Max Tommy pulled off his second penalty save of the season and Ryen Lawrence and Thomas Cave added sparkling late goals as Melville stuttered to a 2-1 home northern league win over lowly North Shore.

From a Melville perspective it was effectively a 3-minute match. Super Max made his vital save 15 minutes into the second half, after The Unicorns were already 1-0 down through a third minute goal.

And that at least laid the platform for a late fightback in which Lawrence and substitute Cave completed a rescue act in the 81st and 83rd minutes to keep Melville third on the table.

Otherwise pretty much nothing happened. The rest of it was a mix of footballing mogadon and northern league kick-ball. Which was a shame seeing as this was Melville's first home game in daylight in over eight months.

Melville had plenty of possession but will reflect on their struggle to do much with it, as they took fewer shots than a shy teenager at a school dance.

Shore pressed hard and somehow managed to make Melville look oddly vulnerable, despite Tommy not having to do much apart from his penalty save.

Perhaps thinking his penalty routine - where he dives to his right - has been a little over-exposed given Melville have already coughed up four spot kicks this season (and earned none) this time Tommy went left, and didn't even seem extended.

He now has a 50 per cent save record - surely the best in the league.

It kept Melville in the contest and they salvaged a bit more life when the subs came on.

In the 81st minute sub Max Mitchell took a free kick on the left which North Shore failed to clear. Josh Galletly had a shot blocked and the ball fell to Lawrence who whipped a beauty high into the next from about 12m.

The winner was even better. Joel McMullan played a perfect through ball into the path of Cave, steaming forward down the right and he stroked the ball just inside the post with a first-time touch, as if it was a warm-up exercise.

Thomas Cave

"I made eye contact with Joel and knew the pass was on," Cave said.

This was Cave at his best.  And for the 18-year-old it capped a momentous day, in what was his final appearance for Melville before heading to Sweden.

It was not only a "Swede finish" but his second goal of the day, after having earlier scored in Melville Reserves' 3-1 win. 

The crowd wasn't large, but there was a whole lineup of Melville alumni in attendance, including former coaches Mayne Mayne (2017-19), Wilky Wilkinson (2017-2022) and Chris Smith (2004). There wwere also former multi-season team managers Seamus Marten and Harry Noorland, and former first team captains Erik Panzer and Steven Holloway.

So Cave and any others plying the right flank in the second half probably copped more advice than a pregnant woman. If so, it paid off.

Melville are at home to Matamata Swifts at 2pm on Saturday May 10.

Article added: Tuesday 06 May 2025