Coastal Close Within A Point Of Technical

Coastal Spirit closed the gap at the top of the Southern League (SL) to just a point when ending leaders Cashmere Technical's unbeaten run in the league when winning 2 - 0, with third-placed Christchurch United leaving it to the final minutes before edging Universities of Canterbury (UC) 1 - 0. On a game that could have gone either way, Ferrymead Bays came out on top of Dunedin City Royals, 3 - 2, with Nelson Suburbs and Selwyn sharing the points in a goal feast up in Nelson with all eight goals coming in the opening half, with Nomads dominating FC Twenty 11 but could only defeat the cellar dweller's 2 - 0.

With two-thirds of the league now completed, Technical have 31 points, Coastal now has 30 with United on 27. Suburbs have 21, with Bays 19 and Nomads 17. The Royals remain on 13, and Selwyn are now in eighth place on 8, UC 7 with FC on 0. 

The top of the table clash was a tight affair in the opening half with both sides turning scoreless at the break. Coastal Spirit's Danny Boys rattled the crossbar with a dipping long-range crack early in the second half. Cashmere Technical then failed to make the most of a good period with no one able to get on to the end of two Aiden Barbour-Ryan crosses with Coastal finally breaking the deadlock when Alex Steinwascher finished a flowing Coastal move on the hour. Barbour-Ryan then went close for Technical but Coastal doubled their lead from the penalty spot after Tech. keeper, Frewen Watts fouled Weston Bell in the area. Unlike the previous league clash between the sides, Technical could not claw back Coastal's two-goal lead with Coastal worthy of their win, with this just the second time Technical has been kept scoreless in a league game at home in three seasons. 

The Dunedin City Royals scored the only goals of the opening half when En Watanabe found the back of the net deep into first-half added time, from a rebound after his spot kick, awarded when Raven August was brought down, was blocked by keeper, Kyle Hodge. Ferrymead Bays were back on level terms thanks to an own goal in the 66th minute. The final ten minutes were full of action with Luca Marson scoring his first SL goal to put Bays ahead for the first time in the game, from a corner with Satsuki Ito then extending the lead, also from a corner with the Royals feeling their keeper, Alex Boomer had been impeded. The Royals then pulled a goal back when Matthew Adye scored in the final minute of normal time, which led to a hectic period of added time before Bays claimed their third straight win. 

Nomads dominated the scoring chances in the opening half but not for the first time this season, failed to convert their chances but had a scare when FC Twenty 11 best chance found the post. The deadlock was finally broken when Flynn Holdem scored his eighth strike of the league in the 56th minute with FC continuing to battle hard before Cody Johnson came into the game off the bench to score his first SL goal in the 90th minute. The result gives FC an unwanted record for the most consecutive league losses for a Christchurch club in the top flight, now on 23 with the previous record of 22 held by Woolston WMC back in 2002. 

Nelson Suburbs looked to be in control of the game against Selwyn when they went two ahead after early goals to Lennon Whewell and a 'goal of the round' 25m strike from Alex Ridsdale. The Suburbs defence then struggled to contain the speed of Darius Van Wyk which led to the two penalties, which Jamie Carrodus was untroubled to dispatch in in the 20th and 28th minutes. In between the spot kicks Trevin Myers scored Suburb's third goal. Five minutes before the break Finlay Cotton finished off a cross from Van Wyk to make it 3 - 3. Myers then showed his class to put Suburbs back ahead in the 45th minute only to have Selwyn storm back to reply from the kick-off, with Cotton finishing well to claim a double. After all the goals in the opening half, it was surprising that there were no further goals in the game as both teams had chances to claim the win.  

It was the complete opposite on the front of the goal in the other Sunday game between UC and Christchurch United. United dominated the attacking chances but could not break down the UC defence, well led by Max McGuinness and Jacob Unwin. Both sides had chances into the second half but United knew that a draw would put a major dent in hopes of a third straight title lifted in the final quarter with their top scoring, Joel Stevens strangely well-off target with several good chances and with time almost up UC failed to clear from a corner and Zachary Bennett forcing the ball home for his first SL goal after having been subs on minutes earlier.  

In Round 14 fixtures, United travel south to take on the Royals, FC Twenty 11 face Bays with Selwyn hosting Technical. On Sunday, Suburbs entertain UC with Coastal going up against Nomads. 

Results / Scorers - Round 12 of 18

Cashmere Technical 0
Coastal Spirit 2 (Alex Steinwascher - incl pen)
HT 0 - 0 

Ferrymead Bays 3 (Luca Marson, Satsuki Ito, own goal)
Dunedin City Royals 2 (En Watanabe, Matthew Adye)
HT 0 - 1 

Nomads 2 (Flynn Holdem, Cody Johnson)
FC Twenty 11 0
HT 0 - 0 

Nelson Suburbs 4 (Trevin Myers 2, Lennon Whewell, Alex Ridsdale)
Selwyn 4 (Jamie Carrodus 2 pens, Finlay Cotton 2)
HT 4 - 4 

Universities of Canterbury 0
Christchurch United 1 (Zachary Bennett)
HT 0 - 0  

Golden Boot

18 Garbhan Coughlan (Cashmere Technical) 

14 Alex Steinwascher (Coastal Spirit) 

11 Joel Stevens (Christchurch United) 

9 Lennon Whewell (Nelson Suburbs) 

9 Lyle Matthysen (Cashmere Technical) 

9 Trevin Myers (Nelson Suburbs) 

8 Flynn Holdem (Nomads) 

8 Jack Hallahan (Cashmere Technical) 

8 Satsuki Ito (Ferrymead Bays) 

7 David Yoo (Christchurch United) 

7 Spencer Barber (Nelson Suburbs) 

6 Will Turner (Dunedin Technical Royals)  

Top Three Open Gap In SI Women's League

The South Island Women's League had developed a gap between the top three and bottom three sides after the latest round. Defending champions Cashmere Technical romped to a 10 - 1 win over Nelson Suburbs, Dunedin City Royals defeated Roslyn Wakari 3 - 0 with Coastal Spirit SAS accounting for Otago University 2 - 0.

Technical and the Royals both maintain their perfect start to the league when moving to 9 points, Coastal with 6, with Suburbs and Suburbs on 1 with University yet to claim a point.   

The opening thirty minutes between Cashmere Technical and Nelson Suburbs was a tight affair, thanks to several great saves from Suburbs keeper Libby Hayday-Smith before the score blew out. Emma Kench opened the scoring to Technical before Suburbs replied when Sola Tsuruta slotted home a penalty after she had been brought down in the box. Kench then scored three more times in a five minute, late in the half with Margi Dias smashing home the fifth on the stroke of halftime. The hard-working Anna McPhie was rewarded when scoring just after the break with Hayday-Smith then bravely saving from Dias, with the keeper continuing after heavy contact when both players were going for the ball. Suburbs continued to push forward with success with Tech keeper, Scarlett Gray called in to make several saves before Lara Wall, Denva Perrott, Ava Herrick and Lainey Altieri-Need all added goals for Technical with the final score harsh against the visiting side. 

In the Dunedin derby game, it was a real battle in the opening minutes which saw both sides turn scoreless at the break. The Dunedin City Royals finally opened the scoring with twenty to play, when Tahia Roome found the back of the net. Five minutes later substitute, Charlotte Summers doubled the lead to give the Royals some breathing space. In the final minute of normal time the Royals captain, Hannah MacKay-Wright completed her side's second-half dominance over Roslyn Wakari when scoring from the penalty spot.      

Coastal Spirit made it two wins on the bounce when overcoming a determined Otago University who were having their first trip on the road. Just before the break Mel Cameron, scored the opening goal, her second goal in as many games. Cameron then claimed a double early in the second to take the game away from the students. 

In the upcoming round University faces Roslyn on Saturday and the following day, arch-rivals Coastal and Technical going head-to-head with the Royals hosting Suburbs.  

Results / Scorers - Round 3 of 10

Cashmere Technical 10 (Emma Kench 4, Margi Dias, Anna McPhie, Lara Wall, Denva Perrott, Ava Herrick, Lainey Altieri-Need)
Nelson Suburbs 1 (Sola Tsuruta - pen)
HT 5 - 1 

Coastal Spirit SAS 2 (Mel Cameron 2)
Otago University 0
HT 1 - 0 

Roslyn 0
Dunedin City Royals 3 (Tahia Roome, Charlotte Summers, Hannah Mackay-Wright - pen)
HT 0 - 0 

Points: Technical 9, Royals 9, Coastal 6, Suburbs 1, Roslyn 1, University 0 

Waimak Continue On Winning Way In CPL

Leader's Waimak continued on their winning ways in the New World Premiership when the defeated Halswell 3 - 1 with the result likely to have ended any hopes that Halswell had of lifting the title. The Hawks now drop another place on the table to sit in sixth place, 11 points behind Waimak. Cashmere Technical Reserves maintained second spot by defeating Parklands 2 - 0. Burwood continued their climb up the table when accounting for Selwyn Res. 4 - 0 with result moving Burwood into third place. Christchurch United U20 Academy and Ferrymead Res. shared the points when drawing 2 - 2 with the final game seeing Nomads Res. edging Western 2 - 1. 

Waimak now move to 26 points, with Technical on 22 and Burwood on 20. United have 18, two ahead of Nomads with both Halswell and Selwyn on 15. Bays have Bays 11, Western 8 and Parklands 2. 

Results - Round 11 of 18

Burwood 4
Selwyn Res. 0
HT 3 - 0 

ChCh United U20 Academy 2
Ferrymead Bays Res. 2
HT 2 - 2 

Halswell 1
Waimak 3
HT 1 - 2 

Parklands 0
Cashmere Technical Res. 2
HT 0 - 0 

Western 1
Nomads 2
HT 0 - 1  

NW United Drop First Game In Women's Premiership

NW United dropped their first game in the New World Women's Premiership after going down to UC Maroon in a tight encounter 3 - 2. Halswell joins the Maroons as the only unbeaten sides in the league when edging Universities of Canterbury 1 - 0, with Ferrymead Bays and Cashmere Technical Res. playing out a 1 - 1 result. The game between the two bottomed-placed sides, Selwyn and Coastal Spirit SAS Res., will be played on Monday night at Foster Park. On Wednesday evening Bays back up against Technical in the final quarter-final of the Morrison Mitsubishi Reta Fitzpatrick Cup at English Park.  

With three rounds remaining, NW United still top the table on 9 points, 1 ahead of Halswell with UC Maroon on 7. UC stay on 6, Technical on 4, Bays has 2, with both Coastal and Selwyn on 1.  

Results - Round 4 of 7

Ferrymead Bays 1
Cashmere Technical Res. 1
HT 0 - 1 

NW United 2
UC Maroon 3
HT 1 - 1 

Universities of Canterbury 0
Halswell 1
HT 0 - 0 

Selwyn vs. Coastal Spirit SAS Res. - played Monday night.

Article added: Monday 15 July 2024