The latest round of the New World Premiership (NWP) has seen Christchurch United and Cashmere Technical top the table after both recorded 4 - 1 wins over Selwyn and Halswell, respectively. Ferrymead Bays secured their opening win of the season when edging Nomads 1 - 0 with the final game of round 2, postponed after a mechanical issue prevented Nelson Suburbs unable to fly south for their clash with Coastal Spirit. United sit on top of the table, on goal difference over Technical - both on 6 points. Bays join Suburbs and Coastal on three, with Selwyn, Halswell and Nomads all remaining pointless.

Two early goals to Oliver Colloty and Benji Lapslie saw United on top of Selwyn after just 8 minutes, in strong windy conditions at Foster Park, which made it difficult at times for both sides. Former Dragons player Eddie Wilkinson then extended The Rams lead in the 26th minutes. Selwyn then pulled a goal back when substitute Lewis Cox headed home from a corner midway into the second half. Wilkinson bagged a brace with six minutes to play, his third of the campaign to be the early leader in the race for the Golden Boot.

Technical was always in control over Halswell, and they will be disappointed that they did not win by a more considerable margin. Still, the Hawks battled for the entire game with their cause not helped when they lost two players, Darius van Wyk, a suspected collarbone break and Mark Withers, a heavy fall, before half time, with their keeper, Reuben Harrison having a good game on debut in the NWP. Fraser Angus put the defending champs ahead, with Jake Grove doubling the lead on the half-hour. The Hurley Shield was safe after Lyle Matthysen scored to put Tech three up just after the break and added a second with thirty to play. Ryan Bellamy made the most after Tech keeper Danny Knight turned the ball over, with Bellamy firing home a cross from Kenshin Hayashi late in the game.

Bays moved into the top five after a tight battle with Nomads, with both sides not making the most of their scoring chances. Ryan Stanley shot over the bar for Bays early in-game with Nomads, then hitting the post from a corner in the 18th minute. Bays broke the deadlock in first-half added time when Chris Murphy nodded home after a free-kick with Nomads feeling that their keeper, Dublin Boon, had been fouled in the lead up to the goal. The second half saw chances going wide of the goal for both sides, with surprisingly Nomads, who finished third last season, now finding themselves sitting at the foot of the table, yet to score a goal.     

The coming round will be split over three days of the Easter Weekend. On Friday at 2 pm, the two table toppers go head to head with United hosting Technical. On Saturday, in the battle of the former champions, Suburbs have the home advantage over Nomads at Midday, and at 2:45 pm, Halswell faces Coastal. On Monday at 6 pm, Bays square off against Selwyn.

Results / Scorers

New World Premiership Round 2
Cashmere Technical 4 (Lyle Matthysen 2, Fraser Angus, Jake Grove) Halswell 1 (Ryan Bellamy) HT 2 - 0

Nomads 0 Ferrymead Bays 1 (Chris Murphy) HT 0 - 1
Selwyn 1 (Lewis Cox) Christchurch United 4 (Eddie Wilkinson 2, Oliver Colloty, Benji Lapslie) HT 0 - 3

Coastal Spirit vs. Nelson Suburbs - postponed

Three Sides Skip Clear In New World Championship

Three sides have skipped cleared after two rounds of the New World Championship, all with a perfect start with Waimak, Parklands and Western sitting on 6 points. Waimak came from behind to defeat Burwood 3 - 1; Parklands edged Mid Canterbury 2 - 1 with Western accounting for neighbours St Albans Shirley 3 - 0. The other game-of-the-round saw Universities picking up the opening win of their season, 2 - 1 over FC Twenty11, with these two sides now on 3 points, with Mid Canterbury, Burwood and SAS on zero. In the coming round, FC host Western, Parklands face Universities, SAS takes on Burwood, and Waimak has the advantage over Mid Canterbury. 

Results

New World Championship

Burwood 1 Waimak 3 HT 1 - 0

Mid Canterbury 1 Parklands 2 HT 1 - 1

Universities 2 FC Twenty11 1 HT 1 - 0

Western 3 St Albans Shirley 0 HT 2 - 0

Written by Gavin Searle. 
Article added: Monday 29 March 2021