Carey double gives Junior Navy Blues friendly win

Words: ACFC Media

Wednesday 25 September 2019

Picture: Phototek

AUCKLAND, New Zealand - The Auckland City FC National Youth League team got their pre-season off to a winning start after a 3-0 win over Bay Olympic U-19 at a rainsoaked Crum Park tonight.

In a fast-paced and competitive match it was the Junior Navy Blues who made most of the early chances with Finn McCracken teeing up the first for Thomas Drillien after just seven minutes.

Using his pace, McCracken found Drillien with a crisp cutback but the Auckland City FC striker was unable to find the target.

Auckland City FC opened the scoring after 50 minutes when Malcolm Young whipped in a firm cross that took a deflection, enabling Aidan Carey to steer a header past the goalkeeper who managed to get a hand to it but was unable to keep it out.

Bay Olympic looked defensively sound and will be happy with their contribution to the match and their preparations for the Napier U-19 Tournament but they fell behind further when Callum McNeill latched onto a Matt Hodgson header to nod home from close range.

Drillien and substitute Dhanush Chandra both drew good saves from the Bay Olympic goalkeeper as the balance tipped into Auckland City FC's favour. 

Carey added his second and Auckland City FC's third when he bundled home a Miles Palmer free-kick to complete a comfortable margin of victory on a wintery evening in West Auckland.

Coach Kris Bright was satisfied with the performance given the short amount of time the team has been together.

"It was the first time the team has played together and we've had a couple of internal games which aren't the same so to play against different boys in a different shape it was a good exercise for us.

"Ideally, we want to get as many youth team players getting first team opportunities as possible.

"Last year we had three players get first team opportunities and we would like more to be involved and hopefully get game time," he said.

Bright also had positive things to say about Bay Olympic. 

"Bay Olympic's starting eleven is strong and under Paul Marsh they're going to be fit, they're going to work hard and they'll be a good group collectively.

"They tested us in the first half but they tired in the second and maybe our boys were a little more experienced and older and we got on the ball a bit more and once we had possession it became a different game," he said. 

Ends

Match Result
Pre-season friendly
Wednesday 25 September 2019
Bay Olympic 0
Auckland City FC 3 (Aidan CAREY 2, Callum McNEILL)
HT: 0-0

AC: 18. Luca TAYLOR (GK) (1. Regan DIVER GK); 6. Callum McNEILL, 7. Matthew HODGSON, 4. Nick MILICICH; 2. Nathan LOBO (14. Colin HOLTHUIS), 10. Matt ELLIS (20. Corban PIPER), 16. Louis MIDDLEDORP (15. Harry FREEMAN), 23. Aidan CAREY, 13. Malcolm YOUNG (5. Dhanush CHANDRA); 17. Thomas DRILLIEN, 21. Finn McCRACKEN (8. Miles PALMER)

COACH: Kris BRIGHT. 

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