Christchurch United and Cashmere Technical both recorded big wins to maintain their perfect start after Round 3 of the Southern League. United overcame Dunedin City Royals 5 - 2, Technical defeated Nomads 7 - 3, Ferrymead Bays and Nelson Suburbs played out the first draw of the season when finishing all square at 1 - 1 with Coastal Spirit and Selwyn both winning away from home 1 - 0, Coastal over Green Island and Selwyn over FC Twenty11.  

Technical and United are on 9 points, Bays are in third place on 7, Royals and Selwyn both have six to round out the top half of the table. Green Island and Coastal have 3, Suburbs 1 with Nomads and FC yet to secure a point. 

Both United and the Royals came into the match on maximum points. United made the most of their early dominance with a Daniel MacLennan cross setting up Will Pierce for a simple tap in after 10 minutes. United then missed several chances before Ben Stanley, on the quick counterattack, cut by several defenders and had his shot blocked by the United keeper before Connor Neil scored from the rebound. Ten minutes later United were back in front when Sam Philip raced on to a long ball and finished well. United then finished the half strongly when MacLennan and then Eoghan Stokes put 4 - 1 ahead. Early in the second half Royals were a player down after Sean Cooper was involved in a tackle on Benji Lapslie. Cooper first shown a yellow which was then altered to a straight red after a lengthy discussion between the refereee and his assistant. The Royals battled hard before United extended their lead when Philips scored his seventh goal of the season with eight minutes to play. Royals had the final say with Neil scoring in added time from the penalty spot after Hayden Aish was fouled in the area. 

While Technical ended clear winners in the end, Nomads wasted a handful of clear chances in the opening quarter which should have seen them three or four goals clear. Caleb Johnson scored after three minutes to put Nomads ahead. Jacob Richards put Tech back on level terms four minutes later. Nomads continued to get on behind the Tech defence and after several chances were put wide, Declan Hickford put them back in front. Tech finally started to gain control and were level when Garbhan Coughlan scored from the penalty spot after 32 minutes before going on to add two more goals before halftime. Goals to Lyle Matthysen and Declan Tyndall extended the lead before Jacob Killick pulled a goal back for Nomads. Coughlan added his fourth in added time, to top the Golden Boot race with ten. The win also meant Technical retained the Hurley Shield.  

It was a tight tussle between Bays and Suburbs with both sides having chances before Suburbs were awarded a somewhat 'very soft' penalty after Jamie Barr was adjudged to have made contact in the area. Suburbs captain, Alex Ridsdale , had his shot blocked by Coey Turipa but the ball rebounded back to Ridsdale who was untroubled to score. Into the second half,  Suburbs received a second penalty which Turipa saved again. In the final quarter Bays start to get on top with Daniel Thoms denied by Corey Wilson with a good save with 12 minutes remaining. Minutes later Andy Tuckey, who had just been subbed on, levelled with a shot from out wide on the right. In the final hectic few minutes both teams had chances to score.  First Suburbs and then Bays saw balls squared across their goals mouths without being able to get a telling touch on the ball. 

FC battled hard against Selwyn with the latter struggling to make the most of their chances. Selwyn had two 'goals' in the opening half ruled out for offside. In the second half FC cleared their bench out as the looked to score their first goal of the league. But it was Selwyn's use of the bench that proved to be more successful when James Martin scored within a minute of coming on in the 68th minute. The game was the 200th first team appearance for Selwyn's Jamie Carrodus. 

It was also a tight contest between Green Island and Coastal Spirit. It was Green Island who started the better, a Tom Milton free kick just going over the crossbar early in the game. Both teams then had chances with the deadlock finally broken with a run from Coastal Wiari Rushbridge into the area ended who squared the ball to Liam Cotter, who almost mistimed his shot, but still crossed the line seven minutes before the break. The second was more opened with both sides wasting chances. Coastal had to survive several late chances from the home side. 

Round 4 begins on Friday evening with Selwyn hosting ChCh United and on Saturday Royals entertain Bays, Suburbs travel south to take on Green Island and Nomads meet neighbours FC. On Sunday, in another derby game, Coastal face Technical. 

Southern League - Round 3 Results/Scorers:

Cashmere Technical 7 (Garblan Coughlan 4 - incl pen, Jacob Richards, Lyle Matthysen, Declan Tyndall)
Nomads 3 (Caleb Johnson, Declan Hickford, Jacob Killick)
HT 4 - 1 

Christchurch United 5 (Sam Philip 2, Will Pierce, Daniel MacLennan, Eoghan Stokes)
Dunedin City Royals 2 (Connor Neil 2 - incl pen)
HT 4 - 1

FC Twenty11 0
Selwyn 1 (James Martin)
HT 0 - 0 

Ferrymead Bays 1 (Andy Tuckey)
Nelson Suburbs 1 (Alex Ridsdale)
HT 0 - 1  

Green Island 0
Coastal Spirit 1 (Liam Cotter)
HT 0 - 1 

Suburbs Set The Early Pace

Nelson Suburbs are the early pace setters in the South Island Women's Qualifying League after making it two wins in as many games. They traveled south to account for Selwyn 4 - 1. FC Nomads bounced back from their loss in the opening round to defeat Halswell Christchurch United 4 - 0 with Coastal Spirit SAS opening their season with a 3 - 0 result over Universities with Cashmere Technical having the bye.

Suburbs have 6 points with Technical, Coastal and Nomads all on 3 with Universities and Halswell on 1 with Selwyn yet to register a point. 

Despite having issues on their trip south Suburbs again made an ideal start to the game when Jasmine Barney scored after just four minutes which turned out to be the only goal of the first half. On the hour Ruby Smith doubled the lead with Selwyn then replying immediately when Katie Warren opened Selwyn's account for the season. Minutes later Barney restored Suburbs two goal lead with Tessa Hyland completing the scoring with ten minutes to play. 

it was a tight encounter between Coastal Spirit SAS and Universities with Coastal finally taking the lead when Lauren Dabner opening the scoring in the 37th minute before Mel Cameron adding a second just before the break. Coastal also saw their captain, Whitney Hepburn, forced off the field due to an injury. Universities had several chances to reduce the margin after the break with Coastal's third goal coming via an own goal with twenty minutes to play.  

FC Nomads scored at either end of the first half with Rebecca Hewitt scoring in the opening minutes before Emily Lambie then doubling the led just before the break. Lee Maoate-Cox then extended the lead to put FC Nomads in charge and a Shiloh Jenkins goal put the result beyond doubt when adding the fourth goal.  

In Round 3, Technical take on FC Nomads, Suburbs host Coastal with Halswell away to Selwyn with Universities having the bye.  

South Island Qualifying League - Round 2 Results / Scorers:

Coastal Spirit SAS 3 (Lauren Dabner, Mel Cameron, own goal)
Universities 0
HT 2 - 0 

FC Nomads 4 (Rebecca Hewitt, Emily Lambie, Lee Maoate-Cox, Shiloh Jenkins)
Halswell Christchurch United 0
HT 2 - 0 

Selwyn 1 (Katie Warman)
Nelson Suburbs 4 (Jamine Barney 2, Ruby Smith, Tessa Hyland)
HT 0 - 1 

Cashmere Technical the bye 

Parklands and Halswell Flip Form Around

Both Parklands and Halswell continue to show a flip in form in the New World Premiership, after both finished at the wrong end of the table last season, Parklands top the table on goal difference from Halswell after both recorded their second win in Round 3. 

Parklands defeated Western 4 - 0, taking control of the game into the second half after being only 1 up at the break. Halswell accounted for Burwood 4 - 1 with the Hawks controlling the game after scoring three goals in the opening 15 minutes. Cashmere Technical Reserves also remained unbeaten when they come out on top of their Nomads counterparts 5 - 1, in a highly entertaining game which ended Nomads perfect start to the season. The final game of the round saw Universities and Waimak played out a 3 - all result, with the students securing a point when scoring deep into added time.   

Parklands and Halswell now have 7 points, Nomads are on 6 one ahead of Technical. Universities and Waimak have two points with Burwood and Western both on 1.

In the coming round the top four side met with Tech hosting Parklands and Nomads at home to Halswell. Waimak face Burwood with Western entertaining Universities.  

New World Premiership Leage Round 3 - Results / Scorers:

Burwood 1 (Max McMahon)
Halswell 4 (Jacob O'Connell 2, Marus Brant, Aiden Kelly)
HT 0 - 3  

Cashmere Technical Reserves 5 (Finbar Gallway, Liam Kelk, Eric Imachi Sugahura, Yusuf Van Dam)
Nomads Reserves 1 (Jordan Neal)
HT 2 - 1 

Parklands 4 (Jesse Ruwhiu, Josh Handy, Marcus Livingstone, Mike Gruschow)
Western 0
HT 1 - 0 

Universities 3 (Stu Campbell 2, Aaron Browne)
Waimak 3 (Kian Grenfell, Danny Loney, Luke Fraser)
HT 1 - 2  

Written by Gavin Searle
Image from NVA Photography

Article added: Tuesday 11 April 2023