The Hurley Shield Changes Hands

Christchurch United have virtually locked in a National League spot after they were untroubled to defeat Selwyn 6 - 0. Their closest rivals, Cashmere Technical, dropped points when going down to Coastal Spirit 3 - 2. Ferrymead Bays moved into third place when defeating Dunedin City Royals 4 - 1. The relegation issue in the Southern League (SL) now looks to be a two-way battle  between Selwyn and FC Twenty11 after Nomads picked up a vital win when edging bottomed placed FC. Green Island also secured three points on the road when coming from behind against Nelson Suburbs to win 5 - 4.

United now moved to 34 points, five-clear of Technical with Bays and Coastal on 22. The Royals have 21, Suburbs 16, Nomads 13, Green Island 12, with Selwyn 7 and FC on 6. United, Royals, Nomads and Green Island all have a game in hand. 

United took an early led when Cameron Lindsay scored his first league goal of the season in the opening minutes with his side then taking control of the game when Joel Peterson and then Sam Philip found the back of the net in the 24th and 32nd minutes, respectively. The Selwyn defence led by keeper, Pieter-taco Bierema, then denied United further goals until Eoghan Stokes, having his first start in three rounds since recovering from injury, increased the lead on the hour. Benji Lapslie capping a fine game scoring within five minutes of normal time to play with Stokes adding his second in additional time. The result was United's biggest home win of the season. 

Not for the first time this season, Technical had a slow start and Coastal made the most if their chances. Three goals came in the opening 26 minutes for Coastal from Apisai Rabuka, Omar Cameron and Aashish Rai. The third goal coming after Coastal won a penalty, which Danny Knight blocked and then blocked the rebound before Rai finally forced into the net. Coastal should have gone further ahead when their leading goal scorer, Liam Cotter missed a great chance. Technical finally came 'alive' late in the half with Garbhan Coughlan scoring from an unstoppable shot and minutes later Declan Tyndell reduced the margin to one goal. In the 45th minute Coastal then saw Roque Fuentes Salinas receive a second yellow card for a second reckless tackle. After the break Technical had most of the clear scoring chances but Coastal defended well with keeper, Ellis Hare-Reid, producing several great saves and defenders twice cleared shots off the goal line. In the final ten minutes Coughlan looked have won a clear penalty when clipped down in the box but the officials were not convinced. The win also meant Coastal lifted the Hurley Shield. 

Bays had the better of the chances and deserved their half time lead with a shot from Daniel Thoms defecting off a defender and looped over keeper, Alex Boomer in the 26th minute. Bays then wastes several clear chances early in the second half with the Royals getting back on level terms after Kaleb deGroot-Green finished well on the hour mark. Both sides then had chances to takes the lead. Chris Murphy then clipped Boomer to put Bays back in front, and with 20 to play, Jamie Moores scored his first SL goal to extend the lead minutes after being subbed on. Moores was also involved in the final goal created from a Bays free-kick which set up Murphy to claim a 'double' with eight minutes to play. 

In what turned out to be nine-goal thriller, Suburbs took the lead when Lennon Whewell found the back of the net, and minutes later, Jack Carter doubled the lead before Trevin Myers pulled a goal back for Green Island just before the break. Ben Polak then restored Suburbs two-goal lead in the 54th minute. The game then turned in space of ten minutes when Green Island scored four goals in the space of ten minutes to storm into the lead. Stefan Milidrag starting the goal rush with two goals in the 70th and 73rd before Myers bagged his second in the 76th before Milidrag completed his hat-trick three minutes later. Whewell then gave home fans hope when bringing it back to 5 - 4 with nine minutes to play. Suburbs then went all out to find an equalising goal without success.    

Nomads continued their recent good run when picking up their third win in four games and the second on the bounce away from home. Nomads started well and George Campbell opened the scoring after just seven minutes, his first SL goal. Flynn Holdem then doubled the lead in the 31st minute to put his side on top going to the break. FC have struggled to find the back of net all season and had a great chance late in closing minutes which saw Nomads keeper Regan Frame pull off a good save. 

In the coming round FC travel out to Foster Park, on Friday evening in what could be a relegation decider. On Saturday, Royals host United with Nomads facing Technical. On Sunday, Suburbs entertain Bays with Green Island travelling north to play Coastal.  

Results / Scorers - Round 13 of 18

Cashmere Technical 2 (Garbhan Coughlan, Declan Tyndall)
Coastal Spirit 3 (Api Rabaki, Omar Cameron, Aashish Rai)
HT 2 - 3 

Christchurch United 6 (Eoghan Stokes 2, Cameron Lindsay, Joel Peterson, Sam Philip, Benja Lapslie)
Selwyn 0
HT 3 - 0 

FC Twenty11 0
Nomads 2 (George Campbell, Flynn Holdem)
HT 0 - 2 

Ferrymead Bays 4 (Chris Murphy 2, Daniel Thoms, Jamie Moores)
Dunedin City Royals 1 (Kaleb deGroot-Green)
HT 1 - 0 

Nelson Suburbs 4 (Lennon Whewell 2, Jack Carter, Ben Polak)
Green Island 5 (Stefan Milidrag 3, Trevin Myers 2)
HT 2 - 1 

Technical Remain Unbeaten In Women's South Island League 

Cashmere Technical remain unbeaten in the Women's SI League when playing out a tight battle with arch-rivals Coastal Spirit SAS, with the Round 4 encounter ending 1 - 1. Dunedin City Royals were untroubled to defeated Universities of Canterbury (UC) 6 - 0 with Otago University making it a good day for the southern sides when edging Nelson Suburbs 1 - 0.

Technical now move to 10 points, one ahead of the Royals, with the Otago students on 6. Coastal have 4, with both Suburbs and UC on 1. Coastal and Otago University having only played three games.  

Like their other clashes this season, it was close between Technical and Coastal with an injury to the league leading top scorer, Charlotte Roche, forcing Technical to make a change after 11 minutes with Jess Dyer replacing Roche. Just when it looked like the sides would go to the break all square, Dyer scored to break the deadlock in added time. Coastal finished the stronger and earned a share of the points when their captain, Whitney Hepburn forced the ball home in the 85th minute.   

The Royals six goals were split evenly in each half with Hannah MacKay-Wright opening the scoring after just three minutes. Toni Power added the second before Amelia Caltaux made it 3 - 0 just before the break. UC rallied after the break and sub, Holly Moffat went close to scoring but keeper Emma Andrew saved. UC did not concede again until the 80th minute when a shot from Rose Morton went in off a defender with officials ruling it an own goal. Kelsey Kennard then extended the led in the 87th minute but Morton could not be denied getting her name on the scorers list when credited with the final goal minutes later. 

Nelson Suburbs had the clearer of the scoring chances in the opening half, but the two sides went to the break scoreless. The second half followed a similar pattern until Otago University scored in the 72nd minute from a rare opportunity when a strike from Amy Hislop finally ended the stalemate.  

Round 5 will see a repeat of the opening round meaning the top two sides will go head-to-head with Technical having the home advantage over the Royals as UC host Suburbs and Coastal travel south to met Otago University.  

Results / Scorers - Round 4 of 10

Coastal Spirit SAS 1 (Whitney Hepburn)
Cashmere Technical 1 (Jess Dyer)
HT 0 - 1 

Dunedin City Royals 6 (Hannah MacKay-Wright, Toni Power, Amelia Caltaux, Kelsey Kennard, Rose Morton, own goal)
Universities of Canterbury 0
HT 3 - 0 

Nelson Suburbs 0
Otago University 1 (Amy Hislop)
HT 0 - 0

Article added: Monday 17 July 2023