Southern League Top Three Extend Cap Over Rivals

The top three sides in the Southern League all record wins in Round 8, to increase the points gap over their rivals. Leader's Cashmere Technical again had to work hard to edge Ferrymead Bays 3 -2. Defending champions, Christchurch United picked up a solid 4 - 0 over fourth placed Nelson Suburbs 4 - 0 with third-placed Coastal Spirit not pressed when getting up over bottomed-place FC Twenty 11 7 - 0. Dunedin City Royals moved well close of the foot of the table when accounting for Selwyn 3 - 0, with Universities of Canterbury securing a vital point when scoring in added time to draw with Nomads 1 - all.

Technical has 22 points, United 21 and Coastal 20. Suburbs remain on 13, Nomads move to 11, one ahead of Bays and Royals. UC are now in 8th place, on goal difference, over Selwyn, with both teams on 4 with FC still chasing their first point. 

Bays opened the scoring against Technical when Charlie Peacocke found the back of the net in the 30th minute with Yuya Taguchi equalising minutes later, with the half ending with Bays having a good shout for a penalty for handball waved away by officials. The tight tussle continued until Jack Hallahan put Technical ahead for the first time in the game in the 62nd minute. Bays continued to press forward and were back on level terms when substitute, Nikolas Fairley levelled with eight minutes of normal time to play. Technical was back in front when Hallahan scored four minutes later, the 1000th SL goal since the 10 team, 18-game format resumed in 2022. Technical then had to survive several close chances from Bays in ten minutes of added time before claiming the three points.  

United made the most of an advantage they had when mounting attacks down the left flank and after several chances finally had the ball in the back of the net after a good finish from Matt Brazier in the 14th minute. Two more goals in the space of two minutes, the first to captain Joel Stevens which was quickly followed by Brazier's second. In added time David Yoo finished well to make it 4 - 0. Suburbs rallied after the break but the damage had already been done with both sides denied goals by the post late in the game. 

Coastal made all of the early running with Ryan Stanley and Liam Cotter scoring in the opening minutes before FC's Sena Eady turned a shot from Auston Kranick into his own net. On the half-hour, Stanley bagged his second before Alex Meaclem added Coastal's fifth goal before Cotter extended the lead before the break. The posts saved FC several times into the second half along with offside flag going up often with Kenshin Hayashi scoring Coastal's final goal with 15 to play after being subbed on minutes earlier. FC ended a man down after keeper, Harri Rowe received two yellows, both for dissent in a matter of seconds, in added time.  

After winning the toss Selwyn elected to play into a strong wind which the home side took advantage of from the opening minutes with Selwyn saved by their post from a shot by Connor Neil, with Neil going off injured on the half hour. The Royals continued with the bulk of the attacking play but had to wait until just before the break to take the lead with Will Turner tapping home after a good build-up. Selwyn had more of the ball after the break but went further behind when Oban Hawkins finished a move involving Nicolas Zambrano and Raven August. Zambrano added the third minutes later to give the Royals their third win in the last four rounds. 

For the second week in a row, Nomads failed to make the most of their early scoring chances which came back to haunt them. Flynn Holden finally finished off a Nomads chance when scoring just before the break, his fifth goal of the season. Nomads then went a player down when Luke Pritchard received a straight when bringing a player down when well out but heading towards goal. Nomads were still creating chances but UC made three late subs, with the game going into added time, won several corners in a row with Hunter Hine putting the ball into the net as Nomads felt a defender had been pushed away when attempting to clear the ball before it fell to Hine.   

The league resumes in a fortnight after the Chatham Cup round over Kings Birthday Weekend. Round 9 features the match-up between the top two sides with Technical at home against United and Coastal facing UC. Nomads host Bays, and the Royals travel north to face Suburbs with Selwyn having the home advantage in the bottom-of-the-table clash with FC.  

Results / Scorers - Round 8 of 18

Christchurch United 4 (Matthew Brazier 2, Joel Stevens, David Yoo)
Nelson Suburbs 0
HT 4 - 0 

Dunedin City Royals 3 (Will Turner, Oban Hawkins, Nicolas Zambrano)
Selwyn 0
HT 3 - 0 

FC Twenty 11 0
Coastal Spirit 7 (Ryan Stanley 2, Lian Cotter 2, Alex Meaclem, Kenshin Hayashi, own goal)
HT 0 - 6  

Ferrymead Bays 2 (Charlie Peacocke, Nikolas Fairley)
Cashmere Technical 3 (Jack Hallahan 2, Yuya Taguchi)
HT 1 - 1 

Universities of Canterbury 1 (Hunter Hine)
Nomads 1 (Flynn Holdem)
HT 0 - 1 

Top Four Finishing Order To Be Confirmed

A flight cancellation meant Selwyn could not fly north to play Nelson Suburbs in their final fixture in the Women's SI Qualifying League (SIQL), meaning that the final finishing order of the top four is yet to be confirmed. The top three automatically qualify for the South Island League (SIL), with the fourth placed team playing off with the third-placed team from the Southern Football Qualifying League (SFQL) for the sixth and final spot in the SIL. 

Cashmere Technical competed the SIQL without dropping a point, when they overrun Universities of Canterbury (UC) 8 - 0, outgoing champions, Coastal Spirit SAS locked up second place when defeating NW United 2 - 0 with Halswell having the bye. Technical top the table with 18 points, seven clear of Coastal with UC have 10, Suburbs 7, Halswell and NW United 6 with Selwyn on 0. If Suburbs claim maximum points from the postponed game, they will move into third place, as they defeated UC when they met in Round 4. Dunedin City Royals finished on top of the SFQL, with Roslyn Wakari in second place with Otago University in third to move into the one-off play-off game which will be played at a neutral venue.   

Technical took an early lead when Emma Kench scored in the third minute with Kate Loye then claiming a double later in the half to see her side go to the break by a three-goal margin. There were five different scorers after the break, Aimee Phillips, Anna McPhie, Leanna Ryan, Annalie Longo - having a final twenty-minute cameo, her first time on the park since a serious injury when at the Wellington Pheonix with Margi Dias scoring the final goal in injury time. Phillips topped the Golden Boot standings with 12 goals, three ahead of teammate McPhie, with UC's Katie Harris finishing with 7. 

Coastal again found goals hard to come by when they took on newcomer NW United - who needed the win to make the top four. In an even opening half the sides turned scoreless at the break. The deadlock was finally broken when Mel Cameron found the back of the net on the hour. NW hopes of a positive result ending then substitute Ella Hanton scored her maiden senior goal when doubling the lead in added time.  

Results / Scorers - Round 7 of 7

NW United 0
Coastal Spirit SAS 2 (Mel Cameron, Ella, Hanton)
HT 0 - 0  

Universities of Canterbury 0
Cashmere Technical 8 (Kate Loye 2, Emma Kench, Aimee Phillips, Leanna Ryan, Annalie Longo, Margi Dias)
HT 0 - 3 

Nelson Suburbs vs. Selwyn - postponed 

Halswell - the bye 

Golden Boot - Top 10

12 Aimee Phillips (Technical) 

9 Anna McPhie (Technical) 

7 Katie Harris (UC) 

4 Laura Newman (Coastal) 

3 Emily Lauer (Suburbs) 

3 Lara Wall (Technical) 

3 Margi Dias (Technical) 

3 Mel Cameron (Coastal) 

3 Rachel Brodie (Halswell) 

3 Samantha Whyte (Coastal) 

Halswell Return To Top Of CPL 

Halswell are back on top of the New World Premiership after they defeated Ferrymead Bays Reserves 6 - 3 with the Hawks leading 4 - 1 at the break. Waimak and Cashmere Technical Res., who were in second and first place respectively coming into the round, could not be separated with the game ending in a 1 - 1 draw. Selwyn Res. moved into fourth place when they accounted for Nomads Res. 2 - 0. Burwood claimed their second win in a row when scoring in the opening minutes to edge Christchurch United U20 Academy 1 - 0, with the result seeing Burwood leapfrog United on the table. Western also made it two wins on the bounce when defeating Parklands 4 - 1.  

Halswell now have 13 points, Technical and Waimak have 11, one ahead of Selwyn. Nomads and Bays remain on 9, with Burwood on 8. United stay on 7, Western moves to 6, five ahead of Parklands on 1.   

Results - Round 6 of 18

Christchurch United U20 Academy 0
Burwood 1
HT 0 - 1 

Ferrymead Bays Res. 3
Halswell 6
HT 1 - 4 

Nomads Res. 0
Selwyn Res. 2
HT 0 - 1 

Waimak 1
Cashmere Technical Res. 1
HT 1 - 0 

Western 4
Parklands 1
HT 2 - 0 

Article added: Monday 27 May 2024