United Join Race For Title

Christchurch United ended Coastal Spirit's season-long unbeaten run in all competitions when the defending champions finished the stronger to win 1 - 0 and keep alive their hopes of making it three Southern League (SL) titles in a row with three rounds to play. Leader's Cashmere Technical was untroubled to defeat Universities of Canterbury (UC) 6 - 1, with Ferrymead Bays overcoming several forced late changes due to illness to defeat Selwyn 4 - 2. Dunedin City Royals also had an interrupted build-up for their clash against FC Twenty 11, with fog at Christchurch seeing the Royals wait at Dunedin Airport for several hours before finally taking off, leading to a delayed kick-off, in what was their first game in three weeks, with the Dunedin side winning 2 - 1. The final match of the round saw Nelson Suburbs and Nomads sharing the points when drawing 2 - all.

Technical top the table with 40 points, four clear of both United and Coastal, with United claiming the second spot having scored three more goals than Coastal, with both sides having the same goal difference of +34. Suburbs and Bays have 25 points, Nomads 21 with the Royals on 16. Selwyn has 8, UC 7 with FC still chasing their first point. 

There were limited chances in the opening half with the best going to Coastal Spirit in the 35th minute but Jake Hale wasted too much time on the ball with the goal open allowing the Christchurch United defence to recover. Early in the second half the post saved Coastal from going behind from a freekick and shortly after a Coastal freekick went across the face of the goal without anyone able to get a touch on the ball. On the hour mark, United's David Yoo drew a good save out of Ellis Hare-Reid. United mounted the bulk of the attacks in the final quarter as Coastal started to play deeper and the United pressure finally was rewarded when Brendan Koplin, who had only been subbed on minutes earlier scored what turned out to be the vital goal with ten to play, beating Hare-Reid by his near post after a good build-up involving Riley Grover and David Yoo.  Coastal had a great chance to level minutes later but a dangerous ball in from Weston Bell was cleared. With minutes to play a cross from Hale was too far in front of an unmarked Api Rabuka by the far post, with a long throw from Danny Boys punched cleared by United keeper, Steven Van Dyk. The win also saw United lift the Hurley Shield for the first time since June 2012.  

Cashmere Technical took control against UC after Matt Tod-Smith opened the scoring and then a double from Yuya Taguchi saw them go three up after 30 minutes. Isaac Egan then finished well to pull a goal back for UC minutes later. After the break, Lachie McIsaac restored the three-goal which was quickly followed by a goal from Gabriel Gallaway, to make it 5 - 1, with Tod-Smith completing the scoring with his second goal. 

A Chris Murphy strike gave Ferrymead Bays the early lead before Jack Allatt levelled for Selwyn after 20 minutes. Bays replied almost immediately when Cameron Rean scored with Jimmy Deehan making it 3 - 1 from the penalty spot in the first minute of added time. With twenty to play, Trey Stewart extended the lead before Blake Lang scored his first SL goal to pull a goal back for Selwyn. 

The Dunedin City Royals secure their first points on the road when edging FC Twenty 11. Connor Neil scored in the opening ten minutes when heading home to put the Royals in front before En Watanabe finished off a good move to double the lead, with the FC keeper pulling off a good save to deny Nicolas Zambrano late in the half. With twenty to play, Ari Johnson gave FC hope when reducing the margin, but FC could not find another to break their points drought. 

Nelson Suburbs should have had the game wrapped up at the break but only managed to score twice after wasting several other great chances. Henry Aitkin opened his account for the season when scoring in the 34th minute before his captain, Alex Ridsdale doubled the lead when slotting home a penalty. Nomads rallied after the break and got on to the scoresheet when Angus McIntyre scored on the hour mark, which was quickly followed by a second from Nick Simpson, with Simpson then seeing Suburbs keeper, Nic Van Hattum saving a penalty with 15 to play.     

Results / Scorers - Round 15 of 18

Cashmere Technical 6 (Matt Tod-Smith 2, Yuya Taguchi 2, Lachie McIsaac, Gabriel Gallaway)
Universities of Canterbury 1 (Isaac Egan)
HT 3 - 1 

Coastal Spirit 0
Christchurch United 1 (Brendan Koplin)
HT 0 - 1 

FC Twenty11 1 (Ari Johnson)
Dunedin City Royals 2 (Connor Neil, En Watanabe)
HT 0 - 2 

Nelson Suburbs 2 (Henry Aitkin, Alex Ridsdale)
Nomads 2 (Angue McIntyre, Nick Simpson)
HT 2 - 0 

Selwyn 2 (Jack Allatt, Blake Lang)
Ferrymead Bays 4 (Chris Murphy, Cameron Rean, Jimmy Deehan - pen, Trey Stewart)
HT 1 - 3 

Royals Double Lead On Top Of Women's SI League 

Dunedin City Royals now sit six points clear six at the top of the South Island Women's League after they defeated Roslyn Wakari 3 - 0 to maintain their season long unbeaten run. Also in Dunedin, Otago University and Coastal Spirit SAS shared the points when they played out a 2 - all draw. The final game of Round 7 was postponed after fog at Christchurch Airport prevented Cashmere Technical flying north to play Nelson Suburbs.

The Royal now mov to 19 points, six points clear of both Technical and Coastal. University and Roslyn both have 5 with Suburbs on 1. 

The Dunedin City Royals captain, Rose Morton moved to the top of the scoring ladder when scoring once in each half to take her tally to six for the league. Morton opened the scoring against Roslyn Wakari with Nieve Collin then doubling the margin just before the break. Morton completed her brace in the 72nd minute with the result being the 13th clean sheet for the Royals out of 18 games.  

All four goals in the University of Otago / Coastal Spirit clash came in an eleven-minute spell game around halftime. Coastal took the lead in the 40th minute when Holly Lyon scored. In the first minute of added time, Aynsley Martin levelled but Coastal went to the break ahead when Mel Cameron scored. Jemma McCormick locked the scoreboard up for the final time when scoring from close range from a freekick awarded after Coastal keeper, Amelia Summer picked up a back pass. 

Results / Scorers - Round 7 of 10

Dunedin City Royals 3 (Rose Morton 2, Nieve Collin)
Roslyn Wakari 0
HT 2 - 0 

Otago University 2 (Aynsley Martin, Jemma McCormick)
Coastal Spirit SAS 2 (Holly Lyon, Mel Cameron)
HT 1 - 2 

Nelson Suburbs vs. Cashmere Technical - postponed 

Gap Closes At Top

The gap at the top of the New World Men's Premiership has closed to just three points after Cashmere Technical Reserves edged Waimak 1 - 0 in the top-of-the-table clash, Waimak's first defeat in nine rounds. Burwood maintained third place when securing their biggest win at home this season when accounting for Christchurch United U 20 Academy 4 - 1. Nomads Res. moved into fourth place when defeating Selwyn Res. 4 - 1. Halswell dropped to fifth when drawing 1 - all with Ferrymead Bays Res. with Western racing out to their biggest away win when overrunning Parklands 5 - 0, with the defeat meaning that Parkland will finish at the foot of the table.

With three Rounds to play, Waimak has 35 points, Technical 32 and Burwood 27. Nomads have 25, two ahead of Halswell with Selwyn next on 18. Western now has 17, Bays 16, and United 15 with Parklands remaining on 2.  

Results - Round 15 of 18

Burwood 4
Christchurch United U20 Academy 1 

Cashmere Technical Res. 1
Waimak 0 HT 1 - 0 

Halswell 1 Ferrymead Bays Res. 1
HT 0 - 1 

Selwyn Res. 1
Nomads Res. 4
HT 0 - 2 

Parklands 0
Western 5
HT 0 - 3 

Universities Remain at Top Of Women's Premiership

Universities of Canterbury (UC) maintained their lead at the top of the New World Women's Premiership, as the competition split into the Top 4 / Bottom 4 for the final 3 rounds. In what was a tight game UC edged Halswell 1 - 0, after the opening half was scoreless. NW United were too strong for UC Maroon, winning 3 - 1. In the Bottom 4 section, Ferrymead Bays defeated Cashmere Technical Reserves, 3 - 0 with Selwyn coming out of Coastal Spirit SAS, 3 - 1.

UC now move to 21 points, NW 16 with both Halswell and Maroon both on 14. Technical has 10, Bays 9, Selwyn 7 with Coastal remaining on 1. 

Results - Round 8 of 10  

Top 4

Halswell 0
Universities of Canterbury 1
HT 0 - 1 

UC Maroon 1
NW United 3
HT 0 - 2 

Bottom 4

Coastal Spirit SAS Res. 1
Selwyn 3
HT 1 - 1 

Ferrymead Bays 3
Cashmere Technical Res. 0
HT 3 - 0 

Article added: Monday 12 August 2024