Ferrymead Bays 3 (Juan Chang 2, Mark Peers) Queenstown Rovers 5 (Jan Kumar 3, Adam Hewson 2)  HT 1 - 3

Queenstown Rovers ended Ferrymead Bays unbeaten run in the Southern Football League on Saturday with a convincing 5-3 away win over the Canterbury side. 

Jan Kumar got the visitors off to a dream start, opening the scoring in the fourth minute and then doubling his side’s lead with a clever finish eight minutes later. 

However, the home side didn’t lose confidence and continued to create chances. They were rewarded after 17 minutes when Juan Chang slotted home to make it 2-1. 

Ferrymead continued to push for an equaliser but all their hard work went to waste just minutes before half-time when Kumar popped up on the counter attack to complete his hat-trick and restore Queenstown’s two goal margin. 

Despite the first half setback Ferrymead started the second half the better of the two sides and again reduced the lead in the 50^thminute through a clever Mark Peers finish. 

From there Queenstown took control of the game, pressing Ferrymead at every opportunity and they again made their dominance count in the 60^thminute when Adam Hewson beat Ferrymead keeper Max Collingwood to make it 4-2. 

And Hewson put the tie to bed minutes later, bagging his second and giving his side a comfortable 5-2 lead. 

The game lost its intensity from there on out with both sides running out of gas. Ferrymead put on a late surge to try and get something out of the game and nicked a third goal through Chang minutes before the close of play. 

Rovers coach Jamie Whitmarsh was all smiles after the game and was pleased with his sides attitude in what was a dead rubber game.

"We wanted to finish on a high and today we showed that we could score goals and match it with the top sides.”

The result means Queenstown jump to fifth place ahead of Coastal Spirit. Ferrymead remain in third.

Nelson Suburbs and Cashmere Technical will be out to avenge their disappointing Chatham Cup semi-final defeats when they clash next weekend in the final game of the competition.

Article added: Monday 27 August 2018