Mainland Premier League (Part 1)

Yes, been an age since Coastal Women beaten, especially by three goals to none. Surely no power-shift. Let's not talk about it.

Coastal Rangi, as they are called, played last year too, and yes are basically a school team. Personally I'd rather have a team playing for a club rather than a school, but, maybe you're right, is it a good compromise between schools and clubs? Should they just link up with a club? Still a bit stoopid.  Just have a top Wednesday competition and be gone with you. 

PS. Top day at the Coastal Nomads game...

For Coastal. wins in MPL and PDL i see.

Oh yes. Could be some trouble down south with FC losing again.  Is it too soon?

Any opposition send off is justified. I didn't get a good look at it, but agreed perhaps it was a little harsh. There was heaps of hassles towards the refs in both the PDL and MPL games at Cuthberts, with one player telling the volunteer linesman to put his f-ing flag up. Classy. Seems to be a heap of referee bashing going on at the moment, mine not included.

Lily wasn't allowed to play for Coastal Women's due to APFA commitments, sigh. Wow, 2011 last loss, that's a long time. 

Yes FC look the goods for relegation, altho early days yet and transfer window still wide open. 

Results from the Div 1 - Qual. League

Mid Canty 4 ChCh United 2

Selwyn 1 University 2

Cash Tech 0 FC 2011 0 ??? (Result not clear from Mainland Website)

Hornby 1 Waimak 2

Points after two rounds: Waimak and Univ 6, FC and Tech 4, Mid Canty 3, Hornby ChCh United and Selwyn 0 

Here's one for the 'no team should play up a grade en masse' guidelines from Mainland....

Either it's a mistake or for real, but there is a  CashTech 14's girls team playing in boys 15's Division 3. And they got beat 7-0 by Waimak B.

What were the ground marking like? At Barnett Park were poor no penalty spot on the goalmouth closest to car park, would have been interested in what would have happened if the two pens awarded were at that end of the field..

Yer shocking at Cuthberts. Number one pitch is ruined with softball usage over the summer and a terrible repair job.  Council had to come back and redo the lines on Number two (new number one) as they were too narrow and faint.  

Then the referees measured the pitch and turns out the 18 yard box is only 16!  Conspiracy theory is that with 200 pitches to mark in a week the CCC worked out that if they made the pitches shorter they would save time in marking and money in paint!

Half time in Nelson and Suburbs leading Western 2 - 1.

Finished 2 all in Nelson so after five rounds points are:

Bays 12, Tech and Western 10, Halswell 9, Suburbs 7, Coastal 6, Nomads 3 and FC 1

Games For Next Saturday

Western vs. Bays

Cashmere Tech vs Coastal

Halswell vs Nelson Suburbs

Nomads vs FC Twenty

so plenty of interest at both ends of the table.

Coastal Rangi wanted the same coach and extra football. Same scheme worked well last year.

Other Coastal 18's Girls side has lots of last seasons 14's , remember there is no Girls 16 Comp. This may partially explain the CTFC Girls side playing where they are Vim.

No need to panic , besides the Waimakari 14's will be the genuine challengers in 2-3 years time, couple of very strong sides out there. 

 Pretty good result for Western up there, especially coming from behind.

Also I got all my predictions correct, just sayin :)

Next week will be interesting but at the moment Bays are looking very strong

Have to put in a post or the Mainland thread will be n another page with all the new starts today.

Hope all clubs are going to keep up with marking the lines on their home grounds every 3 or 4 weeks.

With the rain forecast and a bit of mowing before winter what has been done will be gone by May. 

 Bays v Hornby last night in English Cup. Result?

 What's on at English Park tonight that makes it unavailable fro Fed Talent Centre?

Halswell 2 Nelson 0

Western 1 Bays 1

Cashmere 1 Coastal Spirit 2

Nomads 1 FC 0

Here are my picks for this weekend:

In light of Cheeko's last weeks picks I'll take that into account when picking mine. Obviously changing his Coastal result. 

Halswell 1 Nelson 2
Western 0 Bays 2 (what was he thinking?)
Cashmere Tech 1 Coastal 2
Nomads 1 FC 0

In good/bad news and adding to our musical football divisions, Robert Palmer has been transferred to Christs College.

Wherever he hangs his hat, that's his home :)

Robert Palmer, Paul Young ..... Who gives a #%^#

Quiet tonight.

mercy mercy me

weather supposed to be fairly cruddy tomorrow.

I see the school team in 13's D1 has defaulted this week (round 3). 

 Chch United Div 1 picked up their first win beating Selwyn 4 -0 (I think that was it)

Yip. 7th place Chch Utd beat 8th place Selwyn. They're on the up!

 MPL results. I know Cashmere and Coastal finished 2-2 at Garrick. Others?

Coastal slipped up today, 2 glaring defensive errors gifting Cashmere both goals that sees them drop further behind Bay$. Will be a huge effort to get up and win the league from here but the boys are starting to hit their straps. Next 4 games are crucial as they play FC, Western, Nelson & Halswell - all are must wins pretty much. Great goal by Macca, would be hard to beat that one for goal of the season. Eddie Ashton outstanding in goal for the seasiders, including a finely judged "leave" that crashed off the cross bar late in the second half. 2-0 down and down to 10 men with 25 mins to go a great fight back ensured the game finished on a pulsating note with plenty of end to end football. Good game on an excellent surface in spite of the conditions.

Trust Skippy to score the winner against Halswell jammy bugger. A draw there would have done Coastal nicely.

Looks increasingly likely Nomads and FC will battle it out for the wooden spoon with both sides maintaining their lack of goal scoring which could make it a long season for both sides. They have scored a combined 6 goals and conceded 27 in 5 games.

 A miserable day yesterday and a miserable performance from Western. Bays won very comfortably with Western only creating a few chances near the end, very disappointing.

Bays will take some beating this year, from midfield forward they are extremely strong.

  Thought would give people a view on Div 1 so far from Selwyn perspective. Yes....yawn for some but seeing we have played what people would expect to be the 3 teams fighting for promotion at the end of the season you may be interested. Not going to talk about our (lack of) performances, but the 3 teams we have played. I would have to say that of Waimak, Uni and Chch Utd, the team looking the most likely to come up at this stage would be Waimak, but they are very evenly matched with Uni. Not sure of the depth of Waimak, but they a young side who move well off the ball and are quick. University have a bit more size, and possibly more depth off the bench. Having never seen Chch Utd, I was suprised with the players we saw. Good, but not MPL level. I would say that over the course of a whole season, with injuries, Uni holidays etc that things may change but I would expect Waimak and Uni to be fighting for the promotion.

A fairish review of the Coastal Tech game, with some nicely tinted glasses on from Ron.

What wasn't mentioned was the roasting Mainland got in the Tech match programme. Last time I read something like that was, oh wait, the last time I read a Tech programme.

Highlights included substandard showers and facilities at Barnett Park, plus the $800k wage bill at Mainland and whether we are getting value for money. The suggestion is no.

Is it ok to air such laundry in a match programme? On Yellow Fever its compulsory but the programme?