Christchurch United and Cashmere Technical are left as the only unbeaten teams after four rounds of the New World Men's Premiership. United came from behind to defeat Ferrymead Bays 4 - 1 on Friday evening. Strong winds impacted on games played on Saturday, with Technical defeating Coastal Spirit 2 - 0, with the game also doubling as a Hurley Shield Challenge. Nomads made the most of the wind in the opening half to overrun Halswell 6 - 0, and Selwyn secured their first point of the season when playing out a 2 - 2 result with Nelson Suburbs. United and Technical both now have ten points, with United topping the table on goal difference. Coastal, Nomads and Bays are all on six. Selwyn on one and Halswell pointless at the foot of the table. Coastal and Suburbs both having their catch-up game in hand.  

Rhys Williams made the most of an error in the United defence to score against his former clubs to put Bays in front after 16 minutes. United captain James McClay then levelled from the penalty spot on the half-hour. Michael White put United ahead, with Benji Lapslie extending the lead nine minutes later. Michael Gealogo opened his premiership account after scoring deep into added time. It was not all one-way traffic in the second half, with luck going against Bays twice when hitting the posts twice when trailing 2 - 1. 

Technical seemed to handle the wind better than Coastal. After both sides created several half-chances, Jake Grove put Technical ahead with a fine strike in the 24th minute, with Tech keeper Danny Knight pulling off a good save to keep Coastal scoreless at the break. Garbhan Coughlan, near the halfway line with eight minutes remaining, spotted Coastal keeper Ellis Hare-Reid off his line and launched a long-range effort that found its target.

Playing with the wind, Nomads dominated the opening half as the former champions racked up the biggest win this season. Caleb Cottom opened the scoring in the tenth minute, and then Daniel Thoms scoring twice within eight minutes, the second from the penalty spot. Connor Caswell then pushed the ball into his own net to put Nomads four up. The goals kept coming, with Callum Donlon opening up his Premiership account and Thoms completing his hat-trick four minutes after the break. The closest Halswell got was when they had a 'goal' ruled out for offside on the hour. With the Hawks going pointless in the opening four games, it is their worst start in sixteen years in the league. 

Selwyn took the lead via a Suburbs own goal midway into the opening half, but then Simon Gatward-Smith finished well to put Suburbs back on level terms before the break. The Stallions then regained the lead when Dan Ede scored from the penalty spot in the 54th minute. Jordan Yong then tied the game on the hour mark. With 20 to play, Selwyn was reduced to ten men when Mitchell Cockburn was shown a straight red after being judged to have been denying an obvious goal-scoring opportunity on the edge of the area. Selwyn keeper Pieter-taco Bierema pulled out a great save from the resulting free-kick. Selwyn went close to snatching the win from a corner in added time as the ball was hit the centimetres wide.   

In the upcoming round, United are away to Suburbs, Bays host Technical, and Halswell takes on Selwyn with all these games being played on Saturday. On Sunday, Coastal has the home advantage over Nomads. 
 
Results Scorers

Cashmere Technical 2 (Jake Grove, Garbhan Coughlan) Coastal Spirit 0 HT 1 - 0
Nomads 6 (Daniel Thoms 3 - incl pen, Caleb Cottom Callum Donlon, own goal) Halswell 0 HT 6 - 0
Selwyn 2 (Dan Ede pen, own goal) Nelson Suburbs 2 (Simon Gatward-Smith, Jordan Yong) HT 1 - 1
Christchurch United 4 (James McClay - pen, Michael White, Benji Lapslie, Michael Gealogo) Ferrymead Bays 1 Ferrymead 1 (Rhys Williams) HT 1 - 1
 
Coastal and Technical Unbeaten

Coastal Spirit and Cashmere Technical stay unbeaten after Round 2 of the New World Women's Premiership. Coastal retained the Hawkey Shield when defeating Universities 4 - 0, and Technical overcame Waimak 3 - 1 with the two 'newbies' to the league, Ferrymead Bays and Nomads playing out a tight encounter with Bays prevailing 1 - 0.

Chloe Jones opened the scoring for Coastal from the penalty spot in the only goal of the opening half. Mel Cameron and Britney-Lee Nicholson scored in quick succession, and then, after good work from Alyssa Whinham, Cameron completed the scoring with ten to play. The win was Coastal's 21st defence of the Shield on the trot. Coastal and Technical move to six points, Bays jump into the third position on the table with three points. Waimak and Universities are on one with Nomads yet to secure their first point.

Technical's Charlotte Tinsley scored her first Premiership goal to give her side the lead. After the break, Technical took control of the game with two goals in the space of three minutes midway into the half, when Emma Kench and then Lara Wall found the back of the net. Sophia Lazor reduced the margin with ten minutes to play after coming into the game off the bench.  

Bays and Nomads both had chances in the first half to break the deadlock in what turned out to be a scoreless opening half. The stalemate continued until just over the hour mark when Sophie Williams scored from just inside the goal box. 

In Round 3, Nomads take on Technical, Universities are home to Bays, and Coastal is away to Waimak. 

Results / Scorers

Cashmere Technical 3 (Emma Kench, Charlotte Tinsley, Lara Wall) Waimak 1 (Sophia Lazor) HT 1 - 0
Coastal Spirit 4 (Mel Cameron 2, Chloe Jones - pen, Britney- Lee Nicholson) Universities 0 HT 1 - 0
Ferrymead Bays 1 (Sophie Williams) Nomads 0

Western And Waimak Four 'W' On The Bounce In Championship

Western and Waimak both continued on their perfect start of the New World Men's Championship when going four from four. Parklands dropped their first points, and Mid Canterbury picked up their first points of the season.

Western took out the O'Sheas Derby when defeating neighbours Burwood 3 - 0. Western was only one ahead at the half until substitute Roiger Kerbus scored twice after the break to turn the game. Waimak led the students 2 - 1 to go into the sheds before winning 4 - 1. After a scoreless opening half, FC Twenty11 ended Parklands winning run, winning 4 - 0 with Daniel Oakman claiming a hat-trick with two of the goals scored in the final few minutes of play. In Ashburton, Mid Canterbury edged St Albans Shirley 2 - 1, with Nic Campbell coming off the bench to score the winner with 20 to play.

Western and Waimak sit on 12 points, with Parklands on 9 to round out the top three. FC move to 6 with Burwood, Mid Canterbury and Universities on 3 with SAS still point-less. In the coming round, Parklands host Western, Waimak has the home advantage over FC, Burwood entertain Mid Canterbury, and SAS face Universities.

Results
Western 3 Burwood 0 HT 1 - 0
FC Twenty11 4 Parklands 0 HT 0 - 0
Universities 1 Waimak 4 HT 1 - 2
Mid Canterbury 2 St Albans Shirley 1 HT 1 - 1

Written by Gavin Searle. 
Article added: Monday 12 April 2021