6 June 2000
Nelson Evening Mail
by Simon Bloomberg
Christchurch Rangers' veteran goalkeeper Alan Stroud had a feeling he was going to be in for a busy day when his team lined up against Nelson Suburbs in a Chatham Cup match at Saxton Field yesterday.
Stroud who played for Nelson in 1996 and 1997, was right.
The 38-year-old showed that none of his skills have diminished, but even his lightning-fast reflexes were not enough to stop Nelson winning the third-round tie 5-1.
"I watched a video of Nelson's game against Central on Sunday. When I saw that goal that Commins Menapi got, I knew we were in for a run around today," Stroud said.
Menapi lived up to Stroud's expectations, scoring a hat-trick with two unstoppable headers in the first half and a fortuitous rebound in the second.
Menapi fired his first header into the net in the eighth minute, and lobbed his second over the top of an out-stretched Stroud seven minutes later.
In between Menapi's opening salvo, Rangers defender Ged Killick slipped through the Nelson defence and connected with a cross five metres out to score.
Patteson Daudau got into the act in the 43rd minute when he raced around Stroud in a one-on-one situation to give Nelson a 3-1 lead at the break.
Menapi completed his hat-trick in the 60th minute when he returned a clearing kick into the net. Bronson Keeler scored Nelson's fifth and final goal with a long-range shot five minutes from the end.
"They had too much space and played good, sensible football, although I would like to think we kept them honest," Stroud said.
"They are a very good team, and will be even better if they stay together for the next few years."
Nelson player-coach Colin Tuaa was less complimentary about his team's performance, which he described as patchy.
Tuaa said there were some good individual displays, but overall the team failed to play to its potential.
"A win's a win, but we didn't play that well. We gave too much ball away in midfield - that's still an area we have to work on before our next game."
He said it was often difficult to play quality football against a much weaker team like Rangers, although he refused to make excuses for the erratic display. "We played good football in patches and there were some good individual efforts, but we made too many basic errors."
Tuaa said Menapi, Keeler, Matt Ayloff and Jon Harahap were the only players who did not compromise their standards. Menapi and Keeler maintained a high work rate, while Ayloff and Harahap - who saved a certain goal when he cleared a shot by Mike Harvey off the line - produced faultless displays at the back.
Nelson returns to the Ansett national soccer club championship this Sunday, when it plays competition leader University-Mt Wellington.