Jet lag and a dramatic climatic change did not help England's cause in this match in Auckland. It was therefore hardly surprising that the game was a very disappointing one. The match had been arranged as one of two to help celebrate the New Zealand Football Association's Centenary. England, with three new caps in the side, never really got going and their best moments were reserved for the final five minutes.

New Zealand offered plenty of spirit and courageously battled away for every loose ball. Goal attempts on this cold and windy day were few and far between and the nearest anyone came to a goal in the first-half was when Chris Woods dropped a corner. The ball fell for Dunford, only three yards from goal, but somehow he shot over the crossbar. To be fair it looked as though Woods had been impeded but having said that it looked also as though the referee would have given a goal. It certainly was a lucky escape.

Dennis Wise, again looking a little out of his depth in an international jersey, Paul Parker, giving a careless display and Earl Barrett, often struggling, gave England an uninspiring look about them, and but for a fine tackle by Des Walker, De Jong might have scored.

In the second half New Zealand continued to work hard to frustrate England and the visitors found it difficult to break the Kiwis down. But with only five minutes of a drab game remaining, the visitor's attack flickered into action. John Salako, making another lively appearance as substitute, as he had done in Sydney, hit the bar with a good shot. It looked as though that effort would be England's best of the match, but three minutes into injury time. Wise sent Parker away and Lineker anticipated the cross brilliantly to sprint in front of his marker to sweep home the last-gasp winner. The goal saw Lineker at his best and was a wonderful piece of opportunism.

It ruined the New Zealand party but set a new record from Graham Taylor as the tenth match without defeat since he replaced Bobby Robson as manager.
   

Source Notes