John McGlashan has made the finals of the Otago Secondary Schools football league premier division competition for the first time in several seasons, following an extra-time 4-3 victory over Kavanagh College.
The team earned their win the hard way, coming back from a 2-1 deficit at half time, and again from a 3-2 deficit just before full-time. The equaliser, the second of three goals scored by Daniel Baker, took the match into extra time, in which Baker completed his personal hat trick with a couple of minutes to play. McGlashan then saw off Kavanagh’s last throw of the dice – an attacking corner – to secure a hard-fought win.
Right back Matt Johnston joined Baker on the score sheet for JMC with a crucial goal that levelled the score at 2-2 early in the second half. Some superb work with the gloves by keeper Sean van Dyk was also instrumental in the final result, but really this was a true team effort in which every JMC player did their bit to secure the win.
The winning team comprised Spencer Byers (Captain), Sean van Dyk, Alex Thomson, Yugen Miyahara, Matt Johnston, Tom Warman, Luke Davis-Rae, Louis Renner, Harry Rodger, David Alsop and Daniel Baker in the starting eleven.
With regular first XI players Bradley Holdridge, Callum Duncan and Harry Fraser injured, Daniel Tan was joined on the bench by 2nd XI player Jordan Mitchell and Junior First XI regulars Ben Lund and Nathan Harrison (both making their senior school football debut). All four came off the bench to contribute strongly to the final result.
McGlashan now face the OBHS First XI in the competition final, following that team’s upset win over Kings High School.
Meanwhile, the McGlashan Senior Second XI have also made the final of the reserve grade of the league, following a 12-0 rout of the Kings Year 12A team.
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