On a normal day, five goals would be enough to win a game of football.

But Saturday's National Youth League season opener against Canterbury United was no normal day for Tasman United, going down 6-5 in a high scoring encounter where both teams' defensive efforts failed to match the attacking brilliance.

A remarkable nine goals were scored inside the first 42 minutes at Saxton Field as Canterbury led 5-4 at the break, striker Callum Smith and midfielder Lyle Matthysen both scoring a brace in the first half.

Smith would later grab his hat-trick as Canterbury scored their sixth goal of the game after 67 minutes, although Tasman were able to pull one back through substitute Alex Connor-McClean's penalty-kick to set up a thrilling finish.

Tasman co-coaches Andy Morris and Davor Tavich ran with a starting 11 that featured Nick Stanton in goal, a back four of Caleb Mazure, Caleb Gardiner, Tom Scott and Labu Pan, with captain Chester Gaskin, Thomas Amasia and Callan Elliot in midfield, and Tinashe Marowa and Van Roland Hlawn Ceu in behind striker Matt Tod-Smith.

The Tasman squad looked light in defence when it was announced earlier in the week so it was perhaps no surprise that it was the area where they were exposed.

However Morris said the words "back four" were not even mentioned during his halftime speech, saying the entire team did not transition into defence quick enough when they lost possession of the ball.

Morris said the team had been instructed to combat Canterbury's high pressing game, but failed to do so.

"We knew they would come out and press and want to win the ball high up the field in the first 10 to 15 minutes, and that's exactly what they did.

"We talked about being more intense but the reality is they were more intense and bossed the first 10 to 15 minutes and got a couple of goals as a result of that and we were on the back foot pretty much right from kickoff."

Although defence will be the clear work on in training next week, the obvious positive is the fact the team's attack was able to find the back of the net five times, exciting winger Marowa scoring twice, while Connor-McClean had a chance to pinch a goal at the death but Canterbury goalkeeper Lewis Gordon was up to the task and made the crucial save.

"Every time we go forward with enough intensity we look like we're going to score, and that's great. But it's just that transition to defence, particularly in the first half, wasn't where it needs to be ... and we can't afford to get to halftime having conceded that many goals."

Elliot, another one of Tasman's four goal-scorers, looked promising in midfield while Hlawn Ceu was tenacious when he slotted into right-back for the second half.

AT A GLANCE

Canterbury United 6 (Callum Smith 3, Lyle Matthysen 2, Aiden Barbour-Ryan) Tasman United 5 (Tinashe Marowa 2, Callan Elliot, Matt Tod-Smith, Alex Connor-McClean pen)

HT: 5-4