Otago University v Roslyn Wakari

In the first half both sides had strong spells of possession and got into some good attacking positions without truly threatening on goal. Tennessee Kinghorn looked most likely for the visitors while Oban Hawkins went closest for the students through a free kick that went just wide. Hawkins and former Roslyn man Ben O'Farrell controlled the midfield for the home side while Roslyn custodian Shay Thom astutely patrolled the space in front of his back four.

The second half ended up being one full of drama. Varsity started strongly, with a couple of nice attacking plays, first resulting in Roslyn keeper Zane Green pulling off a sharp save to his right and then making a clearing  punch from a cross in some heavy traffic.

It was that piece of play though that would change the game. A brief altercation occurred well away from the ball which resulted in Green being shown a red card and referee Jack Henderson awarding a penalty. Curtis Day made way to allow reserve keeper Tom Stevens to enter the field and face the penalty. Varsity captain Dom Scahill stepped up only for Stevens to make the save with his trailing legs.

Soon after, the students hit the post before forcing Stevens to tip a another shot over the post. Down to 10 men, Roslyn sat in and looked to hit Varsity on the counter and it  looked to have paid dividends when  Luke Clissold fed Kinghorn and he raced  through one on one with Varsity keeper Stu Catto who was well outside of his box. Kinghorn got to the ball first only to be taken out by Catto just outside of the box in a late challenge. Catto was fortunate to only be shown a yellow by referee Henderson as he deemed there to be covering defenders, despite the protests from the visitors.

Minutes later Roslyn were down to 9 with   defender Josh Lucas shown a green card. The home side took advantage of playing against 9 men, shifting the ball from side to side before delivering a well placed cross for Ben Stanley to get on the end of and tap home to take the lead. Both sides made some personal changes, with young 16 year old Jamie Le Comte  making his debut for Roslyn Wakari.

As possession mounted for the students, Stevens was forced into a full stretch save down to his left, resulting in a corner. Hawkins sent a driven ball into the box and Thomas Sule rose highest to make it 2-0. University repelled a last ditch effort from Roslyn once they returned to 10 men. The students taking home all 3 points with a 2.0 win.

Queenstown v Mosgiel

The Queenstown Events Centre hosted a clash between two of the league's top sides, with both knowing a win would separate them from the chasing pack. Mosgiel had the formidable task of trying to end Queenstown's unbeaten home run in the local competition, which stretches back over 2 years . The Events Centre pitch was immaculate, helping both teams to play attacking possession-based football.

Mosgiel started the brightest of the two sides, and within the first minute of play Cody Brook chalked up his 15th goal of the season, turning in a rebound after the Queenstown gloveman Daniel Bocatiod had parried away an initial shot. 

Mosgiel made it 2-0 on 27 minutes when Bocatios could only  parry another shot with the ball  falling to the feet of Kasam Ali, who tapped in from close range to bag his first goal for the club. Shocked into action, Queenstown started to hit their straps and began to ask the Mosgiel defence questions, overloading the wide channels with some neat interplay between Willem Ebbinge and Jan Kumar especially.

After a period of sustained pressure, Mosgiel goalkeeper Liam Whittaker, on his return from a 3 year sojourn overseas, made an outstanding 1 v 1 save that preserved Mosgiel's 2 goal buffer. Queenstown had the better of the back end of the half and got their reward when a lapse in concentration from the Mosgiel backline allowed them to counter and find Ebbinge, who was given too much time in the box to lay the ball across goal to Carlos Herrmann who tapped the ball home from inside the 6 yard box 4 minutes before the ibterval.

2-1 to Mosgiel at halftime.

The second half, like the first, ebbed and flowed with both sides having periods of ascendancy. Queenstown changed formation and as the half progressed pushed bodies forward and played more direct in an effort to get in behind the Mosgiel backline.

They created a couple of good chances and one attempt that required a last ditch clearance off the line from Mosgiel right back Luke McKay. Mosgiel, though, edged the half in terms of possession and chances created, with a controlled passing game regularly breaking the Queenstown lines and creating opportunities for Brook and Aidan Barbour-Ryan.

It was these two who combined to create Mosgiel's 3rd goal - a quick throw down the line from Brook got Barbour-Ryan in behind the Queenstown defence. Barbour-Ryan made a great angled run into the box before squaring the ball across to an unmarked Rahan Ali to sidefoot home and restore Mosgiel's 2 goal advantage with 57 minutes played.

Queenstown refused to surrender and for the last 15 minutes threw everything at Mosgiel, but were unable to breach the side's resolute defence led by Liam Dungey and Rory Findlay. Lewis Wall was exceptional for Mosgiel, with some moments of real quality in possession, but it was his work rate and defensive effort in the midfield, winning nearly every tackle and loose ball, that helped the side to come out on top and go top of the table on goal difference.

Queenstown coach Jamie Whitmarsh lamented that not being able to train for the best part of three weeks certainly hindered his team, but also giving  away cheap goals like we did today especially against good sides then all the  hard work and the  efforts you create at the other end count for nothing.

Northern v Caversham

Caversham finally tasted success for the first time this season with  a 3-0 win over Northern at Forrester Park.

In cool conditions, Caversham shrugged off the frustrations of a below-par start to the season and took the game   to Northern

and if their  shooting touch had  been sharper, they would have taken an earlier lead with Ben Wade, Ben Kiore and Max Johnston all spurning chances. Wades thunderous shot cannoned off the cross bar to Johnston who nodded home on 28minutes but his effort was ruled out for offside.

Northern despite being without 3 players were holding their shape and following coach Arran Wilkinsons game plan and it was a cruel blow when they conceded shortly before the interval when Max Johnston scored   following up on a Connor Neil shot that had taken a wicked reflection.

Neil made it 2-0 early in the second half when he bounced on another shot from Wade that had been saved by Alex Van Hessing  , and Campbell Thompson secured the three points on 76 minutes when the ball was swung across the box and he finished sweetly.

While he was frustrated not to get on the scoresheet, Ben Wade was again to the fore of Caversham’s attack, and  young central defender Harry Chadwick made a highly impressive first start.

Wanaka v Dunedin Technical

Wanaka were in a buoyant mood being the new holders of  the Blair Davidson Trophy following their victory over Caversham- so they now had the task of playing for 3 points and also keeping the prestigious shield in the trophy cabinet.

Dunedin Tech were in town and in no mood to oblige Wanaka and started brightly and took the lead  in the 11th minute when  they played 4 unopposed passes that  opened up Wanaka and Tech striker Turner cooly placed his shot past Rory Hannon in goal for Wanaka.

Wanaka responded 2 minutes later when Everton Rossi set up Weston Bell who hit a well placed left foot shot across goal into  the far corner to make it 1-1.

The action continued and Wanaka scored again when  Thomas Van Hees won possession and drove forward and played  a dangerous ball across the face of goal and a Tech defenders attempted clearance hit the oncoming Rossi for Wanaka and deflected into the net.

Wanaka then dominated possession and territory but Technical equalised  on 26 minutes when again Turner forced the ball home from close range when Hannon could only parry a rocket of a shot from Techs Ash Watson.

Wanaka regained ascendancy and   went 3-2 up just before half time - Barry Grehan played a peach of a ball over the top to Weston Bell and his first touch turned his opposing defender inside out and he then hit a well timed shot to the near post and it snuck past Cade Fink in Techs goal.

Michael Gealogo came on for Wanaka  at half time and immediately his reunion with Grehan in Wanakas midfield helped Wanaka take charge of the game.

A number of chances were created by both teams during the next quarter as , Hodgson Adam Hewson and Levi Fletcher for Wanaka and Turner for Tech missed good opportunities to score.

Wanaka finished strongly in the last 10  mins when the powerful Paul Hodgson scored at the far post following a well placed long ball from Van Hees and then an excellent cross from Hewson which put Wanaka up 4-2 in the 80th min.

The icing was put on the cake in the 90th minute when Gealogo found himself one on one with Fink and he cooly danced round the keeper to make it 5-2 .

- Neville Watson ODT