The first of two consecutive home games for Thirsty Whale Napier City Rovers against Stop Out was safely navigated with a 4-1 win at Bluewater Stadium last Sunday in the Central League. The two sides meet again next Sunday in the third round of the Chatham Cup, and Napier coach Bill Robertson will be looking for more of the second half performance from his team to ensure they put themselves in the hat for the cup fourth round draw. That said, it was three vital points and, in the end, a comfortable win for the Blues.

Robertson made a couple of changes to his starting team from the previous week’s Chatham Cup win over Island Bay. Ian Kalu was unavailable due to his call up for international duty with the Solomon Islands and his spot was filled by the fully fit again Stefan Karajovanovic, while Alex Mort replaced Sam Lack.

The home side got off to a flyer with Karajovanovic opening the scoring in the ninth minute when he cut in from the left and bent a beauty into the top corner for his fourth of the season. It was a just reward for a good positive start from Napier where they bossed the early exchanges. Napier continued to press forward and enjoyed plenty of possession whilst Stop Out were content to combat this with balls in behind the Napier full backs and they got their reward for this tactic after 20 minutes. Napier defenders Kaeden Atkins and Fergus Neil both failed to get decent connections to clear one of those balls in behind them and Stop Out forward Isa Prins was afforded far too much time and space to gain control and slam home a good finish past Napier keeper Oscar Mason.

It wasn’t a vintage Napier performance thus far, but they were certainly enjoying the better of things and had half chances to Alex Mort and Deri Corfe, who both drew good saves from Brooklyn Browne in the Stop Out goal, whilst Browne would have been relieved to see the assistant referees offside flag after he brought down Jonny McNamara for what would have otherwise been a clear cut penalty. Corfe again went close with a looping header that grazed the cross bar, and Jordan Martens had Stop Out’s best chance of the half to that point when he blazed a free kick well over Mason’s bar from a handy position.

With the half drawing to a close, the first of two pivotal periods in the fixture took place. Napier midfielder Cam Emerson drove forward towards the Stop Out goal and was clearly fouled, but play was allowed to continue by referee Chris Bennett. Stop Out moved the ball quickly, and Alex Palezevic dropped a diagonal ball in behind Napier right back Jack Albertini for the pacy Elliott Porter-Wallis to chase. Napier keeper Oscar Mason made what turned out to be an ill-advised decision to come out to gather the ball but was beaten to it by Porter-Wallis, and Bennett had no hesitation in pointing to the penalty spot. Stop Out skipper James Sutcliffe, normally so reliable from the spot, smashed his kick against the cross bar and out to safety as Bennett blew for the break. It was a big let off for Napier, but a slice of luck that they would rightly argue has been well overdue this season.

The second period saw a much better Napier performance as they negated the Stop Out diagonal balls in behind them and quickened the tempo of their ball movement. Robertson had introduced Christian Leopard, back after a hamstring injury, at the break for Mort and Leopard was quickly into the action. Kaeden Atkins played a beautifully weighted ball down the right channel for McNamara to chase and his first time cross just eluded the run of Leopard for what would have been a perfect start to the half. Moments later Corfe crashed a superb free kick onto the cross bar after Emerson was fouled and from the rebound, Corfe slipped in McNamara who drew a double save from Browne and resulting in an open goal for Karajovanovic. The Canadian forward’s eyes lit up only to have the ball poked off his toe but some desperate defending from Sutcliffe. In the space of three second half minutes, Napier had created three brilliant chances and were ominously dominating proceedings.

The second pivotal period came after an hour when firstly, Corfe slid a square ball to Emerson to riffle home a technically superb strike from the edge of the penalty area to put Napier in front. Two minutes later Corfe was the architect again when his shot was parried by Browne into the path of McNamara who rammed home number three for the Blues and provide some level of comfort.

Napier continued to dominate possession and managed the game professionally for the remainder of the half, and it was Corfe who finally had a stroke of luck when his deflected shot looped into Browne’s net for Napier’s fourth right on fulltime. It was a deserved goal for the striker and extended the number of consecutive games he has scored in to eight.

For the visitors, they will rue that missed golden chance right on halftime and were good for the first 45 but second best for the remainder. They missed the pace and trickery of the suspended Connor Gaul who was serving a one match suspension and will be better for his return next week. Skipper Sutcliffe, penalty aside, was sound at the back and much of their play went through him or experienced midfielder Palezevic.

For Napier, skipper Jim Hoyle was at his imperious best, winning headers, blocking shots and driving his side forward, whilst his old mate at the back, Fergus Neil, was his normal excellent self. Cam Emerson capped a fine midfielders display with an outstanding goal, whilst Corfe was at the centre of most of Napier’s best attacking threats. Robertson was delighted with the second half display admitting that he “had words” with his side at the break and was also pleased with the impact his three substitutes made.

The second leg of the Stop Out double takes place next week when they make the trek to Bluewater Stadium again for Chatham Cup action. These consecutive games against the same opposition can often be niggly, but if the Blues can apply that same hunger, application, and quality that they did in the second 45, they will give themselves every chance of getting a similar result.

Kick off is at 2pm on Sunday.

Article added: Wednesday 14 June 2023