Leaders To Be Tested By Coastal

Leaders and defending Southern League champions, Christchurch United will face their toughest test so far this season when they host third-placed Coastal Spirit at the United Sports Centre at 2:45 pm. In other Round 6 fixtures, Dunedin City Royals face FC Twenty 11 - who sit at the bottom of the table at Tahuna Park at 12:30 pm. At 2:00 pm Nomads entertain Nelson Suburbs at Tulett Park. English Park is the venue when Universities and Canterbury take on Cashmere Technical and at Ferrymead Park, Ferrymead Bays face Selwyn, with both these games commencing at 2:45 pm, with all games being played on Saturday.  

Christchurch United's perfect start to the season will come under the microscope by unbeaten Coastal Spirit who have had their best start to the SL, with both sides having similar scoring stats, both for and against with both sides having secured three clean sheets. With United fielding a much younger squad than the two previous seasons they have yet to be tested for an entire game, but this will be the case against Coastal who in recent weeks have secured points in three tough encounters with Suburbs, Technical and Bays and if they can take points of United for the first time, then belief in the top two finish will mount.  

Head-to-head:
Played 4 - United 4 wins  
Form:
United W W W W W
Coastal W D D W W                                   

Back-to-back home wins are on the card for the Dunedin City Royals who will be out to ensure FC Twenty 11 head home pointless. Injuries have hit both sides so far this season with FC still chasing their first goal of the season but showed plenty of determination to keep United scoreless at the break in the previous round. The Royals finally found their scoring touch against UC a week ago while also having their first 'shut out' of the season with a second win moving them well clear of the relegation zone.  

Head-to-Head:
Played 2 - Royals 2 wins 
Form:
Royals L L D L W
FC L L L L L                                                                                                           

Nelson Suburbs will be looking to bounce back from their loss to Technical when they take on Nomads, to keep the pressure on the top three. Nomads, who have only lost one of their four encounters with the Nelson side will be looking for a solid performance to use as a stepping stone for the coming rounds if they wish to move into the top half of the table.    

Head-to-Head:
Played 4 - Nomads 1 win, Draws 2, Suburbs 1 wins 
Form:
Nomads L W W L D
Suburbs W D W W L   

Form points to a Ferrymead Bays win over Selwyn with Bays on the wrong end of a one-goal loss after a tight battle with Coastal last Sunday, the first time Bays failed to score this season. Selwyn has yet to secure a point away to Bays and will have to tighten up at the back if they wish to change this stat.    

Head-to-Head:
Played 4 – Bays 3 wins, Selwyn 1 win 
Form:
Bays W L D W L 
Selwyn L W L L D                                                                 

With UC and Cashmere Technical sitting at opposite ends of the table, Technical is at short odds to make it five wins. They produced their best half of the season when they led 5 - 0 at the break against Suburbs last Sunday, before clearing out the bench and going on to win 6 - 1. UC suffered their heaviest defeat of the season in the previous round, the first where their losing margin was more than a goal, but they will have to put in a solid 90-minute defensive effort if they are to contain their free-scoring rivals.  

Head-to-Head:
This is the first time the clubs have met in the league 
Form:
UC L L L L L
Technical W W D W W                                

Pressure On In Women’s Qualifying League

Pressure is starting to mount in the South Island Women’s Qualifying League with just three rounds remaining for clubs to stake their claims for a spot in the six-team South Island League (SIL) which will commence in late June. Round 5 kicks off at 12:30 pm at English Park with second-placed Universities of Canterbury (UC) meeting fourth-placed Coastal Spirit SAS. At 2:45 pm, leaders Cashmere Technical face bottomed played Selwyn with Halswell up against Nomads Waimak United (NW United) at Halswell Domain. Nelson Suburbs who sit in third place have the bye. A top-three placing will gain an automatic spot in the SIL with the fourth-place finisher having to contest a play-off, against the third-place finisher Southern Football Qualifying League. 

With UC having the bye in the next round they will be out to take points off Coastal Spirit, the defending title holders, in what will be the games of the round. UC had an opening half against Suburbs in the previous round that they will want to forget, thralling 3 - nil at the break before reducing the gap into the second half before going down 4 - 2, the first points the students have dropped this season. Coastal claimed their first win of the season when accounting for Selwyn 6 - 0 and they will be looking to secure another three points and move up a spot of the table.   

Head-to-Head:
Played 1 – Coastal 1 win 
Form:
UC W W W L
Coastal bye L D W  

Both Halswell and NW United will be chasing their second win of the season to keep alive their hopes of qualifying for the SIL. Both sides have struggled to score regularly to date with NW having the better defensive record so this may give them the edge.   

Head-to-Head:
This is the first time the two have met in the league 
Form:
Halswell L L W L
NW United L W L bye                

Cashmere Technical will be expected to continue on with their winning run against Selwyn, with a fourth straight win locking up a place in the SIL for Technical. Selwyn will be out to break their scoring duck for the season which may be a big ask as Technical have only concede once this season.  

Head-to-Head:
Played 1 – Technical 1 win     
Form:
Technical W W bye W
Selwyn L bye L L   

Action Resumes In Canterbury Premiership

The New World Canterbury Premiership resumes on Saturday, after a break for the Preliminary Round of the Chatham Cup, with Round 4 match-up as follows. At midday, Ferrymead Bays Reserves host Parklands at Ferrymead Park, with Nomads Reserves facing Burwood at Tulett Park. Thirty minutes later in the top of the table clash, Cashmere Technical Res. take on Halswell United at Garrick Memorial Park and at the United Sports Centre Christchurch United U20 Academy clash with Western. The final game will kick off at 2:45 pm when Waimak entertain Selwyn Reserves at Kendall Park.   

  
Article added: Friday 03 May 2024