Whilst a point is not the end of the world, Thirsty Whale Napier City Rovers will reflect ruefully on their home 2-2 draw with Petone on Sunday. The game was touted as a “six-pointer” and one that Napier coach Bill Robertson had targeted for three points, and with it, a positive sign of their top-four credentials, but the stalemate will have to go down as an opportunity missed for the Blues.

Robertson sprang one surprise change to his eleven recalling veteran JC Mack for only his second start of the season in place of the suspended Jonny McNamara, with Canadian forward Stefan Karajovanovic moving into a central role alongside fellow import Deri Corfe. The Bluewater Stadium surface was in fantastic condition given that it had hardly stopped raining for the preceding three days and a good crowd was there to watch what promised to be an entertaining match.

Not for the first time this season, the home side were out of the blocks quickly and ahead within two minutes. Corfe wrapped a freekick around the Petone wall and keeper Oscar Boyce’s save was parred straight to JC Mack’s who had the simple task of slotting home from four yards out. For the next 20 minutes, Napier continued to press forward and had several good chances to extend the lead. Corfe hit the base of the post after good work down the left from Christian Leopard and then pulled a good save out of Boyce with a strike destined for the bottom corner. Cam Emerson had a double chance blocked by Petone’s committed defenders, Leopard had a good chance hit straight at Boyce, Mack had a free header in the six-yard box that he mistimed, and Corfe, again, had chances from a freekick and shots in the penalty area that were deflected wide. After 15 minutes, no one could have complained had Napier been four or even five goals to the good.

As seems to be the case with the Blues, their lack of proficiency in front of goal came back to haunt them. With Petone’s first real foray into Napier’s half Blues old boy Sam Wall latched onto a nice ball from the talented Jamaya Shearer, outpaced Napier defender Kaeden Atkins and, under pressure from Atkins and the retreating Jim Hoyle, lifted his finish firmly past Oscar Mason in the home goal. It was a well-worked move but a preventable one that the Blues should have dealt with, and rather than a comfortable lead, the home side were faced with getting themselves back in front again.

Again, not for the first time this season, the Blues response was positive and swift, and it was Mack who got the Blues back in front after 25 minutes. An area of the game that the Blues have not been able to profit from too much this season has been corners, but this was to change as Leopard’s back post-delivery was superbly headed back across goal by Atkins for Mack to nod in from a yard out. 

Napier continued to dominate the game but the Blues first-half finishing display was summed up 10 minutes before the break in almost unbelievable fashion. Atkins stepped in to win the ball at halfway and strode forward purposefully. His slipped pass in behind was gathered expertly by Karajovanovic and his cross perfectly weighted and placed across the penalty area for Corfe. The English striker's first touch was sure, but as he was about to apply the seemingly inevitable finish, he lost his footing and allowed the retreating Petone rearguard to clear. Robertson stood motionless on the sideline with his head in his hands.

The break came at a good time for the visitors and coach Ryan Edward’s half-time talk would have surely centered around the fact that whilst his side had ridden their luck, they were very much in the contest still. Conversely, in the opposite changing room, Robertson would have been pleading much more of the same endeavor and lead-up play, but with a finish, or two, to reward the performance.

Petone were the better of the two sides immediately after the break and despite not creating too much of a threat on Mason’s goal, certainly had a renewed energy to their game. The introduction of their four-man bench on the hour mark gave them another boost in vigour. and in substitute Amir Mandalawi in particular, they started to gain some control of the midfield battle. Robertson, on the other hand, made his sole change around the same time with Mack making way for Alex Mort in a like-for-like swap.

There were half chances to both sides with Napier’s most likely threat coming from Corfe free kicks, none of which required anything too special from Boyce to keep out, whilst Petone always had the threat of league top scorer Matt Brazier to trouble the Jim Hoyle led Napier defence. As the game moved into the final 10 minutes, it was the combination of Mandalawi and Brazier that turned the fixture. Mandalawi was afforded space and time just inside the Napier half and picked out the run of Brazier in behind Napier’s line. Mason saw the danger and reacted by coming off his line to try defusing the situation only to clatter into Brazier as they both reached the ball at the same time. Referee Jason Marshall pointed immediately to the spot, Brazier tucked away the penalty, and his 12th of the season, and Petone were about to pull off a great escape and head home with a valuable point.

For Petone, Wall will have enjoyed his return to Bluewater and took his goal expertly. Experienced skipper Sam Pickering and youngster Jamaya Shearer were central to much of their positive possession and Brazier, although kept relatively quiet, was always going to have some influence on proceedings. That all said, their game changer was Mandalawi and his energy and willingness to get on the ball and the quality of that one pass to Brazier saw him take home the man of the match honours for his side.

For the Blues, it was another good performance but one that ultimately was not rewarded with the desired, or deserved, outcome. Cam Emerson and Ta Eh Doe were both good in the middle of the park, while Neil and Hoyle also had good games. Mack deserves credit for taking his two chances. Corfe showed his dribbling skills and strength on the ball throughout and was a constant handful for the Petone defenders, but a striker’s job is to put the ball in the back of the net, and it simply was not his day on that front.

The result still leaves the Blues in fourth spot on level points with Petone, but Petone has a game in hand. The Blues have plenty of work to do now with seven league games remaining but only two of them at Bluewater Stadium. Next week sees them play second-place Western Suburbs in Wellington on Sunday in what has now become a series of “cup finals” to secure that top-four spot. 

The Blues are back home the following week in Chatham Cup Round 4 action against Waterside Karori. Kick-off 2pm, Sunday 9 July.