Top Four Separated By A Point

Just a point seperate the top four sides in the MPL after round 5, of 14, was completed on Saturday. In the top of the table clash the points were shared when Nelson Suburbs and Cashmere Technical played out a 2 - 2 draw. Both Ferrymead Bays and Coastal Spirit closed the gap at the top when they both won, Bays over running Universities 7 - 0, and Coastal edging FC Twenty11 1 - 0. The final game was a high scoring affair with Nomads defeating Selwyn 6 - 2. Suburbs and Technical have 11 points, Bays and Coastal 10, both Nomads and FC have 6, with Selwyn on 2 and Universities pointless.

In Nelson, Technical took the lead with Andy Tuckey making the most of a defensive error to score in the fourth minute of a tight opening half. Lyle Matthysen then doubled the lead on the hour before Ryan Stewart set up Ben Wright to reduce the margin minutes later, in what was Wright's 70 MPL goal. Suburbs then pressed hard and were rewarded when Jordan Youg found the back of the net, with the aid of a deflection with five minutes to play.

Bays opened the scoring with a Juan Chang taken penalty after 17 minutes, followed by Sho Mathieson goal before the break. Two goals in the first ten minutes to Mark Peers and Seb Schacht had Bays well in control before Chang went on to completed his hat-trick, sandwiched in between an own goal.

In a game that saw plenty of goal mouth action, FC had Coastal under the pump for a period midway through the first half with several chances blocked on the way to goal. After the break the chances again came at both ends and just when a draw looked the most likely result, Haris Zeb broke the deadlock with less that 5 minutes to play.

Nomads claimed back to back wins when accounting for Selwyn. Nishan Biswa bagged his fifth goal in as many rounds when opening the scoring to give Nomads the lead. Goals to Aidan Barbour-Ryan and a penalty to Dan Ede put Selwyn in front after 19 minutes before Biswa sixth goal of the season saw the side level going to the break. The goals kept coming after the break with Biswa going on to complete his hat-trick as did team mate Stephen Hoyle with the result seeing Nomads climb outside the bottom three for the first time this season.

The key games in the next round has leaders Suburbs travelling south to take on Coastal, while at the bottom both Universities and Selwyn will be chasing their first win when they met. Technical host Nomads with Bays facing FC in what will also be a Hurley Shield Challenge.

Technical Go Top

Cashmere Technical moved to the top of the Women's Premier League ladder after they defeated Universities 3 - 0. Waimakariri secured their first win of the season when accounting for Halswell by the same margin as Coastal Spirit had the bye. Technical top the table with 7 points, Coastal have 4, Waimakariri and Halswell both on 3 with Universities still without a point, with Technical and Halswell yet to have their first bye.

Annie Gilchrist opened the scoring for Technical against Universities in what turned out to be be the only goal in the opening half. Technical continued to have the better of the scoring chances after the break with a double from Frankie Morrow ensuring the three points for Tech.

Waimakariri secured their first win of the new season when over coming a plucky Halswell side. Jayda Stewart opened the scoring after 15 minutes with Gabbie Rennie doubling the lead on the half hour. Just before the break Stewart bagged her second goal. To Halswell credit they continued to press forward looking for an opening goal and were unlucky not to open their account when a shot from Alyssa Whinham was just centimetres wide of the post. The win leap-frogged Waimak over their rivals and into third place on goal difference.  

Round 4 sees Halswell facing Coastal Spirit while Waimak host Universities with Technical having the bye.

Results / ScorersMen's - Round 5FC Twenty11 0 Coastal Spirit 1 (Haris Zeb) HT 0 -m0Ferrymead Bays 7 (J Chang 3 - incl pen, S Mathieson, M Peers, S Schacht, own goal) Universities 0 HT 2 - 0Nelson Suburbs 2 (B Wright, J Yong) Cashmere Technical 2 (A Tuckey, L Matthysen) HT 0 - 1Nomads 6 (N Biswa 3, S Hoyle 3) Selwyn 2 (A Barbour-Ryan D Ede - pen) HT 2 - 2

Women's - Round 3Halswell 0 Waimakariri 3 (Jayda Stewart 2, Gabbie Rennie) HT 3 - 0Universities 0 Cashmere Technical 3 (Frankie Morrow 2 Annie Gilchrist) HT 0 - 1

Coastal Spirit the bye