It will be recorded as a home defeat, but the Boomers were far from home, playing on a grotesque and bumpy Ben Burn Park that did not encourage the flowing passing football the side has become known for.
The absences for this game were Rothman, who will return in two weeks time, Blaine Abraham out with a strained bum cheek, Huss and Ollie Carr.
It was a familiar line up consisting of Cam, McSweeny, Halford and Sammy across the back four with Bascand in goal. Drew Delany and Owen Gibbo Gibson both got their first outfield starts at right and left midfield respectively. Tadhg played in the whole behind Darryl who was leading the front line.
The game started in a scrappy fashion with Strafford and Handley winning all the midfield ball with hard but honest tackling. The Boomers again dominated possession in this game but struggled in the final third to create genuine goal scoring opportunities.
Drew Delany was booked after the whistle was blown for a free kick, proceeded to thump the ball into the bollocks of the Naenae player. The odds for Delany being the first ever player to be sent off have dropped considerably. Delany could prove to be the Boomers' version of Joey Barton following this sort of dissent.
Naenae again included their two African boys who, while being involved and vocal, were being dominated by Boomers players who wanted it more. In one of the few Naenae attacks a cross was whipped in and after striking the arm of McSweeny a penalty was awarded. Bascand made a superb effort to get fingertips to an almost perfect bottom corner penalty from the Naenae captain, but it found the net. Naenae 1-0.
The game carried on in the usual fashion with Naenae frustratingly thumping the ball forward everytime they had it. This would then be followed by pressuring the Boomers players enough to lose it back on the pitch that was proving very difficult to navigate. The routine of Naenae players thumping it forward continued for the whole game.
The Boomers did however have a series of opportunities to score in the second half and should have at least equalised if not gone on to win it. Two quality corners on about the 70th minute should have changed the game. Dave Williams made his debut appearance off the bench and one of his first touches was a barnstorming header off a Cam Holm corner. Williams sent a header goalbound from the penalty spot and was unlucky not to score as the keeper did well to touch over. The resulting corner saw centre back Jesse Halford half volley towards the roof of the net, only for the keeper to make another great save.
Darryl Jones and captain Strafford were both guilty of not testing the keeper with good chances from outside the box. It was becoming one of those days where a goal just won't come and when the final whistle was blown the Boomers disappointment as they walked off.
The Boomers now share fourth with Wellington United Arms and are three points behind Naenae. Petone is six points ahead in second, while Stokes hold top with a perfect record from their six games.
Next week it doesn't get any easier as the Boomers go to Brooklyn's Happy Valley, which will likely be flooded following the weeks rain. To add, it is Brooklyn's better side who haven't had the best of luck this season and will be wanting to pick their season up.
The Boomers won't want to ship any more points or face giving more ground to Stokes and Petone. As well as this, Naenae are now in the mix after their poor start. It is a long season though, and as Man City proved, it ain't over till the end.
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