Second Half Of Southern League Underway

This weekend marks the commencement of the second half of the Southern League (SL) season - nine rounds an a possible 27 points available for all sides to secure a top two finish and National League Championship qualification or secure enough points to avoid bottom place and automatic relegation.

Christchurch United currently head the table by five points, are favourites for a top two finish - if not back-to-back SL titles, with Cashmere Technical and the Dunedin City Royals, currently in second and third place respectively - separated by a single point, looking the best to chase down United. The next three are Coastal Spirit, Ferrymead Bay and Nelson Suburbs - this trio all needing to put together a solid run of wins, while hoping those above them suffer a reverse of form if they are to finish in the top two. The remaining four, Nomads - 7 points, Green Island, Selwyn and FC Twenty11 - all latter three all on 6, will be out to at least double their present points total to ensure they do not face the drop.

Round 10 starts at midday at Sunnyvale with Green Island hosting United. At 1:30pm Nomads face Royals at Tulett Park. At 2:45pm Technical entertain FC at Garrick Memorial Park. The remaining two games will be played at midday on Sunday, Suburbs taking on Selwyn at Saxton Fields and Coastal squaring off against Bays in the Battle of the Estuary.  

United should be too strong for Green Island, with the leaders looking to return to their winning ways after dropping their first points of the season when drawing against a 10-men Technical side in the previous round.  

Form:
Green Island L L L W L L                         
United W W W W W D 
Previous Result This Season: United 3 Green Island 0 
League Head-to-Head: United 3 Wins   

The bulk of Nomads points have come in the previous two-rounds, and they are chasing their third home win of the season, but they will be wary of the Royals who will be looking to get their season back on track after losing to Coastal in Round 9 and then being knocked-out of the Chatham Cup last weekend by Wanaka. In both games the Royals failed to score.  

Form:
Nomads L L W L D W 
Royals W D W W W L    
Previous Result This Season: Royals 3 Nomads 0         
League Head-to-Head: Royals 3 Wins  

Technical will be out to make it two wins over FC this season, after winning the opening encounter 6 - 0 but FC have shown battling qualities since that result and with Hurley Shield on the line FC will have added reason for the win which would likely see them climb off the foot of the table.   

Form:
Technical D W W L W D
FC W L L W L L                                    
Previous Result This Season: FC 0 Technical 6 
League Head-to-Head: Technical 1 Win          

In what looks to be a hard game to call, Coastal have shown a rich vein of form in recent rounds, with just one defeat in six rounds with Bays having secured two wins over the same period. Coastal have yet to defeat Bays in the league with the opening encounter going in favour of Bays 3 - 0. 

Form:
Coastal: D W L W W W
Bays L W L L L W 
Previous Result This Season: Bays 3 Coastal 0 
League Head-to-Head: 1 Draw, Bays 2 Wins 

Selwyn head north desperate for points having not secure a point in their last six rounds, one of their two wins coming when they defeated Suburbs 4 - 1 on the opening day of the season. Suburbs have turned their season around since then with just a single loss in the last six rounds and averaging almost 3 goals per game. The Selwyn defender's will have to keep a close eye on Connor Gillespie, who scored four goals in Round 9 and then backed that haul up with a staggering seven of Suburbs 9 goals against Motueka in last weekend's Chatham Cup round.   

Form:
Suburbs: W D W L D W
Selwyn L L L L L L 
Previous Results This Season: Selwyn 4 Suburbs 1 
League Head-to-Head: Suburbs 2 Wins, Selwyn 1 Win 

Tight Battle In Premiership Continues

The battle to become the New World Premiership is almost at the halfway stage as Round 10 of 21 will be played out on Saturday. Leader's Halswell take on Burwood at Halswell Domain at 2:45pm, with Halswell the favourites going into the game, but Burwood have found their scoring touch in recent rounds so will be out to upset the leaders. Parklands will be looking to regain their winning way when they travel to Walter Park to take on Western, who set at the foot of the table. Kendall Park is the venue when Waimak, on the improve in recent weeks take on third placed Universities. The final game will be played at the earlier time of 11am when the Nomads Reserves host their Cashmere Technical counterparts, who are currently seeing in second place.   

New Era for Women's Game

The first ever home and away league for women's teams in the South Island will start this weekend with six teams contesting the Women's South Island League over ten rounds. The sides that will contest the league are two sides from Southern Football - Dunedin City Royals and Otago University, and four from the Mainland Football - Coastal Spirit SAS, Cashmere Technical, Nelson Suburbs and Universities of Canterbury (UC). The league will see the top sides from the South Island to play each other week in week in a league format, which should lead to some tight games which will also help players for both Southern United and Canterbury Pride to prepare for the National League latter in the season.   

Round 1 see's Coastal hosting Otago University at English Park with Suburbs facing UC at Saxton Oval with both games having 12:30pm kick-offs on Saturday. On Sunday, Royals entertain Technical at Logan Park. 

New World Women's Premiership Also Underway

The ten round New World Women's Premiership also gets underway on Saturday, with the Premiership bringing together the bottom three sides from the South Island Qualifying League - FC Nomads, Selwyn and Halswell Christchurch United and top three sides of the recently completed Canterbury Championship Div 1 - Universities Maroon, Halswell Green and Cashmere Technical Reserves.   

All games kick off at 2:45pm with Round 1 fixtures seeing Selwyn host FC Nomads at Foster Park. Halswell ChCh United take in Halswell Green at the United Sports Centre with English Park the venue when Universities Maroon face Technical.  

Article added: Friday 09 June 2023