Mainland Premier League (Part 2)

Doesn't look anything wrong to me! Looks quite good actually. 

Updated tabled after ruling on FC ineligible player:

From The Press: Round Wrap

https://www.stuff.co.nz/the-press/sport/92063860/fe...

Yes I will put my hand up my typo, should be a GD of 10, I have corrected table on orginial posting.

Doesn't the official table have 17 goals scored?

I know the rulebook can / is confusing but may be easier to look as any game were an ineligible has played in causes the game to become a forfeit (like a default) and unless the orginial goal margin is greater than three goals (as per rules provided by Steptoe) then always recorded as a 3 - 0 - the same scoreline for any default.

Also should be noted that in all the games that are a forfeit or a default then the '3 goals' are officially regarded as 'own goals' - tough on orginial goal scorers but rules have been like this for a long time. 

So technicially 'own goals' are leading the MPL Gooden Boot with 16 goals - 1 genuine 'oggies' and the other 15 from the 5 forfeited games.

Mainland AGM on at English Park tomorrow evening Tuesday 2nd May at 7pm.

Here is the link for the PDF of the 2016 Annual Report: 

https://www.mainlandfootball.co.nz/wp-content/uploa...

Media Release from NZ Footy - NZ Under 20 Twenty Squad Named

MEDIA RELEASE

For immediate use

Monday 1 May, 2017

NZ U-20s assemble in Auckland

An expanded New Zealand U-20 squad has assembled in Auckland for a training camp ahead of the FIFA U-20 World Cup squad being named next week.

The 30-man squad includes five All Whites internationals in Clayton Lewis, Henry Cameron, Dane Ingham, Moses Dyer and Logan Rogerson as head coach Darren Bazeley looks to settle on his 21-man squad for the Korea Republic.

Bazeley, who famously guided his team to the final 16 when New Zealand hosted the event in 2015, said this week’s training camp is important to their preparation for the tournament from 20 May to 11 June.

The Kiwis have been drawn in Group E of the 24-team tournament and will face powerhouse France, Honduras and Vietnam as they bid to follow in the footsteps of the 2015 team.

“This is a hugely important week for our team,” said Bazeley.

“Our players are scattered all around the world so this training camp will enable us to see where our players are at physically and help us decide our final squad for Korea. The players know they have a huge opportunity in front of them and I am sure it is going to be a very tough squad to select.”

The New Zealand U-20s will train every day this week at QBE Stadium in Auckland and play two games on Tuesday and Wednesday night against Birkenhead United and Forrest Hill Milford respectively.

New Zealand and Vanuatu earned their spots at the FIFA U-20 World Cup after finishing champions and runners-up respectively at the OFC qualifying event in Vanuatu last September. New Zealand saved their best performance for last when they defeated the hosts 5-0 in the final.

Bazeley expects high standards from his group this week as they press for inclusion in the FIFA World Cup squad.

“The guys can remember how special it was two years ago making the knockout rounds of the FIFA U-20 World Cup on home soil and they all want to emulate and try to surpass the 2015 squad performances,” he said.

“We haven’t been able to get a large group together since January, due to so many players now being based offshore, so this is a good chance to get everyone together and back on the same page with how we want to play and then settle on the squad. The depth in this group will help us achieve our aim which is to win games at the FIFA U-20 World Cup in Korea.”

New Zealand open their tournament against Vietnam on Monday 22 May and then face Honduras three days later with both matches at the Cheonan Sports Complex in Cheonan.

They complete their pool matches in Group E against France at the Daejeon World Cup Stadium in Daejeon on 28 May.

New Zealand Football will name the NZ squad for the FIFA U-20 World Cup on Monday 8 May.

New Zealand Greater Training Squad for the FIFA U-20 World Cup (Country/ City, Club, Academy)

Goalkeepers

Michael Woud, England, Sunderland FC
Cameron Brown, Auckland, Waitemata
Conor Tracey, Auckland , Three Kings
Joshua Dykstra, Auckland, Forest Hill

Defenders

Hunter Ashworth, USA, University of San Fransisco
Daniel Hayden McHenery, Australia, Brisbane, Western Pride
Luke Johnson, Wellington, Wellington United, Phoenix
Reese Cox, Auckland, Western Springs
Sean Liddicoat, Canterbury, Coastal Spirit
Liam Wood, Wellington, Wellington United, Phoenix
Dylan Wood, USA, State University of Denver
Liam Williams, Hamilton, Hamilton
Dane Ingham, Australia, Brisbane, Brisbane Roar Youth
Jack-Henry Sinclair, Wellington, Wellington United, Phoenix
James McGarry, Wellington, Wellington United Phoenix
Dalton Wilkins, Wellington, Western Suburbs, Ole Academy

Midfielders

Moses Dyer, Melbourne, Northcote City
Joe Bell, USA, University of Virginia
Clayton Lewis, Auckland, Onehunga Sports, Auckland City
Connor Probert, USA, University of Kentucky
Sarpreet Singh, Wellington, Wellington United, Phoenix
Callum McCowatt, Wellington, Western Suburbs, Ole Academy
Owen Parker-Price, Wellington, Western Suburbs, Ole Academy
Dylan Burns, Auckland, Glenfield Rovers
Jake Porter, Auckland, Onehunga Sports 

Forwards: 

Noah Billingsley , USA, US Santa Barbara
Myer Bevan, England, Nike Academy
Henry Cameron, England, Blackpool FC
Logan Rogerson, Wellington, Wellington United, Phoenix
Lucas Imrie, USA, Loyola University Chicago

New Zealand fixtures at the FIFA U-20 World Cup

-Vietnam 22 May 8pm (11pm NZ time) Cheonan Sports Complex, Cheonan

-Honduras 25 May 8pm (11pm NZ time) Cheonan Sports Complex, Cheonan

-France 28 May 3pm (6pm NZ time) Daejeon World Cup Stadium, Daejeon

Stadium Cars English Cup catch-up game  between Ferrymead Bays and Nomads on Tuesday evening 7pm Ferrymead Park. 

Score in English cup match?

2-0 to Bays

Sad news from the Mainland AGM last night was that there will be no more TAB betting...

Did the staffers there not pick 9-0 CashTech over FC? They would have been able to fund themselves for the next 20 years if they slipped a sly $100 on it. 

Why's this?

The head of NZF was there and did a speech at the end. He said that the TAB started doing it without a lot of consultation and clubs, administrators, players etc haven't been brought up to speed on the consequences on match fixing etc and simply weren't ready for it to happen. I would agree with that. 

It might come back in the future once some plans have been put in place. 

Mainland have done the draw for the Stadium Cup English Cup - dates / times to be confirmed:

ChCh United vs. Cashmere Technicial

Western vs. Burwood

Universities vs. Coastal Coastal

Ferrymead Bays vs. Hurunui Rangers

Western, Burwood and Uni need to get double banger names like Hurunui Rangers. Love that name, good luck against Bays! I'm putting money on a draw.

Not on the TAB

Round 9 games: - note two changes to orginial draw:

Midday

FC Twenty11 vs. Nelson Suburbs - now at English Park 

2:45pm

Cashmere Technical vs. Universities - Garrick Memorial Park

Ferrymead Bays vs Coastal Spirit - now at Ferrymead Park

Western vs. Nomads - English Park

I see the Clearance page is still busy,with a couple of interesting transfers approved this week.

So with Bays getting the points back for the game against FC2011, and tomorrow being a home game, does that mean it's a Hurley Shield challenge?

I reckon.

Jordan Mundy to CTFC

HE knows a thing or two about tomatoes and was a mighty fine Rugby League player.

I believe Cashmere Technical still hold the Hurley Shield, according to Mainland

This was not the one I was thinking of - as still pending, but one involves the same clubs.

How can the result be reversed on the table and not with the shield? Stoopid.

MPL - Round 6 Results / Scorers

Cashmere Technical 8 (Aaron Clapham 4 - incl pen, Michael White 3, Daniel Thoms) Universities 0 HT 5 - 0

FC Twenty11 1 (Callum Smith) Nelson Suburbs 4 (Ben Wright 2, Sam Ayers, Campbell Banks) HT 0 - 3

Ferrymead Bays 2 (Seb Schacht, Chris Murphy) Coastal Spirit 2 (Sam Orritt, own goal) HT 1 - 2

Nomads 2 (own goal, Reza Ahmabi) Western 0 Ht 1 - 0

Updated table:

Christchurch Champions League

Parklands 1 Halswell 1

Selwyn 1 Christchurch United 1

Waimak 3 Burwood 0

With Michael White (Cashmere Technical) scoring his recorded 11th hat-trick today against Universities now moves ahead of Gareth Turnbull as the all time top scorer in the MPL.

White now on 96 goals, Turnbull 94 with Keith Grosvenor third with 79.

MPL takes a break next weekend due to the ISPA Handa Chatham Cup - here are the ties for the Mainland Federation Region

Saturday - 2pm

Cashmere Technical vs. Western - Garrick Memorial Park

FC Twenty11 vs. Coastal Spirit - Avonhead Park

Ferrymead Bays vs. Selwyn - Ferrymead Park

Nomads vs. ChCh United - English Park

Parklands vs. Halswell - Parklands Reserve

Waimak vs. Universities - Kendall Park

Central Pirates vs. Richmond AFC - Blenheim A & P Showgrounds

Sunday

FC Nelson vs. Nelson Suburbs - Guppy Park 

Yer, after a few rounds it looks as if the table is pretty accurate, despite the points deduction anomaly. 

Tech just keep banging the goals in, game after game. Will be a big match next fortnight against Bays, maybe that one will be for the Hurley Shield? Coastal are looking good, just need to get the accuracy right in key parts of the field. Bays are still a good team, and really pushed us yesterday. We hit the crossbar, they hit the post, and missed a whole bunch of sitters too. I came away feeling that a draw was a fair result, altho either team (and us in particular) could have lost. Nelson will keep on winning against the lower teams, altho pushing the top three, and will probably end up where they are now. FC2011 will finish the best of the rest and it's hard to pick between Uni and Western however I will lock in the latter to be relegated. 

So in my biased opinion, I'm gonna go: Coastal, Tech, Bays, Nelson, FC2011, Nomads, Uni, Western. 

From The Press: Round 9 Wrap

https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/football/92306316/mic...

Maybe it's just me, but can anyone read the infographics that Mainland put out on Facebook?

While it's still in my head. How did that Ferrymead striker manage to miss that open goal on Saturday after that howler from Eddie Ashton!!?

Yup, absolute shocker on both counts. Could have meant all 3 points!