Quarter-Final Spots Claimed

Christchurch United and Roslyn Wakari are now the only remaining teams from the South Island in the Chatham Cup. United knocked out Cashmere Technical 3 - 0 and Roslyn Wakari ended Wanaka's fairy tale cup run 4 - 2. 

United had the better of game against Technical, which was played in driving rain at times. Neither side could find the back of the net in the opening half. The second half started with both sides having half chances before a good United build-up ended with Joel Peterson scoring in the 56th minute to take a deserved led. Technicals best chance happened ten minutes later when a shot from Garbhan Coughlan from a corner was headed off the line. United finished the stronger with great pass from Eoghan Stokes that set up Daniel MacLennan to double the lead with Aaron O'Driscoll putting the result beyond doubt when scoring from a corner with three minutes to play. The win see's United claim the MacFarlane Cup as the last remaining Christchurch side in the cup. 

Like United, Roslyn's unbeaten run this season remained intact when they got up over Wanaka. Callum Smith, formerly at Ferrymead Bays, scored early to give Roslyn the lead. Two great strikes from Blair Scoullar gave Wanaka the lead before Nathan Wilkie put Roslyn back on level terms. Two goals in the space of a minute just after the break to Wilkie and Nick Treadwell put the home side in control but they then were reduced to ten players when Josh Lucas received a straight red card. Roslyn defended well with Wanaka's third goal scored by Alex Wright coming added time.  

United and Roslyn will now join Eastern Suburbs, Western Springs, Melville, Hamilton Wanderers, Waterside Karori and Wellington Olympic in the Quarter-Finals which will be played over the weekend of the 29 - 30 July. 

Results/ Scorers - Round of 16

Cashmere Technical 0
Christchurch United 3 (Joel Peterson, Daniel MacLennan, Aaron  O'Driscoll)
HT 0 - 0 

Roslyn Wakari 4 (Nathan Wilkie 2, Callum Smith, Nick Treadwell)
Wanaka 3 (Blair Scouller 2, Alex Wright)
HT 2 - 2  

Coastal Spirit In Cup Semi's

In what turned out to be a highly competitive and tight Quarter-Final tie in the Kate Sheppard Cup,  Coastal Spirit SAS edged Dunedin City Royals 1 - 0 in fine sunny conditions in Dunedin. 

After both teams had early chances, Coastal took the lead when Alyssa Whinham scored in the 12th minute. Royals captain, Rose Morton, lead the way for the home side but they couldn't level before the break. After the break the tight battle continued but neither side could find the back of the net.

Coastal now join Auckland's Eastern Suburbs and Western Springs along with Wellington United in the Semi-Final's which are set down to be played on the 19 - 20 August.    

Results / Scorers

Dunedin City Royals 0
Coastal Spirit SAS 1 (Alyssa Whinham)
HT 0 - 1 

Ellerslie 2 (Britney Cunningham-Lee, Kimberley Oosterbeek)
Eastern Suburbs 4 (Deven Jackson 2, Nicole Cooper, Aimee Atkins)
HT 1 - 3 

Wellington United 2 (Liv Deane, Hope Gilchrist)
Petone 1 (Ashleigh Gill)
HT 1 - 0 

Western Springs 3 (Sofia Garcia 2, Ela Jerez)
Fencibles United 1 (Mischa Marais)
HT 1 - 1 

Premiership Title Race Heats Up

The title for the New World Men's Premiership title has heated up after leaders Universities dropped their first points in five rounds when drawing with Nomads Reserves 4 - 4. The top five sides are now only separated by eight points. Cashmere Technical Reserves scored an added time winner to edge Halswell 2 - 1. Waimak were untrouble to account for Western 7 - 0 - Waimak biggest 'away' win of the season. The final game, between Parklands and Burwood, ended in first scoreless draw of the season.

With seven rounds to play, Universities top the table on 31, Technical have 25, with Nomads, Waimak and Halswell all on 23. Parklands have 20, Burwood 15 and Western 0.  

Universities skipped out to a three-goal lead with goals to Stu Campbell, Charlie Kirby and Saul Preshner after 60 minutes. Nomads then found their scoring touch when Nik Fairley, Jacob Killick and Will Fairley all scored in the space of ten minutes to tie the game up. Lewis Whiteside then found the back of the net to put Nomads ahead before Preshner scored again to earn a share of the points and extend Universities unbeaten run to 12 games. Halswell came onto the round in second place took the lead on the stroke of half time when Joshua McTurk scored. Technical's Tom Cairns levelled with 20 to play with Gabriel Gallaway joining Nomads Matias Gidden as the leading scorers, both on nine when scoring in the third minutes of added time. 

After Wamak lead at the break with goals to Thomas Sharp and James Blake, Western battle hard before the remaining five goals came with a rush in the final thirty minutes with Sharp scoring again with Finn Gaupset  securing a hat-trick with the other goal scored by Farhan Hosseiny. In the end it was surprising that there were no goals between Parklands and Burwood as both sides had chances with Burwood on top before the break with Parklands having the better of the second half.      

Results / Scorers - Round 14 of 21

Cashmere Technical Res. 2 (Tom Cairns, Gabriel Gallaway)
Halswell 1 (Joshua McTurk)
HT 0 - 1  

Nomads Res. 4 (Nik Fairley, Jacob Killick, Will Fairley, Lewis Whiteside)
Universities 4 (Saul Preshner 2, Stu Campbell, Charlie Kirby)
HT 0 - 2 

Parklands 0
Burwood 0 

Western 0
Waimak 7 (Finn Gaupset 3, Thomas Sharp 2, James Blake, Farhan Hosseiny)  
HT 0 - 2 

Perfect Run Continues

The Christchurch United U20 side continue to close in on the New World Championship when making it twelve wins on the bounce when defeating FC Twenty11 3 - 0. Second placed Selwyn suffered their third loss then going down to Ferrymead Bays Keen Lads 5 - 0. This allowed the Ferrymead Bays Reserves to move into joint second when defeating Halswell 6 - 1. Coastal Spirit U20s and the Universities 2nd XI played out a 1 - 1 draw with the Universities 3rds edging Waimak 2 - 1.

United have the maximum 36 points, with Selwyn and the Bays Reserves on 25. The Keen Lads have 21, with Coastal on 20. The UC 2nd XI have 15, FC 10, UC 3rd XI 9, Waimak 4 with Halswell yet to secure a point, with Waimak and Halswell having a game in hand with both the UC sides having only played 10 games.  

Results - Round 12 of 18

Coastal Spirit U20 1
Universities 2nd XI 1 

FC Twenty11 0
ChCh United U20 3 

Ferrymead Bays Keen Lads 5
Selwyn 0 

Halswell 1
Ferrymead Bays 6 

Universities 3rd XI 2
Waimak 1 

FC Nomads Still On Top Of Women's Premiership

Despite dropping their first game in the New World Women's Premiership, FC Nomads still top the table after Universities Maroon won 3 - 0, with Holly Moffat claiming a hat-trick. Halswell Christchurch United's Rachel Brodie also scored a hat-trick, along with Ella Hartel bagging a brace, in their 5 - 1 win over Cashmere Technical - with Amber Bennett scoring for Tech. The final game saw Halswell Green edge Selwyn 2 - 1 with Marcella Wood scoring twice for the Hawks. Selwyn's Eleanor Coshall replied in added time. 

Nomads have 10 points (played 5), Halswell ChCh Utd (4) 9, UC (3) 9, Halswell Green (5) 6, Selwyn (5) 3 and Technical (4) 1. 

Results / Scorers - Round 5 of 10

Cashmere Technical 1 (Amber Bennett)
Halswell Christchurch United 5 (Rachel Brodie 3, Ella Hartel 2)
HT 0 - 2 

Halswell Green 2 (Marcella Wood 2)
Selwyn 1 (Eleanor Coshall)
HT 2 - 0   

Universities Maroon 3 (Holly Moffat 3)
FC Nomads 0
HT 1 - 0

Article added: Monday 10 July 2023