The All Whites have finished third in the Oceania Nations Cup after beating the Solomon Islands 4-3 today, but it was little consolation for a failed campaign.
They did it courtesy of a Chris Wood first-half hat-trick, the first by an All White since Vaughan Coveny and Brent Fisher both scored three in a 10-0 win over Tahiti in 2004. But as they have all tournament, New Zealand came under pressure in the second half and relied on a Shane Smeltz winner in the third minute of injury time when he beat the offside trap and coolly lobbed the goalkeeper.
It shouldn't have been so close and some of it was their own making. Himson Teleda scored from a blistering shot that went through a gaggle of bodies in the 48th minute but Jake Gleeson conceded a horrible goal when a Benjamin Totori cross-cum-shot rolled through his hands and legs six minutes later.
Gleeson, who has played most of the tournament because of the injuries to Mark Paston and Glen Moss, has looked shaky throughout and that mistake would have done little to convince people of his credentials with so many good, young goalkeepers coming through.
It put his side under undue pressure as the Solomon Islands sniffed a chance, because the home side weren't in it at halftime.
Coach Ricki Herbert made a host of changes and eight of the starting XI will go on and play at the London Olympics. Aaron Clapham, who had a very good game in the holding midfield role, was the old man of the team at 25 and Herbert also brought on 17-year-old Cameron Howieson for his first game at the tournament.
The All Whites played better than they have all tournament, bossing the opening 45 minutes and creating plenty of chances, but the Solomon Islands let them.
The home side were poor. They lacked spirit, creativity and organisation and the All Whites took advantage. Solomon Islands technical advisor Laurent Papillon clearly showed his displeasure by making two substitutions with barely 30 minutes on the clock.
Marco Rojas and Ian Hogg found ample space down the left and Wood was a constant threat through the middle.
His first goal came in the 11th minute from a Clapham corner which he nodded in from 2m, his second in the 25th minute was also from close range when he headed in a good Hogg cross and, although he didn't strike his third very well, managed to beat the goalkeeper again on the half hour.
They could have had more in the opening 45 but Tahitian referee Kader Zitouni somehow missed a blatant handball in front of him which would have put Wood clear on goal and Kosta Barbarouses dragged his shot from a golden opportunity.
The Solomons were much better in the second spell and Totori looked like he had sent the game to penalties - no extra time would have been played _ with his stunning 88th minute strike into the top corner before Smeltz had the final say.
The All Whites at least leave the tournament on a winning note but it wasn't the game they hoped it would come in.
New Zealand 4 (Chris Wood 11, 25, 30, Shane Smeltz 90+3), Solomon Islands 3 (Himson Teleda 47, Benjamin Totori 54, 88). HT: 3-0.
