Interest At Both Ends Of The Table As Finish Line In Sight

There are several key matchups in Round 16 of the South League (SL) which will affect final placings at either end of the table. In Dunedin, third placed Dunedin City Royals host second placed Cashmere Technical at Logan Park at midday. A Royals win will keep their outside chances of a National League spot alive and a win for Technical, will secure them a top two finish. In a vital game to avoid finishing in bottom place, Selwyn (9th) and Green Island (8th) meet at Foster Park. A win for either side is likely to secure their SL status for 2024. At 2:45pm Nomads host Coastal Spirit at Tulett Park. Coastal cannot afford to drop any points if they are still in the hunt to finish second. The game between Ferrymead Bays and FC Twenty11 has been moved to English Park at 5pm with FC needing all the points on offer if they have any hope of avoid finishing in the automatic relegation spot. The final game will be played on Sunday at Saxton Fields at midday with Nelson Suburbs facing leaders Christchurch United, with United looking to extend their season long unbeaten run going into their Chatham Cup semi-final tie next weekend.  

The Royals will be out to complete the 'double' over Technical this season and come into the clash off a solid 7 - 0 against FC in the previous round and maintain their solid form at 'home' having only dropped one game. Technical have been on the improve in recently and have yet to taste defeat on the road this season and will be out to wrap up a slot in the National League.

Form:
Royals D D L L D W 
Technical W W W L p/p W                            

Previous Result This Season:
Technical 2 Royals 3 

League Head-to-Head:
Royals 1 Win, Technical 2 Wins 

With both sides chasing the win it is likely to be an open game between Selwyn and Green Island as both teams chase the 'W'. Green Island will be chasing their third win on the road in recent weeks, with Selwyn out to inflict their first win over their rivals in the SL but they will be without captain Jack Allatt who is suspended. 

Form:
Selwyn L D L L W L
Green Island p/p W L W L L 

Previous Results This Season:
Green Island 4 Selwyn 1  

League Head-to-Head:
Draw 1, Green Island 2 Wins 

With only one loss in their last six games which has moved Nomads well away from the drop zone and will be out to continue their good run which could see them finish in the top half of the table. Coastal took out the first encounter 2 - 1 and will have to be at their best claim off all the points on offer as they push for a top three finish.  

Form:
Nomads W L W p/p D W
Coastal: L L W W W L                               

Previous Result This Season:
Coastal 2 Nomads 1  

League head-to-head:
Nomads 1 Win, Draws 1, Coastal 1 Win   

It will have to be all out attack from FC as they look to end an eight-game losing run and keep alive hopes of avoiding the drop, which is likely to cause gaps at the back for Bays to exploit. FC's last win came in when they caused the upset when getting up over Bays 3 - 0. 

Form:
Bays W L W W L L
FC L L L L L L

Previous Result This Season:
FC 3 Bays 0  

League Head-to-Head:
FC 1 Win 

Two wins in their last two outings will give Suburbs hope going into their clash with United and if Suburbs can claim maximum points in their last three games they could finish as high as third. United have yet to drop a league point Suburbs, winning the Round 7 encounter 4 - 0, but with one eye on the Chatham Cup team management may not risk playing Daniel MacLennan and Abdul Khalifi, who would miss the cup game if were to receive a yellow card.  

Form:
Suburbs: W L D L W W
United p/p W W W W W        

Previous Result This Season:
United 4 Suburbs 0 

League Head-to-Head:
United 3 Wins        

Coastal Chasing Another Appearance In Kate Sheppard Cup Final

Coastal Spirit SAS will be chasing their fourth Kate Sheppard Cup Final when they play Auckland's Western Springs at Seddon Fields at 2pm on Sunday with the other semi final between Eastern Suburbs (Auckland) and Wellington United. 

Coastal, who lifted the cup in 2011, will have to be at their best against Western Springs who are currently sitting into third place in the highly competitive Northern Premiership, with a 7 win, 3 draw and 2 loss record with 41 goals for and 15 against. They have already secured a place in the Women's National League and are chasing a win on Sunday to reach what would be their  first cup final. Coastal have been slightly off their high standards this season, with a number of players missing games due to injuries and being out of town for various reason and will be looking to experienced strikers, Mel Cameron and Britney-Lee Nicholson, to lead the front line and at the other end of the park, keeper Una Foyle, and defender's captain, Whitney Hepburn and Lauren Dabner, both dangerous at set pieces. 

Path To Semi's

Coastal Spirit SAS

Round 1. Universities of Canterbury (H) 1 - 0 

Round 2. Cashmere Technical (H) 4 - 2 

Round 3. Nelson Suburbs (A) 6 - 0 

Quarter-Final. Dunedin City Royals (A) 1 - 0 

Western Springs

Round 1. bye 

Round 2. Lakes FC (A) 0 - 12 

Round 3. Auckland United (H) 3 - 0 

Quarter-Final. Fencibles United (H) 3 - 1 

Top Verses Bottom

Round 8 of the Women's South Island League sees leaders Cashmere Technical away to Nelson Suburbs at Saxton Fields on Sunday at 1:30pm and on Saturday it is the battle of the students when Otago University (OU) at Universities of Canterbury at the Caledonian Ground at 12:30pm with the game between Coastal Spirit SAS and Dunedin City Royals deferred until 2 September due to Coastal's playing in the Kate Sheppard Cup semi-final. 

OU and UC come into their clash setting in the bottom half of the table with both having played well in recent rounds against teams in the top half of the table without securing what would have been deserved wins. When the sides met in Christchurch OU came out on top 3 - 1.   

Form:
OU L W L L D
UC D L L W L L  

Previous Result: UC 1 OU 3                                     

Technical will be out to maintain their unbeaten run on the league when they travel north to face Suburbs., with Technical looking to make it a double over Suburbs after they won the earlier encounter 3 - 1. Technical will be hoping fatigue is not a factor after they needed extra time midweek in their Morrison Mitsubishi Reta Fitzpatrick Semi-Final before knocking out current Cup holder, Coastal 3 - 2.    

Form:
Suburbs L L L L L L
Technical W W D W W W      

Previous Result: Technical 3 Suburbs 1        

Universities Closing In On CPL Title

Universities will be out to close in on the New World Premiership in Round 17 when they face bottom placed Western at Walter Park at 2:45pm with the win putting UC within one points of the title. At the same time Waimak play Burwood at Kendal Park. Cashmere Technical Reserves, the only side that can top UC play Parklands at Garrick Memorial Park at 12:30pm with Nomads Reserves facing Halswell at the same time at Tulett Park. 

Article added: Friday 11 August 2023