy may well have changed the complexion of the game against Taupo.  He got enough behind a strong shot to keep it from going in at the near post. Instead the ball rolled tantalisingly along the goal line, giving Ogilvy time to recover and dive on it... Wetting took the ball just inside the Taupo half. He took them on in a tremendous solo run, beating all and sundry before scoring from well inside the penalty area. The first half was capped off by Bas Overdevest, who rose above the Taupo defence to head in a Dave Lawrence free kick from ten metres. Ian Finch secured the man-of-the-match award from many other contenders by heading a full-blooded shot off the Edgecumbe line to keep a clean sheet. Edge 6 Taupo 0.

May 9
For the third game running, Edgecumbe's defence of Dave Lawrence, Ian Finch, Barrie Hawkes, Carl Robertshaw and later Lawrence Wetting did well to keep their opposition scoreless. Keeper Rhys Berghuis always enjoys getting well involved in a game and had to make a number of good saves to keep his goal intact. Edge 4 Te Puke 0.

May 16
Ogilvy seemed particularly targeted by the Ngongotaha defence and would have taken quite a few bruises home with him. However they will also be extremely grateful to goalkeeper David Tomteberget, who pulled off some fabulous brave close-range saves to keep out the home team. One other flying save to stop a shot bound for the top corner was particularly memorable. Edge 0 Ngongy 0.

May 23
Heavy rain had left a number of waterlogged areas on the pitch, In the first half, Kawerau had two of these on the edge of their penalty area. A game plan involving taking the ball down the wings and avoiding the wet areas worked well a number of times. However, with Edgecumbe pressing forward more often than not, the ball managed to find its way to these spots and there it would usually stop. A number of interesting melees resulted, but luck did not fall Edgecumbe's way. The introduction of Aaron Searle into the Kawerau team, with thirty minutes to play, was the turning point of the game. Kaw 3 Edge 1.

June 13
A tremendous strike of 'World Cup" class from Dave Lawrence... A well worked set piece ended with the ageless Dave Lawrence blasting a tremendous left footed shot into the City goal. Edge 4 Tauranga City 1.

June 20
An enormous through-in from Christian Wetting went over the Whakatane keeper's head in the six yard box and Bas Overdevest headed it in to open the scoring. After twenty five minutes, following a good build up, striker Joel Ogilvy made an excellent run down the right wing. His cross was finished off with an unstoppable header by Wetting into the top right corner. Whakatane 1 Edge 3.

July 4
Edgecumbe started stringing passes together late in the half, Overdevest set up Chris Withy with a good ball across goal and he finished well. Withy, shortly before the break, scored again. This one was a cracker, powered in from the edge of the penalty area. Tasman Cup. Edge 8 Whakatane 1.

July 18
Player of the day for Edgecumbe was Colin Lawrence, who had his best game since returning from Holland. Te Puke 0 Edge 0.

July 25
Best Insulation Tournament outstanding save from their keeper Rhys Berghuis to keep Suburbs out. He had to dive full length backwards to tip a well judged lob-shot away from the top corner of his goal. Lost penalty shoot out to Otumoetai in semi final.

More highlights.