Cashmere Technical Crowned Champions, Christchurch United Claim Southern League Spot

Cashmere Technical was crowned the New World Men's Premiership champions, with Christchurch United the latest club to claim a place in the Southern League after Saturday's round. Technical drew with Ferrymead Bays 1 - all, but the point was enough for Technical to secure their fourth title on end and the eighth since being formed in 2012 after Nomads defeated second-placed Coastal Spirit 4- 1. United came from behind against Nelson Suburbs to win 3 - 1 to earn a place in the SL, with Selwyn keeping Halswell winless when winning 3 - 0. With two full rounds remaining, Technical now have 32 points, ten clear of Coastal, with United third on the table on 21. Nomads move to 18, a point away from SL qualification, with Nelson Suburbs on 17, needing a point from their clash with Bays to guarantee a place in the SL. Bays have 13 and need to win their final two games to have any hope of SL football. Selwyn is on 12 with Halswell points-less. Coastal and Halswell still have their catch-up game to play.

Both the goals in the Technical / Bays game came on the half-hour mark, with Garbhan Coughlan putting the champions in waiting ahead from the penalty spot after 28 minutes. Minutes later, a cross from Chris Murphy was turned into his own net by defender Tom Schwarz. Coughlan's goal was his tenth of the season to continue his remarkable record of 40 goals in just three seasons at an average of a game goal. Technical had the clearer of the chances for the remainder of the game, with Bays battling well for what could yet to prove to be a vital point in their quest to qualify for SL football. Bays clapped the Technical players off the field before Mainland officials presented the trophy.   

Coastal took the lead against Nomads when Dominic McGarr headed home after 11 minutes. Nomads then levelled when Guy Reeves scored five minutes later. Reeves then had a shot cleared off the line with Declan Hickford scoring from the rebound. Just before the break, Hickford doubled the lead when finishing well after what must have been a tight offside call, but the flag stayed down. Coastal keeper Kyle Hodge then produced three outstanding saves early in the second half to keep his side in the game, but that ended when Daniel Thoms went to the top of the Golden Boot Ladder when scoring his 11th goal this season, his 50th league goal in total. Thoms was in the clear when brought down by McGarr, earning the defender a straight red card, which then saw a player and two officials all receive yellows for dissent meaning coach, Ekow Quinoo, had to leave the dugout as he had earlier received a yellow.  

United claimed back to back wins when defeating Suburbs to lock in their SL berth. With both sides coming in the game needing the win to finish in the top five, it was a tight affair in the opening half, with Suburbs taking the lead when awarded a free-kick for a handball in front of goal, which was slotted home by Simon Gatward-Smith on the half-hour. In stoppage time, James McLay was allowed to run across the face of the goal, passing the ball to Eddie Wilkinson, who finished well to level. United started the second half strongly, going close twice with Jordan Yong then going wide from a corner for Suburbs. With eighteen minutes remaining, United took the lead when a cross could not be gathered cleanly by keeper Corey Wilson with the ball falling to substitute Joe Williams to score from close range. Fellow sub, Luke White, scored United's third goal with seven minutes to play.

Selwyn secured their first clean sheet of the season when accounting for Halswell. Dan Ede opened the scoring for the Stallions in the 13th minute, with Jamie Carrodus doubling the lead twenty minutes later to send Selwyn to the break in control after a dominant half. Oliver Scholz secured the three points when scoring the final goal with ten to play, his maiden goal of the season. 

The league takes a break next week due to the Chatham Cup.  

Results / Scorers 

Cashmere Technical 1 (Garbhan Coughlan - pen) Ferrymead Bays 1 (own goal) HT 1 - 1

Christchurch United 3 (Eddie Wilkinson, Joe Williams, Luke White) Nelson Suburbs 1 (Simon Gatward-Smith) HT 1 - 1

Nomads 4 (Declan Hickford 2, Guy Reeves, Daniel Thoms) Coastal Spirit 1 (Dominic McGarr) HT 4 - 1

Selwyn 3 (Dan Ede, Jamie Carrodus, Oliver Scholz) Halswell 0 HT 2 - 0

Advantage To Coastal Spirit SAS In Race For Title

Coastal Spirit SAS is on track for another New World Women's Premiership title after defeating their closest rivals, Cashmere Technical, 5 - 0 in the latest round. Universities defeated Nomads 6 - 1, with Waimak securing their first win in three games when coming out on top of Ferrymead Bays 3 - 1. With six rounds to play, Coastal SAS move to 27, six clear of Technical with Universities in third on 16. Waimak now has 10 with Bays on 6 and Nomads yet to secure a point. The defending champions would have to drop three of their remaining six games, with Technical claiming maximum points, to deny Coastal SAS a fifth title on the bounce.

Coastal SAS extended their unbeaten run to 30 in the league when overcoming Technical. Britney-Lee Nicholson opened the scoring after 12 minutes with Mel Cameron then doubling the lead midway into the half, with the Technical then having several half-chances before the break. Coastal's finishing in the second half was more clinical, and this proved to be the difference. Cameron made the most over several defensive errors to score three more goals in eight minutes late in the game to ensure the side retained the Hawkey Shield for the 25th game in their current tenure.  

Two early goals to Frankie Morrow put Universities on track for their win before Shae Coughlan replied for Nomads. Tayla Hampton restored the students two-goal lead just before the break. Erin Roxburgh then scored with a deflected shot before Morrow completed her hat-trick. Ekaterina Lieshout added Universities final goal with ten to play.

On Friday evening, Lily Gerrard scored after six minutes to put the home side ahead, with Bay's Jess Dyer equalising on the stroke of halftime. Sophia Lazor then restored Waimak's lead early in the tight second half with an added-time penalty to Charlotte Roche completing the scoring. 

Results / Scorers

Coastal Spirit SAS 5 (Mel Cameron 4, Britney-Lee Nicholson) Cashmere Technical 0 HT 2 - 0

Universities 6 (Frankie Morrow 3, Tayla Hampton, Ekaterina Lieshout, Erin Roxburgh) Nomads 1 (Shae Coughlan) HT 3 - 1

Waimak 3 (Lily Gerrard, Sophie Lazor, Charlotte Roche - pen) Ferrymead Bays 1 (Jess Dyer) HT 1 - 1

First Loss For Waimak As Plenty On Goals Scored In Championship League 

Waimak suffered their first loss of the New World Men's Championship season when going down to FC Twenty11 3 - 0 in Round 12, which saw 26 goals scored. Western edged Parklands 5 - 4, with the other goal-fest seeing 11 goals scored with Mid Canterbury shading Burwood 6 - 5, with St Albans Shirley (SAS) coming from behind to defeat Universities 2 - 1.

Harrison Bowman gave FC the early lead with two further goals, then scored in two minutes by Jake Neil and Daniel Oakman, allowing FC to secure their fourth straight win. Western lead 5 - 1 at the break, with Omar Cameron scoring a hat-trick. Parklands then made a game of it when Daniel Lingard scored in the 71st and 79th minutes to make it 5 - 3, with Western then conceding an own goal in added time. Mid Canterbury and Burwood traded goals during their clash before two goals after the break to the leagues leading scorer Luke Martin saw Mid Canterbury go 6 - 4 up, with Burwood pulling a goal game in added time. The opening half saw all the goals scored between SAS and Universities. 

With three rounds to play, Waimak has 28 points, Western close within one with FC now clear in third on 21. Burwood has 16, Parklands 12 with Universities, SAS and Mid Canterbury all on 9. Despite the loss, Waimak has secured a top thee finish and a place in the Southern Qualifying League, as is Western, with FC having the inside running on the third and final playoff spot. 

Canterbury Championship League

FC Twenty11 3 Waimak 0 HT 3 - 0

Mid Canterbury 6 Burwood 5 HT 4 - 4

Universities 1 St Albans Shirley 2 HT 1 - w

Western 5 Parklands 4 HT 5 - 1

Written by Gavin Searle. 
Article added: Monday 14 June 2021