Waikato FC stumble in final

Waikato FC stumbled and face planted on the last hurdle of the inaugural White Ribbon Cup.

A calm silence surrounded Gower Park before the finals kick-off – but only before a storm of Team Wellington goals led to a 6-1 drumming.

The game may have been different if Jesse Edge had finished Ryan Thomas’ work down the flank.

Ryan beat two players and cut it back to Jesse who blasted it over the top from seven metres out.

However, Waikato FC had the odds stacked against them from 12 minutes into the game when New Zealand under-23 representative Ethan Galbraith curved his shot into the bottom right corner.

Galbraith went on to complete his hat-trick in the 75th minute when he walked through the Waikato defence.

Waikato FC struggled against the more mature opposition whose only real mistake was conceding an Adam Thomas penalty nine minutes into the second half.

The White Ribbon Cup is a knockout competition for ASB Premiership clubs not involved in Oceania Champions League football.

New Zealand Football chairman Frank Van Hattum said the White Ribbon Cup “is designed to give all our top domestic teams a bigger diet of football at this level”.

The defeat did contain some positives for Waikato football as young forwards Ryan Thomas and Tyler Boyd both shone.

Both players caused the opposition problems with Thomas using his nimble feet and Boyd  his pace and strength.