South Island League

I think the logistics of night games the issues come from player and coach/management availability due to work commitments. We struggled to get players for a Friday night game as younger players worked Friday evenings so as to allow them to play a Saturday and more senior players struggled as some didn’t finish work until 6pm or later.

For those clubs that employ players in different capacities (I’m meaning as coaches etc rather than paying players to play before someone jumps on that bandwagon), then it’s a little easier as they can be made available more readily.

You could argue Sunday games could be similar, but I think more players are likely to be available on a Sunday, which as has been highlighted, would see more club members at games.

Even at CCL level this is evident when lower grades are cancelled on a Saturday due to weather

Is the mighty Bays goings to do anything with all the money we have spent this season or is it good for bloody nothing. If Bays dont get atleast a point from this weekends game im calling Halligan to get the sack. Thats pathetic. Massive gamble with Aidan. If that dont pay of I can see the wheels falling of very hard :(

Round 2 Results

Cashmere Technical 1 (Andy Tuckey) Ferrymead Bays 1 (Chris Murphy) HT 1 - 0

Queenstown Rovers vs. Southland United - postponed due to water logged pitch

Sunday at Midday

Coastal Spirit vs. Dunedin Technical - Cuthberts Green

Nomads vs. Nelson Suburbs - Tulett Park

Hold that call :)

Coastal Spirit 3 Dunedin Tech 3

What a cracking game of football that was in front of a good crowd.

Shame about the easterlly and the bumpy pitch, thought the players excelled in the conditions. 

Duneding Tech, well done, set the tempo of the game early on and didn't really deserve to be 2-0 down at the break but hey if you aren't going to take your chances that's football for you. Dominant for the first 20- 25 of the second half to score 2 and get back into the game, that 2nd goal was an absolute cracker but then Coastal worked their way back into the game. Great run by AJ to set up Ash for the 3rd with a minute to go. All credit to DTech to carry the fight to the bitter end and get the equaliser, the Coastal boys have prided themselves in not having conceded a goal in open play for a few months now so to take 2 in one game from set pieces will hurt. Hope the Tech team enjoy the bus ride home, you did well, bring on next week, this is awesome.

In 19 games prior to today, Coastal have conceded 3 just once - v Selwyn in MPL Round 1 on 17th March. The other 18 games they've conceded 2 goals just once, 1 goal 5 times, and 12 clean sheets. But 3 today so well done Dunedin Tech. Looks like it will be a very tight league. 

Today's scorers

Coastal Spirit 3 (Rhys Williams, Dominic McGarr, Ash Wellbourn) Dunedin Technical 3 (Andy Coburn, Garbhan Coughlan, Danny Ledwith) HT 2 - 0

Nomads 3 (Bryon Heath, Liam Thompson, Stephen Hoyle - pen) Nelson Suburbs 0 HT 0 - 0

Team	P	W	D	L	F	A	GD	Pts
Dunedin Technical	2	1	1	0	6	3	3	4
Nomads	2	1	1	0	4	1	3	4
Cashmere Technical	2	1	1	0	6	4	2	4
Coastal Spirit	2	1	1	0	5	3	2	4
Ferrymead Bays	2	0	2	0	2	2	0	2
Queenstown Rovers	1	0	0	1	3	5	-2	0
Southland United	1	0	0	1	0	3	-3	0
Nelson Suburbs	2	0	0	2	0	5	-5	0

Yes great game at Cuthberts Green, a six goal triller, with plenty of drama in added time with two goals but in the end a good point for both teams. 

Great game indeed so much more quality on show than Saturday’s game between cash tech and bays. Coastal have improved greatly over the season and are going to be a real challenger in this league. 

Agree with the first bit but wouldn't count any of the top 4 out at all, in fact I think Suburbs may yet have an influence on the title as on their day they could take points off any of the top sides. Nomads will be feeling confident as well after a solid start. 5 games to go, let's hope for more of the same next weekend. All still to play for.

Another cracking weekend of football, World Cup included. 

Satdy I watched Tech and Bays playing for the second time in a week and it made it feel as if I had started supporting different teams. Bays played so much better than the week before and it was pretty even all over the show. Amazing reaction goal from Tuckey as it bounced back off the post to head it in, it was going so fast. Tech probably could have wrapped up the game however with a 1-0 scoreline anything can happen. Once again the lino and referee had to discuss whether or not they could allow the goal against Tech to stand however this time (unlike Qtown) they couldn't come up with a reason to deny it despite the lino's flag being up?!?!?!  The Tech players were right to ask the ref why he had the flag up. Funny having Bays coach come over at the end of the game happy that we were cheering his team on this week. :-) 

Coastal's game against the other Tech I hate was a cracker. We were under the pump for the first half hour and then somehow we got 2 quick goals and all seemed well. It was a shocker of a cold wind Tech had in the second half and they put us under heaps of pressure. Goals were smashed, quite a few fine saves by our new keeper :-), and it looked like a draw until we stole it at the death. If only that was the case. Another perfect corner caught the wind and it bounced around off a few heads and feet until it once again was smashed in. We only had time to kick off and that was the full time whistle. Have to say we were lucky to get the draw in the end despite never being behind! I know they are a good team but we weren't on our A game yesterday. 

Fantastic league this one!  Bring on the road-trip to Qtown. 

Now comfirmed that the Round 2 game between Queenstown Rovers and Southland United (that was postponed due to a water logged pitch) had been rescheduled for this Saturday at 2:45pm,with Round 7 game between Dunedind Technical and Nomads being played the following day at Caly as Midday.

Round 2 catch-up result:

Queenstown Rovers 2 Southland 1 HT 0 - 0

Team	P	W	D	L	F	A	GD	Pts
Dunedin Technical	2	1	1	0	6	3	3	4
Nomads	2	1	1	0	4	1	3	4
Cashmere Technical	2	1	1	0	6	4	2	4
Coastal Spirit	2	1	1	0	5	3	2	4
Queenstown Rovers	2	1	0	1	5	6	-1	3
Ferrymead Bays	2	0	2	0	2	2	0	2
Southland United	2	0	0	2	1	5	-4	0
Nelson Suburbs	2	0	0	2	0	5	-5	0

Round 7 Fixture (Brought forward): Dunedin Technicial 2 (Taine Bayly, Andy Coburn - pen) Nomads 2 (Stephen Hoyle 2) HT 1 - 0

Updated Table

Team	P	W	D	L	F	A	GD	Pts
Dunedin Technical	3	1	2	0	8	5	3	5
Nomads	3	1	2	0	6	3	3	5
Cashmere Technical	2	1	1	0	6	4	2	4
Coastal Spirit	2	1	1	0	5	3	2	4
Queenstown Rovers	2	1	0	1	5	6	-1	3
Ferrymead Bays	2	0	2	0	2	2	0	2
Southland United	2	0	0	2	1	5	-4	0
Nelson Suburbs	2	0	0	2	0	5	-5	0

Round 3 Fixtures

Saturday

Coastal Spirit vs. Nomads - 2pm Cuthberts Green

Nelson Suburbs vs Queentown Rovers - 3pm Saxton Fields

Sunday

Dunedin Technical vs. Ferrymead Bays - Midday - Caledonian 

Southland United vs. Cashere Technical - 1pm ILT Football Turf

Anyone want to start making calls as to who is going to win this league?

From what i've seen, Nomads could be hard to look past as a little outside bet.

Coastal Spirit inside, outside , upside down all day long.

Na, no chance. Haven't strengthened (unless they got that 'keeper) since the MPL and they finished 5th right? We'll bump them off this weekend and it will be back to normal. 

Coastal to win the tournament by beating Tech on the last day, altho it's not the last day as there are games all over the show.

May come down to the team with the least cards, if two or more teams are level on points after the completion of Round 7.  

Do you think Dunedin Tech are a chance?

Yer man, they looked good. But dropping points against us and now Nomads, it's a sprint to the finish and two non-wins could mean missing out to a team which only has 1 non win, if you know what I mean. 

Still, anything can happen and the games I've seen have been all over the place so don't listen to me!

Nomads will finish above Southland that would get my money at Stanleybet.

As mentioned by Vim the Goalie has been the problem all season plus need another decent defender for them to be getting amongst the top in either the MPL or SIL.

If Coastal spank Nomads at the weekend I'm sure a few smiles will be on show at the Elmwood come 5pm Saturday. 

CashTech and Coastal to scrap for the title.

DTech looked good on paper but dropping points in two weekends is not going to win a short format competition.

Nelson having a mare of a season for them not going well on the road and getting humped by Coastal in Nelson in the MPL 5-0 and 2-0 in SIL.

Saturdays games both home wins. Sunday a draw for DTvBays and CTech to grab a 5 or more v Southland.

Come on Southland!!

Can anyone confirm if the Dragons squad was training tonight?? And therefore not training for their club teams in the middle of the South Island league??

Confirmed 

so they couldn’t find another night of the week to train?? 

The Willy effect

some massive games here..,

That Coastal vs Nomads game, will be remembered for a long time, for one of the most biased displays of referring ever witnessed at this level of competition. Absolute disgrace, that referee should be sanctioned and dropped to the lower division.The biased nature, was made all the clearer when he kept blowing his whistle and his hand would always go against Coastal  Spirit, even when it was a Coastal call. LOL He had to keep correcting himself, he showed his true nature with that hand though. Disastrous and blatantly poor and incorrect, biased decisions, the penalty call at the end tops it off. Luckily these matches are recorded. MAINLAND, actually watch them and take action. Like players can't, referee's can't get away with cheating. Everyone should be and has to be held accountable. Top job from the Coastal manager not losing his rag, when he deserved too.

That's a pretty strong claim there. Got a programme? who reffed?

What a load of rubbish. The call he signaled the wrong way was a Nomads free kick and he put his hands in Coastal’s direction before rectifying it. I thought the officials had a good game although two soft penalty’s were given 1 each way. More Nomads players were booked too. Those grapes must be sour?

Cam was the reff. Thought he did alright apart from a yellow for chrietens hand ball. Didn't see the second penalty cause I was watching from the other end but the penalty that was awarded to coastal was fair.

Nomads were very poor to let coastal back into the game while being up 2-0 and 3-1. Nomads won't get a result against tech because tech take chances just like coastal did today. For that reason I can't see Nomads winning the title and after the result today I can't see past Cashmere.

Dragons training did start this week but it's the wider training squad so willy is understanding if players can't make trainings. At least thats what Ive heard.

With both penalties  not to many players complaining about the rulings if that is any guide.

Todays results / scorers

Coastal Spirit 3 (Ash Wellbourn 2 - incl pen Haris Zeb) Nomads 4 (Byron Heath 3 - incl pen, Liam Thompson)

Nelson Suburbs 5 (Ryan Stewart 3, Eddie Sillars, Alex Ridsdale) Queenstown Rovers 0

Current table with games tomorrow: Dunedin Tech. vs. Ferrymead Bays and Southland Utd vs.Cashmere Tech.

Team	P	W	D	L	F	A	GD	Pts
Nomads	4	2	2	0	10	6	4	8
Dunedin Technical	3	1	2	0	8	5	3	5
Cashmere Technical	2	1	1	0	6	4	2	4
Coastal Spirit	3	1	1	1	8	7	1	4
Nelson Suburbs	3	1	0	2	5	5	0	3
Queenstown Rovers	3	1	0	2	5	11	-6	3
Ferrymead Bays	2	0	2	0	2	2	0	2
Southland United	2	0	0	2	1	5	-4	0

Wow Factchecker, I must have been watching a different game than you then ............. what a total load of bollocks mate. U obviously know very little about the game ........

FT Dunedin Technical 1 Ferrymead Bays 2 HT 0 - 0

HT Southland United 0 Cashmere Technical 2

FT Southland United 0 Cashmere Technical 4 (Lyle Matthysen 2, Tom Schwarz 2 - incl pen)

Dunedin Tech threw away the chance to beat Bays today, with missed opportunities up one end and costly mistakes by their goalkeeper at the other - who looked to be struggling throughout. Bays must use this to keep up the chase at the top, think it will be a three horse race from here on in. Not a bad game, but not a brilliant one either. 

Updated Table:

Team	P	W	D	L	F	A	GD	Pts
Nomads	4	2	2	0	10	6	4	8
Cashmere Technical	3	2	1	0	10	4	6	7
Dunedin Technical	4	1	2	1	9	7	2	5
Ferrymead Bays	3	1	2	0	4	3	1	5
Coastal Spirit	3	1	1	1	8	7	1	4
Nelson Suburbs	3	1	0	2	5	5	0	3
Queenstown Rovers	3	1	0	2	5	11	-6	3
Southland United	3	0	0	3	1	9	-8	0

Interesting round with both Coastal and Dunedin Tech ending their unbeaten runs to added time goals, of the 52 goals scored so far 6 have been in added time at the death.

After not conceding goals for a lenghty period prior to the Southern League Coastal have conceded seven goals in two games - funny old  game footy, if it wasn't no one would be watching.

Fixtures for next with some great match-ups:

Saturday

Queenstown Rovers vs. Coastal Spirit

Sunday

Cashmere Technical vs Dunedin Techical

Ferrymead Bays vs. Nelson Suburbs

Nomads vs. Southland United