Round 9 of the Southern League (SL) saw late goals in two of the five games, leading to dramatic finishes. Coastal Spirit came from three goals down to score in added time to snatch all 3 – 3 result against Nomads, with Ferrymead Bays claiming a 3 – 2 win over Green Island, with the winning goal coming in the final minutes of the game. The other three games were more clear catch with leader Christchurch United defeating Mosgiel 4 – 0, Nelson Suburbs accounting for Selwyn 4 – 1, with Cashmere Technical overcoming Dunedin City Royals 4 – 2.

After 9 of the 18 rounds, United have the maximum 27 points, Technical 21, Suburbs 17 with Bays now moving to fourth place 16 with the Royals rounding out the top half of the table on 13. Coastal has 9, Mosgiel 8, Nomads 5, Green Island 4 and Selwyn 3. Technical and Suburbs both have a game in hand, their catch-up game from Round 2, which will kick off next Saturday.

Nomads took an early lead when Jacob Killick scored his second goal at home in as many games in the opening minutes. Declan Hickford extended the lead from the penalty spot after just 11 minutes. Jacob Anderson then scored his opening goal of the season on the hour to seemingly put Nomads on course for which would have been their second win of the season. Coastal are no strangers to scoring goals in the final ten minutes of matches this season, and Cameron Rean started the comeback when scrabbling the ball home with seven minutes to play. The momentum was all going Coastal's way when Michael Hogan reduced the margin to just a single goal two minutes later. The comeback was complete when sub Cooper Goldsmith popped up to score his first SL goal in the third minute of added time to earn Coastal their third draw on the bounce and sixth of the current campaign.

Ryan Nicholson opened the scoring for Bays midway into the opening half, with Green Island levelling just before the break when Adam Hewson found the back of the net. Both sides then saw chances going begging before Nicholas finished well after being set up by Chris Murphy with just over twenty minutes to play. Cam Anderson had the home fans cheering when he locked up the scoreboard minutes later. It was veteran Murphy who broke the deadlock and scored his first SL goal shortly before the end of the game.

Christchurch United continued their perfect start to the season when accounting for a determined Mosgiel, with mistakes proving closely for the Plainsmen in the opening heat. Benji Lapslie opened his account for the season when scoring in the 18th minute with a brace from Eddie Wilkinson in the space of five minutes to complete the halftime scoring. Mosgiel rallied after the break to keep the free-scoring United side in check while also creating several changes to reduce the margin, only to concede an own goal with seven minutes to play.

Suburbs dominated the opening half and had the game wrapped up going into the break. Captain Jordan Yong opened the scoring in the 14th minute, with Lucas Hogg doubling the lead before Ed Sillars made it 3 – 0 just before halftime. Goals were harder to come by in the second period, with Finlay Cotton pulling a goal break for the Stallions late in the game, only for Suburb's leading scorer Scott Wallace to restore the three-goal margin when notching up his seventh strike of the league.

Technical bounced back from their loss to United in the previous round when taking down the Royals. After Technical created several early chances, they took the lead from a Lyle Matthysen corner when Declan Tyndall headed it home near the post. Keeper Alex Boomer produced a stunning fingertip save to deny Tech’s Luke Tongue a goal. Before the break, the crossbar saved the Royals right at halftime. The Royal hit back when a great cross from Ryan Fleming set up Oban Hawkins to level. The post saved the Royals again before Fraser Angus headed it home to put Tech back in front minutes later. Garbhan Coughlan then took the game away from the visitor when scoring twice in the space of three minutes at the hour mark. The Royals continued to press and rewarded themselves when En Watanabe reduced the margin with ten minutes to play.

Apart from the catch-up game between Technical and Suburbs, the focus over the upcoming Queens Birthday weekend will be the Chatham Cup. 

Results / Scorers

Southern League - Round 9

Cashmere Technical 4 (Garbhan Coughlan 2, Declan Tyndall, Fraser Angus) Dunedin City Royals 2 (Oban Hawkins, En Watanabe) HT 1 - 0

Green Island 2 (Adam Hewson, Caleb Manson) Ferrymead Bays 3 (Ryan Nicholson 2, Chris Murphy) HT 1 – 1 

Mosgiel 0 Christchurch United 4 (Eddie Wilkinson 2, Benji Lapslie, own goal) HT 0 – 3

Nomads 3 (Jacob Killick, Declan Hickford - pen, Jacob Anderson) Coastal Spirit 3 (Cameron Rean, Michael Hogan, Cooper Goldsmith) HT 2 -

Selwyn 1 (Finlay Cotton) Nelson Suburbs 4 (Jordan Yong, Lucas Hogg, Ed Sillars. Scott Wallace) HT 0 – 3

Big Win Put Coastal On Cusp Of Another Title

Coastal Spirit SAS inflicted their heaviest defeat on their arch-rival, Cashmere Technical, 7 – 1, to wrap up their sixth straight New World Women’s Premier League. In the other game of Round 6, Universities defeated Nomads 2 – 0. Coastal is at the top of the table with 15 points, 6 points clear of Technical with Universities on 4 with Nomads on 1.

Technical would be disappointed that they could not turn their dominance in the opening 20 minutes into goals, creating several clear chances to take the lead and then from themselves a one down when Mel Cameron scored from long range after 21 minutes. Nicola Domikovich equalised shortly after a goalmouth scramble, as Coastal cleared several times off the line. Cameron quickly restored Coastal's lead, which Jayda Stewart increased in the 36th minute. Just before the break in a one on one between Cameron and Tech keeper, Maddie Iro got down well to block the shot.

After the break, Domikovich shot over the bar. Technical was guilty of turning the ball over too easy, which invariably led to goals. Cameron completed her hat trick in the 54th minute and added a fourth shortly after, with Lauren Dabner adding the sixth from a free-kick. The substitute Isla McPherson added the last goal in the final minutes of play.

Universities secure their first win of the season in a tight encounter with Nomads. Frankie Morrow put the students ahead after 15 minutes with both sides and then had chances to score before the side went to the break. Early in the second half, Charlotte Roche doubled the lead to put Universities in control.  

The league takes a break next weekend due to the New Zealand Football Foundation Kate Sheppard Cup.

Results / Scorers

New World Women's Premier League - Round 6

Cashmere Technical 1 (Nicola Dominikovich Coastal Spirit SAS 7 (Mel Cameron 4, Jayda Stewart, Lauren Dabner, Isla McPherson) HT 3 - 1 

Universities 2 (Frankie Morrow, Charlotte Roche) Nomads 0 HT 1 – 0

New Leader In Canterbury League

Waimak became the fourth different leader of the New World Canterbury Premier League after previous leaders Western was upset by Universities 3 – 2 when Stuart Campbell scored the winning goal deep into added time. Waimak was too strong for Parklands when winning 5 – 2, with Kamil Elmomib netting a hat-trick, with his final goal being one of two penalties scored by the new leaders. There was also an added-time winner between Burwood and FC Twenty11, with a Christopher Braithwaite goal seeing Burwood come out on top 4 – 3. The final game of the round saw Halswell rack up a 6 – 0 victory over Mid Canterbury, with Patrick Cameron claiming a hat-trick.

Just one point now separates the top three sides, with Waimak on 19 points, Western and Burwood on 18, and FC Twenty remaining on 11 points, the same as Universities. Halswell moves to 7 with Mid Canterbury on 3, and Parklands yet to secure their first points.

Results / Scorers

New World Canterbury Premier League - Round 6

Burwood 4 (Jaishiv Narayan 2, Kane Kilbride, Christopher Braithwaite) FC Twenty11 3 Nathan Dix 2, own goal) HT 1 - 2

Halswell 6 (Patrick Cameron 3, Connor Leath, Chris Whiteside, Isaac Williams) Mid Canterbury 0 HT 2 - 0

Parklands 2 (Andrew Jones, Anish Mani) Waimak 5 (Kamil Elmomib 3 incl pen, Ben Cameron, Danny Loney – pen) HT 0 - 2

Western 2 (Rodrigo Balcazar, Omer Cameron) Universities 3 (Isaac Egan, Oliver French, Stuart Campbell) HT 2 - 1

Written by Gavin Searle
Article added: Monday 30 May 2022