Technical Win Top Of The Table Clash

At the halfway stage of the Southern League (SL), Cashmere Technical top the table after defeating second-placed Christchurch United 4 - 2, with Coastal Spirit leapfrogging United when defeating Universities of Canterbury 5 - 1. Nelson Suburbs and Nomads won their respective mid table clashes, with Suburbs accounting for Dunedin City Royals 6 - 2 and Nomads coming from a goal down to edge Ferrymead Bays 2 - 1. Selwyn made it a clean sweep of wins for the 'home sides' when they accounted for bottomed placed FC Twenty 11, 4 - 0. 

Technical have doubled their lead to two points with 25, Coastal 23 with United remaining on 21. Suburbs have 16, Nomads 14 with both Bays and Royals on 10. Selwyn has seven with UC on 4 and FC yet to secure their first point.  

Cashmere Technical and Christchurch United came into their clash after being knocked out of the Chatham Cup last weekend. United came out on attack but it was Technical drawing first blood, against the run of play, a free-kick found Yuya Taguchi who then got the ball to an unmarked Jack Hallahan who cut back on to his left and shot around a defender with the ball curling into the post. After a period of pressure, United were back on level terms after a good run from Joel Peterson, with the ball falling to Matt Brazier who scored on the half-hour. United then had the better of the chances before the break. David Yoo continued with his scoring run showing his class when scoring with a classy finish to put United ahead. The lead was short-lived when Lachie McIssac was involved three times in a move from the restart. He received the ball for the final time from Hallahan and scored with a solid strike. Two minutes later McIssac was the provider after receiving the ball from Matt Tod-Smith. McIssac found Taguchi with a great pass, who had split the defence with a well-timed run before shooting under pressure from a defender. The shot had enough pace on it to get by keeper Steven Van Dijk and cross the goal line to put Technical back in front 3 - 2 with 30 to play. Nine minutes later United gave the ball away and Tod-Smith found an unmarked McIssac whose shot beat Van Dijk to double the lead. United continued to press forward for the remainder of the game. Still, Technical, who were missing five players attending  Garbhan Coughlan's wedding in Ireland later this week, defended as a team when required and looked to take the game to the defending champions when allowed but safely saw the game out. The result means United have now suffered two league defeats for the first time in three seasons. United have a game on Tuesday evening when they face Ferrymead Bays in the quarter-final of the Morrison Mitsubishi English Cup.   

Coastal Spirit was untroubled to account for UC and stay in touch with Technical, with Alex Steinwascher scoring in the opening minutes. Weston Bell scored direct from freekick to double the lead after 30 minutes. Jacob Killick pulled a goal back for the students before Jack Mitchell restored the two-goal buffer in the 36th minute before Steinwascher made it 4 - 1 just before the break when turning the ball home from a freekick. Midway into the second half, Api Rabuka completed the scoring, after Rabuka had been subbed on at the break after an injury to Coastal's captain Joe Hoole. The win saw Coastal retain the Hurley Shield.   

In a high-scoring game, Nelson Suburbs player Seb Hickman scored the fastest goal of the season when finding the back of the net just 17 seconds after a shot from Trevin Myers was blocked on the line. Dunedin City Royals were level in the 17th minute after a great strike from Nicolas Zambrano. Lennon Whewell had a simple tap-in after Royals keeper, Shaun Barclay could only half palm the ball away from a shot from Alex Ridsdale to give Suburbs the lead going to the break. Meyes then extended the lead in the opening minute of the second half. Both Whewell and Meyers both scored again for the home side and the final two goals came in added time. Zambrano scored his second from the penalty spot before Jack Carter spotted Barclay off his goal line, and slotted the ball home from 35 meters out.  

The game between Nomads and Ferrymead Bays was a tighter contest with the opening half ending scoreless. Cameron Rean returned to the Bays line-up after suffering an injury in Round 6, making an immediate impact after being subbed on in the 53rd minute, opening the scoring just after when left unmarked in front of goal and was untroubled to find the back of the net after receiving the ball from veteran, Chris Murphy. On the hour some poor defending by Bays allow Flynn Holdem to ghost in and meet a cross from Angus McIntyre from close range. With ten to play a long clearance upfield from Nomads keeper, Regan Frame was misread by a defender and was headed backwards which saw sub Nic Simpson race onto the loose ball and score in a one-on-one with Bays keeper, Kyle Hodge.  

Selwyn ended their six-game winless run with their four-goal split evenly in each half. Liam Coleman opened the scoring after just six minutes with his shot somehow missed by the diving FC Twenty 11 keeper, Finnhbarr Mounty. Coleman then made the most of a great ball from Tom Stewart to finish well to double the lead after 15 minutes. On the hour Coleman set up Stewart to make it 3 - 0 and 15 minutes later Sena Benseman completed the scoring.  

The league takes a break for the Chatham Cup next weekend. Round 10 sees Technical host Royals, Nomads face United, Selwyn take on Coastal, UC entertains Bays and on Sunday, Suburbs square off against FC.  

Results /Scorers - Round 9 of 18

Cashmere Technical 4 (Lachie McIssac 2, Jack Hallahan, Yuya Taguchi)
Christchurch United 2 (Matt Brazier, David Yoo)
HT 1 - 1 

Coastal Spirit 5 (Alejandro Steinwascher 2, Weston Bell, Jack Mitchell, Apisai Rabuka)
Universities of Canterbury 1 (Jacob Killick)
HT 4 - 1  

Nelson Suburbs 6 (Lennon Whewell 2, Trevin Myers 2, Sebastian Hickman, Jack Cater)
Dunedin City Royals 2 (Nicolas Zambrano 2 - incl. pen)
HT 2 - 1 

Nomads 2 (Flynn Holdem, Nick Simpson)
Ferrymead Bays 1 (Cameron Rean)
HT 0 - 0 

Selwyn 4 (Liam Coleman 2, Tom Stewart, Sena Benseman)
FC Twenty 11 0
HT 2 - 0   

Leading Scorers

18 Garbhan Coughlan - Cashmere Technical 

11 Alejandro Steinwascher - Coastal Spirit, Joel Stevens - Christchurch United 

9 Lyle Matthysen - Cashmere Technical 

7 Spencer Barber - Nelson Suburbs, Satsuki Ito - Ferrymead Bays, Trevin Myers - Nelson Suburbs, David Yoo - Christchurch United 

6 Jack Hallahan - Cashmere Technical, Flynn Holdem - Nomads United 

5 Weston Bell - Coastal Spirit, Matthew Brazier - Christchurch United, Will Turner - Dunedin City Royals, Lennon Whewell - Nelson Suburbs, Nicolas Zambrano - Dunedin City Royals 

4 Michael Hornsby - Christchurch United, Jacob Killick - Universities of Canterbury, Cameron Rean - Ferrymead Bays, Tom Schwarz - Cashmere Technical 

Roslyn Claims Final Spot In Women's South Island League 

Roslyn Wakari secured the final spot in the upcoming Women's South Island League when they defeated Universities of Canterbury (UC) 1 - 0 at Timaru, Aorangi Park. 

With so much on the game it was always going to be as close affair without an early goal to open the game up. After several half chances to both sides turned scoreless at the break. The stalemate continued into the second half and just when it looked like the game was going to head into extra time UC could only half-clear their line several times in quick succession the ball fell to Sophia Body who hit an unstoppable shot in the fifth minute of added time with the final whistle sounded straight after the ball from the back of the net. 

Roslyn now joins follow sides from Southern Football, Dunedin City Royals and Otago University along with Mainland's Cashmere Technical, the defending SI League title holders, Coastal Spirit SAS and Nelson Suburbs for the 10-round league which commences on the weekend of 22/23 June.  

Play-off Result / Scorer

Roslyn Wakari 1(Sophia Body)
Universities of Canterbury 0
HT 0 - 0 

Waimak Top CPL For First Time This Season

Waimak tops the New World Premiership table for the first time this season, with Waimak the third different leader in the three rounds. Waimak made the most when both of the top two sides coming into Round 7, Halswell and Cashmere Technical Reserves dropped points. 

Waimak had to come from a goal down at the break to defeat Parklands 4 - 1. Previous leader Halswell went down to the Christchurch United U20 Academy 3 - 0. Technical and Nomads Res. played out a scoreless draw. There was also a draw in the other all reserve match-up between Selwyn and Ferrymead Bays which ended 3 - 3 with the final game seeing Burwood defeat Western 4 - 1. 

Wamak leads on 14 points, 1 clear of Haswell, with Technical on 12. Selwyn and Burwood have 11 with United, Nomads and Bays on 10. Western are on 6 with Parklands at the bottom on 1.  

Results - Round 7 of 18

Burwood 4
Western 1
HT 1 - 1 

Cashmere Technical Res. 0
Nomads Res. 0  

Halswell 0
Christchurch United U20 Academy 3
HT 0 - 2 

Parklands 1
Waimak 4
HT 1 - 1  

Selwyn Res. 3
Ferrymead Bays Res. 3
HT 1 - 1

Article added: Monday 10 June 2024