There is to
be no “revenge is sweet” for Spirit FC as it missed a golden opportunity to
enhance fourth placing in the Soccersouth football league when suffering a 1-nil
defeat at the hands of Queenstown Rovers at Invercargill’s Rugby Park on
Saturday.
As a result of its 2-nil win over Grants Braes University has leapfrogged Spirit into fourth spot.
Queenstown now join Spirit and South Canterbury United in the race for that position remembering that Caversham, Dunedin Technical and Roslyn Wakari are the front-runners to finish 1-2-3.
Saturday’s game was one Spirit lost rather than Queenstown won as with the territorial advantage it enjoyed Spirit could not do the most important task of the day, score goals.
A series of
missed opportunities and a better than average game by non-goalkeeper Steve
Henderson between the Queenstown sticks frustrated and finally led to Spirit’s
downfall.
On the other hand thirty minutes into the game Queenstown grabbed one of its rare opportunities to score, and did so through Cadi Oliveira, then defended its lead as though their lives depended on it.
To say it was
not to be Spirit’s day is perhaps an understatement as in a ten minute spell
prior to Queenstown’s goal Spirit’s Adam Letts had shaved the bar with a strong
header, John Schol brought out the save-of-the-day from stand in keeper
Henderson and Hamish Low chose a wrong option when he volleyed high over the bar
with only Henderson to beat and when a low shot seemed the logical choice.
The second
half became a procession as Spirit led by a strong performance from youngster
Wade Griffin on the left flank made wave after wave of attacks on the Queenstown
defence.
However with Otago United central defender Ruy Pires, the diminutive James Robert at right full back and of course keeper Henderson in defiant mood the threat was snuffed out with timely interventions.
Spirit FC
player coach Ken Cresswell was philosophical after the game stating that from a
coach’s point of view the Spirit performance and particularly the work rate of
each player was first class despite the disappointing lack of quality finishing.
Southend
United maintained its Southland Finance premier league lead when it staved off a
determined challenge from Waihopai in the feature game at Surrey Park.
Waihopai held Southend to a nil-all scoreline until 20 minutes into the second half when Southend struck with a fine goal from Shae Wyering.
Waihopai fought its way back into contention and when veteran Mark Buchanan equalised it looked on course to cause an upset.
Southend’s
leading goal scorer Nic Barclay had the final say though when he burst through
the Waihopai defence and grabbed the winning goal with four minutes of play
remaining.
