Coastal Spirit SAS and Richmond Athletic have advanced to the Round of 16 in the New Zealand Football Foundation Kate Sheppard Cup over the weekend. Coastal SAS knocked out arch-rivals Cashmere Technical 4 - 1, with Richmond Athletic advancing when defeating Blenheim Valley Sports 2 - 1.

After a tight opening quarter, Coastal SAS took the lead when Alyssa Whinham shot, which Technical keeper Jade Middleditch looked to have covered only for the ball to slip between her hands. The second goal was almost a repeat, with Ellena Firth hitting the ball from 20 metres out with the ball again spilling between the keeper's hands in the 33rd minutes. Mel Cameron increased the lead six minutes later. Emma Kench ended the opening half with a stunning strike, pulling a goal back for Technical. In the second half, Technical was awarded a penalty; however, the spot-kick was put wide. In the 56th minute, Whinham scored her second goal to take the game away from Technical.

On Saturday in Blenheim, in what was a very tight contest between Valley Sports and Richmond, it was a goal from Jenny Harvey that had Richmond go to the break in front. The even contest continued after the break, with Lauren Sloan scoring for the home side and Paige Fergusson scoring the second goal for Richmond.

In the Football South Federation, Dunedin Technical edged Green Island 3 - 2, with Otago University making the most of having an extra player after Mosgiel had a player sent off after 7 minutes to win 8 - 0.  

Kate Sheppard Cup 

Cashmere Technical 1 (Emma Kench) Coastal Spirit SAS 4 (Alyssa Whinham 2, Mel Cameron, Ellena Firth) HT 1 - 3 

Blenheim Valley Sports 1 (Lauren Sloan) Richmond Athletic 2 (Jenny Harvey, Paige Fergusson) HT 0 - 1.

No Upsets In Local Chatham Cup Ties

There were no upsets in the local ties in Round 2 of the Chatham Cup. Coastal Spirit finished strongly to defeat Burwood 8 - 0. Cashmere Technical advanced 4 - 0 over Selwyn, with Christchurch United coming out on top of Ferrymead Bays for the second time over the weekend, 3 - 0. Finally, Nelson Suburbs claimed a place in the next round when edging Blenheim Rangers 2 - 1.

Championship side Burwood never took a backward step with stout defence against Coastal. However, maybe two games in three days for Burwood (on heavy pitches) accounted for Coastal scoring seven goals in the final 20 minutes. After wasting several clear chances, Liam Cotter finally put Coastal ahead just before the break. In the Burwood goal, Scott Duggan produced several fine saves to deny additional goals early in the second half, with his Coastal counterpart, Karl Hodge, then producing a stunning save to deny an equalising goal. Michael Hogan then scored Coastal's second goal in the 70th, which opened the flood gates. Hogan scored three more in the next 15 minutes, with Cotter completing his hat-trick and Mark Zimmerman claiming a goal.

Technical had to work hard to overcome Selwyn. Lyle Matthysen, back from injury, scored the only goal of the opening half after being set up by Garbhan Coughlan. Fraser Angus doubled the lead in the 55th minute before the score doubled in the final fifteen minutes, with the third going to Kian Donkers, who has just come on as a replacement for Matthysen. Yuya Taguchi added the final goal. 

Goals were also hard to come by in the opening half between Bays and United, with The Rams going ahead when Eddie Wilkinson scored just before the break. Chances went begging at both ends before United captain James McClay doubled the lead with 15 to play before substitute Max Chretien completed the scoring in the 86th. 

In Blenheim, Suburbs made the early running when Alex Ridsdale scored after just three minutes, but this turned out to be the only goal of the half after Suburbs had dominated the chances. In the 55th minute, a cross-come-shot from Rangers player-coach Tore Waechter saw the scores level. Extra time was avoided when substitute Will Tucker scored the deciding goal with four minutes to play.  

Further south in the Football South ties, Northern went down to Green Island 5 -2, Otago Universities won away against Queenstown Rovers, 1 - 0, South City Royals advanced when defeating Mosgiel 2 - 1 and Wanaka defeated Gore Wanderers 5 - 1.  

Chatham Cup

Blenheim Rangers 1 (Tore Waechter) Nelson Suburbs 2 (Alex Ridsdale, Will Tucker) HT 0 - 1

Cashmere Technical 4 (Lyle Matthysen, Fraser Angus, Kian Donkers, Yuya Taguchi) Selwyn 0 HT 2 - 0

Coastal Spirit 8 (Michael Hogan 4, Liam Cotter 3, Mark Zimmerman) Burwood) HT 1 - 0

Ferrymead Bays 0 Christchurch United 3 (Max Chretien, James McClay, Eddie Wilkinson) HT 0 - 1.  

Written by Gavin Searle. 
Article added: Tuesday 08 June 2021