Mainland Premier League (Part 1)

Hmm, not as sure as you Gings. Cashmere's top U19 team (all those playing MPL or PDL) will be heading to Napier for the national U19 championships; so it will be a (still pretty good) B team they field at Tsunami; where there will be some competition; esp from Coastal and maybe Bays.

As for Nike Cup, Cashmere probably stongest Chch team at that age group (they are playing up in 15 div1; but FC20 and possibly Halswell will provide a challenge); but they (Cashmere) were beaten by both Nelson and Richmond club teams at recent tournament in Nelson. Otago rep team also strong at that age group, but not sure if there is a strong Dndn club team to challenge.

Bays title to loss as both Suburbs or Tech would have to take maximum points to be in with a chance and cannot see that happening, Suburbs maybe?  Tech seem to struggle to score goals at times, this seems to be a real problem when they play sides near the bottom of the table.

I was referring to 2013 sarcastically based on the rep coaches from 14s-16s (not that players follow their rep coaches at all...). Will be interesting to see how their top 19s go in Napier with plenty of Dragons and Baby Dragons players at the club.

Coastal drew 1-1 with Bays today. Were up halfway through first half with a quick reply from Kamo. Plenty of chances at both ends but ended as it was.

Heard second hand Western beat Utd 3-2 so makes the relegation down to two teams.

In the women's league:

Cashmere Technical 0 Coastal Spirit 0

FC Twenty11 2 University 1

Halswell 4 Western 6 

Next Weekend Round in MPL;

Ferrymead Bays vs. Cashmere Technical (likey to be a biggee)

The Hawkes vs. The Rams

Western vs. Coastal (aka Western B)

Suburbs vs. FC 2011

Confirmed:

Western 3 Christchurch United 2

FC Twenty11 0 Halswell 1

Points: Bays 36, Suburbs and Technical 30, Coastal and Halswell 24, Western 19, FC 12 and United 10 - with Suburbs and Tech playing tomorrow. 

As Vim said Western looks to be safe with FC and United battling for the wooden spoon.

Games remaining (in order) for:

FC - Suburbs, Tech, United and Coastal 

United - Halswell, Suburbs, FC and Tech 

so likely to be a big game on Aug 18 for FC and United. 

Just before half time Suburbs 1 Cashmere Technical 0. Plenty of drama with Suburbs going a player down after last defender brought down attacker in the area with Coey then saving the penalty. 

Was 1 nil to Suburbs as the break but Tech have equalished four minutes into the 2nd half. Bays will be hoping that it stays all locked up.

Final: Suburbs 1 Technical 2

I thought Western were talking to Nomads, or Papanui, or Parklands or Burwood or St albans....

Every season the rumours pop up about a merger involving Western, its gunna happen eventually, look at their junior section... (I don't know how united is surviving as a stand alone club these days either)

I'd like to see Parklands and burwood merge in together, stop them fighting over the same players. Get a competitive team in mens div 1 and they're sorted.

Gutted about Suburbs! Looks like season over :( 

Hang in there Luis as Tech have struggle against the sides near the bottom so far this season and Bays still have Tech and Suburbs to play so Suburbs still in with a good show of finishing in the top two and may be an outside chance in finishing on top.

Not till the fat lady.... and besides, you've got all the excitement and drama of a new ASB Premiership side to launch.

This weekend's predictions 

Bays 1 Cashmere 1

Halswell 2, Chch utd 0

Coastal 3, Western 1

Nelson 3, FCsolastyear 0

Mine

Bays 1 Tech 2

Halswell 2 United 1

Coastal 2 Western 0

Nelson 4 FC zip

Bays 2 Tech 2

Halswell 1 United 0

Coastal 3 Western 1

Nelson 3 FC 0

Coastal beat Western 3-0. All goals in the first half, 2 to Wellbourne and he had the assist in the third too.  

Heard second hand that Bays and Tech drew 1-1 and Halswell and Utd drew 3-3 despite Utd being up 3-0 in the first half. 

Dramarama.

Yes was Bays 1 Tech 1, Bays a Piercey penalty with another taken by Kamo saved five minutes earlier with Tech leveling in stoppage time.

United blowing a three goal lead may prove to be very costly in a few weeks time.

In the women's league:

Coastal 1 FC 1

Western 2 Technical 2

Univ 0 Halswell 1

Halswell unable to field a team tomorrow in their catch-up game with Coastal. Coastal will be awarded game 3 - nil which will give them the title so well done, second title in three years.

FC Leading 2 - 1 over Suburbs at half time

Div 1:

Nomads 10 - Mid Canty 0

FC 2 - Waimak 2
Selwyn 2 - tech 2

Students 2 - Halswell 1

 

Suburbs scored twice in the final five minutes to win 3 - 2.

Points with three rounds to play.

Bays 37, Tech 34, Suburbs 33, Coastal 27, Halswell 25, Western 19, FC 12 United 11

Would be fair to say that teams don't really take the cup part of the competition as seriously as the league part. Obvious reasons there. Hard work has been done. Slight correction to one of the scores though as Selwyn beat Tech 2-1. Very much a game of 2 halves (due to the nice flowing northerly straight up pitch) Selwyn up 2-0 after 8 mins and plenty more chances in 1st half, then Tech came forward in 2nd half with the wind and put plenty of pressure on. Good game, few interesting rulings from the officials, plenty of input from the linesmen even if the referee seemingly saw the incident 5m in front of him.

Nelson Suburbs very lucky to escape with a win. Dominated possession and territory but just lacked quality finishing. FC Twenty 11 will be gutted.

They're not the only ones :(

Games next Saturday:

Cashmere Tech vs. FC

ChCh United vs. Suburbs

Halswell vs. Coastal

Ferrymead Bays vs. Western

Few things happening around the traps. 4 starters:

1. Phoenix pre-season game in Chch - yay! Wouldn't it be great to fill Rugby League Park?

2. Canterybury United Development Cup. U22 tourney. Extends the season for another month. Danny Halligan gets to scout for Youth team. Other commnets?

3. Mainland competitions review. Have you read the info on the Mainland website? Navel gazing & tinkering or real change?

4. Gutted to hear only 1 Chch player made the training squad (of about 30 i think) for next year's U17 national team. 3 from Nelson. Apparently the Auckland coach didn't get the opportunity to see them play against Auckland or any Nth Island competition; and viewed them playing each other in pelting rain for an hour at Halswell. Realistically, can you make national sides living in Chch if they don't have national age tournaments anymore?

Take your pick, ladies and gents; seems to have gone a bit quiet here in the last little while.

Re no.4: the trial process for the u17 training squad was a joke; lopsided teams, players used as cannon fodder to make a select few look good and players being played out of position were the overriding feature of this so called quality approach to football development. The Football South players I saw were well below the standard of a lot of the Mainland boys, yet it seemed the were being played purely for " fairness " and " transparency " reasons...what about whether you're good enough or not? Seems like a lot of parents are paying Mainland A LOT of money for the dubious honour of being involved in this trial " process "...

Ray Hicks maybe a new person on this thread but he's hit the nail on the head from what I've heard. Adding to what Stretford said how can you really gain an idea of the talent in the region with a one hour trial?

On the other points he raised:

1) Yes yay for the Phoenix, just a shame I'm away that wknd.

2) great idea the Under 22 cup, another chance to show the younguns up for higher honours

3) Competitions review: good thing IMO. With the Div 1 not really showing much keeness for promotion maybe there is room for improvement in the MPL. Ultimately tho, there still needs to be a promotion/relegation element to the league otherwise the league will lose all sort of interest for the other 6 teams that won't win it. And a perfect time to sort out the whole schools vs clubs issue. My other real hope is to sort out the whole juniors playing in their own age group to have real leagues across the board however that will probably be a lost cause. 

1. Phoenix = YAY! Throw in the all whites in mid october and theres potential to really get the ball rolling (ba-dum-tsssssssssh)

2. U/22s is a great idea.

3. Competitions review: needs to happen. My biggest gripe is clubs skipping from 14s/15s to PDL. I put this down to 17s and 18s not being as strong as they were. Remember U/19 SuperYouth? That was an AWESOME competition which actually prepared the young ones for mens footy. Move 13s to 1215 kick off and merge 17s & 18s to bring it back. You want a PDL team? you've gotta have a team in super youth! (move PDL & MPL back 30 minutes so kids can get that bench time after their super youth game in like they used to).

Schools need to go aswell, but that won't happen. (Yes, I do usually beat the drum for equality etc but in terms of balance and competitions it needs to happen. 14s to 18s is one big clusterf*ck)

In terms of south island champs I'd like to see an U/17s. Surely theres a bit of a gap between baby dragons and U/16. Fill it with meaningful rep competition.

4. unfortunate. Who's the lucky cantab?

Coastal beat Halswell 1-0. Hurry up with the other scores please!

Sporting Pulse website says Moneybags Bays beat Western 4-0.

2 draws.

Still a great effort. Only lost one game all season - National Knockout semi final - will this be enough to see Gareth Turnbull finally win the Coach of the year award?

I was told that Western defaulted their Women's PFL game against Coastal today, not a good look. That is two defaults in as many weeks in the Women's league, Halswell and now Western.