Top Three Remain Unbeaten In Southern League

The two clashes involving sides in the top half of the table saw different styles of results with second-placed Cashmere Technical untroubled to defeat Nelson Suburbs - who held the third spot, 6 - 1, with fourth-placed Coastal Spirit edging fifth-placed Ferrymead Bays 1 - 0. Leaders Christchurch United continued on their winning run when defeating bottom-placed FC Twenty11 4 - 0. Dunedin City Royals picked up their first win when defeating Universities of Canterbury (UC) 4 - 0, with Selwyn and Nomads sharing the points in a 1 - 1 result. United have the maximum 15 points, two ahead of Technical with Coastal now moving into the top three on 11. Suburbs and Bays remain on 10 and seven respectively, Nomads now have 7. Royals leapfrog Selwyn on goal difference as both now have 4, with both UC and FC yet to secure a point. 

Technical produced one of those displays in the opening half which can take the game away from any side, dominating the scoring chances with the game taken away from Suburbs by the break when holding a four-goal lead. Garbhan Coughlan again led the way up front, scoring the opening two goals before Lyle Matthysen got the third and Matt Tod-Smith ended any hopes that Suburbs may have had when he scored just before the break. Coughlan completed his hat-trick early in the second half, this thirteenth goal in four straight games before Trevin Myers pulled a goal back on the hour. With both sides then clearing their benches out the game became disjointed at times with Yusuf Van Dam having the final say when completing the scoring deep in added time.    

It was a hard-fought derby between Coastal and Bays and with both sides having former players in their squad, there was always going to be an added edge to the game. Both sides then had early chances before Bays had a good period and somewhat Coastal went ahead, somewhat against the run of play when former Bays defender, Alex Meaclem made a late run in from a Coastal corner and got down low to force the ball home just inside the far post. The remainder of the game was willing as the referee, Calvin Berg allowed the game to develop, without any cards being issued. In the end, Coastal held on to claim the win and retain the Hurley Shield with Bays feeling that they had done enough to earn a share of the points. 

FC Twenty 11 put in their best defensive effect of the season when keeping United scoreless in the opening half with keeper, Harri Rowe producing several fine saves in quick succession just before the break with United also not helping their cause with too many shots either got wide or over the post. David Yoo opened the scoring just after the break with Michael Hornsby then scoring twice in the space of ten minutes to take the game away from FC. To FC credit the floodgates did not open with Joel Petersen adding the final goal in the final minutes of added time. 

In Dunedin, the Royals secured their first win of the season while also claiming their first clean sheet. Hugh Jack gave his side the ideal start when scoring after just five minutes. Ryan Mairs then doubled the lead on the half-hour before Connor Neil extended the lead on the break. The scoring was completed when Royal captain, Hayden Aish found the back of the net in second-half added time.  

Selwyn and Nomads could not be separated in Rolleston. After a scoreless opening half, Flynn Holdem put Nomads ahead on the hour before Finlay Cotton who had only been subbed on minutes earlier scored his maiden SL goal in thev79th minutes to earn the stallion a share of the points.   

In the coming round, the key fixture will be the top three clash between United and Coastal, the Royals host FC, Bays take on Selwyn, and Suburbs travel south to face Nomads with the final game seeing UC entertaining Technical.   

Results / Scorers - Round 5 of 18 

Coastal Spirit 1 (Alex Meaclem)
Ferrymead Bays 0
HT 1 - 0 

Dunedin City Royals 4 (Hugh Jack, Ryan Mairs, Connor Neil, Hayden Aish)
Universities of Canterbury 0
HT 3 - 0 

FC Twenty11 0
Christchurch United 4 (Michael Hornsby 2, David Yoo, Joel Petersen)
HT 0 - 0 

Nelson Suburbs 1 (Trevin Myers)
Cashmere Technical 6 (Garbhan Coughlan 3, Lyle Matthysen, Matt Tod-Smith, Yusuf Van Dam)
HT 4 - 0 

Selwyn 1 (Finlay Cotton)
Nomads 1 (Flynn Holdem)
HT 0 - 0 

Technical Back On Top Of Women's Qualifying League

Cashmere Technical are back on top of the South Island Women's Qualifying League (SQL) after they overrun Halswell 14 - 1, with previous leaders Universities of Canterbury (UC) going down away to Nelson Suburbs 4 - 2 while Coastal Spirit SAS secured their first win of the season when accounting for Selwyn 6 - 0 with NW United having the bye. Technical top the table on goal difference over UC, with both on 9 points, Suburbs 7, Coastal 4, NW United and Halswell 3 and Selwyn 0, with UC, Selwyn and Halswell yet to have the bye. 

Former Football Fern, Aimee Phillips lead the way for Technical bagging six of the goals with Anna McPhie 4 and Annie Gilchrist a brace with the other goals going to Lara Wall and Lainey Altieri-Need - her first SQL strike. Rachel Brodie replied for the Hawks in the opening half which saw Tech. leading 8 - 1 at the break.  

Suburbs made all the early running with Jasmine Barney giving the home side an early lead with Geena Horne doubling the lead minutes later before Abigail Platt made it 3 - 0 midway into the first half. Gillian Morgan then ended any hopes of a UC comeback by making it 4 - 0 before Jasmine Donald pulled a goal back on the hour with Gillian Morgan adding UC second goal late in the game. 

Coastal found finally found their scoring touch after Selwyn had kept them scoreless for the opening 35 minutes, before they then scored five times before the break. Samantha Whyte opened the scoring with Whitney Hepburn, Laura Newman and Whyte added three more goals in two minutes. Newman then scored her second in added time, before going on to complete her hat trick after the break with the result moving Coastal into the top four for the first time this season. 

The top three finishers automatically qualify for a place in the upcoming South Island League (SIL), along with the top two from the Southern Football Qualifying League with the final place in the SIL coming from a play-off between the fourth-placed finisher in the SQL and the third-placed finisher down Southern Football. 

Round 5 fixtures see UC playing Coastal, Halswell taking on NW United with Technical playing Selwyn.   

Results / Scorers - Round 4 or 7 

Cashmere Technical 14 (Aimee Phillips 6, Anna McPhie 4, Annabel Gilchrist 2, Lara Wall, Lainey Altieri-Need)
Halswell 1 (Rachel Brodie)
HT 8 - 1 

Coastal Spirit SAS 6 (Laura Newman 3, Samatha Whyte 2, Whitney Hepburn)
Selwyn 0
HT 4 - 0 

Nelson Suburbs 4 (Jasmine Barney, Geena Horne, Abigail Platt, Gillian Morgan)
Universities of Canterbury 2 (Jasmine Donald, Beth Elliot)
HT 3 - 0 

NW United the bye 

Chatham Cup Underway

The Chatham Cup kicked off for 10 sides around the Mainland Football Region over the weekend as the Preliminary Round of the National Knock Out Cup was contested with one tie between HSOB and Halswell to be played at 7 pm Monday at Kakaha Park, Prebbleton. 

In the Nelson area, FC Nelson and Richmond advanced when they defeated Motueka (9 - 0) and Mapua Rangers (2 - 0) respectively and they will join Nelson Suburbs and Tuhuna, who had byes in the next round when the Round 1 draw is conducted by NZ Football. 

Waimak were the big winners when they accounted for neighbours, Oxford FC - who were having their first outing in the cup 13 - 0. Burwood needed extra time before getting up over Parklands 5 - 2 with the final tie seeing Western, who have lifted the trophy 6 times, edging St Albans Shirley 2 - 1. The winners will go into the Round 1 draw with Cashmere Technical, Coastal Spirt, Christchurch United, FC Twenty 11, Ferrymead Bays Hornby, Nomads and Selwyn, with this round scheduled to be played over the weekend of 10 - 12 May. 

Preliminary Round - Results / Scorers 

FC Nelson 9 (Tim Newson 2, Andres Viveros Enrriquez 2, James Harris, Tjark Hansen, Finn Rudy, Jamane Wilson, Canaan Khupchawn)
Motueka 0
HT 3 - 0 

Mapua Rangers 0
Richmond 2 (Sam Barnett, Findley Mold)  

Parklands 3 (Miles Gruschow, James Bailey, Jack Norris)
Burwood 5 (Chris Braithwaite, Jack Woolcott, Elijah Austen, Joe Davies)
HT 2 - 2
FT 3 - 3 aet 

Waimak 13 (Danny Loney 6, Daniel Ribeiro De Abreu 4, Seb De Bono 2, Liam Paterson, Liam Brandso)
Oxford FC 0
HT 5 - 0 

Western 2 (Nicolas King, Scott Zimmerman)
St Albans Shirley 1 (Guilherme Simon)
HT 2 - 0  

HSOB vs. Halswell - Monday 7pm 

Article added: Tuesday 30 April 2024