There were plenty of goals in the Southern League (SL) over the weekend. Christchurch United scored the biggest win of the season when overrunning Nomads 8 - 0, Cashmere Technical came from behind against Green Island 4 - 1 with Nelson Suburbs defeated Dunedin City Royals 3 - 0. The other games all resulted in score draws, Ferrymead Bays and Coastal Spirit, 2 - 2, Selwyn 4 Mosgiel 4 and on Monday, in their catch-up from Round 2, Coastal and Selwyn shared the points when playing out a 2 - 2 result. United still top the table with 15 points, Technical 12, Suburbs 9, Bays 7 and Coastal round out the top half of the table on 6. Mosgiel, the Royals and Green Island are all 4, with Selwyn and Nomads on 3, with Technical and Suburbs having played one fewer game. 

United captain Math Todd-Smith opened the scoring in the first few minutes, with Jogo Godden and Eddie Wilkinson adding goals before the break. Sanni Issa added United’s fourth goal just after halftime. With twenty minutes to play, Daniel MacLennan added the fifth goal. The score exploded in the final ten minutes with three more goals, James McClay - a penalty, with Paul Ifill and Jackson Cole (penalty) scoring their first SL goals, both of which came into play from the bench.

Green Island took the lead when Harrison McLean finished well, making the most of a mistake made by the Technical defence in the 18th minute. From the restart of the game, Green Island keeper Owen Dabkowski gifted Jacob Richards the ball, who was untroubled to level. Technical rallied after the break and took the lead when Tom Schwarz headed home with the substitute, Kian Donkers scoring the final two goals.

Suburbs went ahead when Ed Sillars headed one home. After both teams had several clear chances, La Bu Pan doubled the lead in the first half of added time. After the break, both ends had chances to score before sub-Noah Platt extended Suburb's lead when going around Royals keeper Jacob Pearson.

For the first time this season, Bays did not concede a penalty but went ahead when captain James Deehan scored from the spot, with Coastal equalising just before the break when Seth Simpson hit the back of the net. Aashish Rai put Coastal in the lead with a stunning strike before Ryan Stanley opened his account for the season minutes after his substitution.

There was plenty of drama in the Selwyn / Mosgiel clash. Selwyn opened the scoring in the opening minutes via Oliver Cosgrove, with Cody Brook replying for Mosgiel. After hitting the post, Mosgiel had the ball in the back of the net. Selwyn was lining up for the restart when officials struck out the goal. Mosgiel was finally in front when Rahan Ali scored. Minutes after the break, Jamie Carrodus put the Stallions back with Dan Ede and scored a brace to put Selwyn out to a two-goal margin. Mosgiel pushed forward late in the game, with Brook reducing the margin in the second minutes of added time, with Matt Kelly finishing well two minutes later, earning Mosgiel a share of the points.

On ANZAC Day, Coastal coughed up a two-goal lead in added time against Selwyn. It was surprising that both sides turned at the break scoreless after many chances went begging at both ends. Coastal finally opened the scoring, just after the break, with a good strike by Hemi Innes, with Cameron Rean then doubling the league on the hour, with Selwyn immediately going to the bench to make four subs. Shortly before regular time was up, Coastal wasted a clear chance to ensure the win, but the ball blasted over the bar. James Martin then pulled a goal back a minute into added time, and two minutes later, Dan Ede scored from a free kick in front of the Coastal goal, the 100th goal of the league.

Round 6 games see United and Selwyn playing on Friday evening. In the early games on Saturday, Bays host Suburbs and the Royals fast Nomads, and at 2:45 pm, Green Island take on Mosgiel and Technical entertain Coastal.

Southern League 

Results / Scorers

Round 5

Ferrymead Bays 2 (James Deehan - pen, Ryan Stanley) Coastal Spirit 2 (Aashish Rai, own goal) HT 1 - 1

Green Island 1 (Harrison McLean) Cashmere Technical 4 (Kian Donkers 2, Jacob Richards, Tom Schwarz) HT 1 - 1

Nelson Suburbs 3 (Eddie Sillars, La Bu Pan, Noah Platt) Dunedin City Royals 0 HT 2 - 0

Nomads 0 Christchurch United 8 (Matt Todd-Smith, Jago Godden, Eddie Wilkinson, Sanni Issa, Daniel MacLennan, Daniel McClay - pen, Paul Ifill, Jackson Cole -pen) HT 0 - 3

Selwyn 4 (Dan Ede 2, Oliver Cosgrove, Jamie Carrodus) Mosgiel 4 (Cody Brook 2, Rahan Ali, Matt Kelly) Ht 1 - 2

Round 2 Catch-up

Coastal Spirit 2 (Hemi Innes, Cameron Rean) Selwyn 2 (James Martin, Dan Ede) HT 0 - 0

Nomads Secure First Points

Nomads picked up their first point since returning to the New World Women's Premier in 2021 when playing out an entertaining 3 – 3 draw with Universities, with Nomads unlucky not to claim all the points on offer.

Emily Lambie scored early to put Nomads ahead before Olivia Yardley replied for Universities. Lily Gerard restored Nomad's lead with Frankie Morrow drawing the game again. Morrow scored again three minutes later to put Universities ahead going into the break. At the hour mark, Gerard added her second to tie the game up again. It was the final goal of the game.

Round 3 is split, with Coastal Spirit SAS facing Cashmere Technical next Saturday. Coastal and Technical have six points, with Universities and Nomads now on one.

New World Women's Premier League 

Result / Scorers

Nomads 3 (Lily Gerard 2, Emily Lambie) Universities 3 (Frankie Morrow 2, Olivia Yardley) HT 2 - 3

Waimak and Universities Advance In Chatham Cup

Waimak and Universities will go into Round 1 of the Chatham Cup after winning their Preliminary Round games.

Waimak was untroubled to account for High School Old Boys 10 – 0, with Kamil Elmohib scoring four goals with Danny, Loney and Mitchell claiming a brace.

The other local tie was a lot tighter, with Universities defeating Western 1 – 0 with a first-half penalty to Stu Campbell the deciding factor.

Chatham Cup - Preliminary Round

ChCh HSOB 0 Waimak 10 (Kamil Elmohib 4, Danny Loney 2, Mitchell Quigley 2, Jonny Cochrane, Jake Hale) HT 0 – 3

Western 0 Universities 1 (Stu Campbell - pen) HT 0 - 1

United Win Kate Sheppard Cup Tie

Christchurch United made it a winning start in the NZ Football Foundation Kate Sheppard Cup when defeating Halswell 5 – 0, with only one goal separating the two sides at the break. United's goals came from Monique Barker (twice), Rachel Brodie, Jess Gledhill and Sara Mann. 

Kate Sheppard Cup - Preliminary Round

Christchurch United 5 (Monique Barker 2, Rachel Brodie, Jess Gledhill, Sara Mann) HT 1 - 0 

Written by Gavin Searle
Article added: Tuesday 26 April 2022