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Mosgiel 0, Spirit FC 0; July 3rd
Spirit FC drew its Footballsouth
Premier League game with Mosgiel at Mosgiel near Dunedin on Saturday but of
greater significance was the nil-all score line.
From left Mosgiel's Mike Abbott, Cam Will, Spirit's Fonoti
and Mark Caldow watch closely
as the ball rolls harmlessly to the feet of the cameraman....
The Invercargill based composite team has the dubious distinction of conceding more goals (35) than any team in the competition, a statistic that has slowed markedly with the conceding of just one goal in its last three games.
The key to the reversal has been
the selection of an unchanged quintet of defensive players and the improved
combination and understanding that working as a cohesive unit brings.
Oswaldo Rodriguez in goal and the back-four line up of Carl Henderson, Josh
Frewen, Stephen Black and Kris Leatherby are proving difficult for opposition
strikers to break down as Mosgiel discovered in Saturday’s encounter.
The game was always in the
balance with Spirit having the better of the early exchanges but its strikers
failed to capitalise on the good work with a series of misdirected attempts to
score.
Spirit's Adrian Fonoti "taps" the ball to Mosgiel keeper
Andrew James for an easy save
Mosgiel’s former All White Mike McGarry might have long since been as fit as he
was in his prime but he still showed the young ones around him there is no
substitute for experience as he calmly guided his team out of trouble and went
about setting up attacking moves with strong ball protection and accurate
delivery.
By comparison Spirit’s Barry
Gardiner was the ultimate work horse as he scurried about creating opportunities
at one end and assisting his defenders at the other.
James to the rescue again as he foils the Spirit duo
Fonoti and Caldow
with the ever present McGarry (far left) giving advice
Spectators had to wait until the second half to get some real action and although it was spasmodic when it came both teams had opportunities to grab the three points.
At the 20 minute mark a terrible
Spirit defensive error allowed one of the Mosgiel strikers a free run on goal
and when scoring looked to be the only outcome Spirit keeper Rodriquez came to
the rescue with an outstanding point blank save to deny Mosgiel the lead.
Five minutes later and it was Spirits turn to grab the advantage when they were
awarded a penalty kick for a defensive hand ball.
Mark Caldow was given the task but his effort rattled the crossbar and deflected
to safety much to Mosgiel’s delight.
Former Spirit FC player Tom Kent (highest to ball) wins
this duel over Fonoti.
(You may notice Adrian Fonoti is in all
the photo's, well that's the way he plays the game
it's not because he pays well !!)
The game lost momentum in the latter stages as the determination of both teams
not to lose replaced the want to win.
University by virtue of its 3-1 win over Northern relegated Spirit to sixth
place in the ten team league while Dunedin Tech 3-1 winners over Grants Braes
increased its lead in the competition.
Caversham who because of Chatham Cup commitments are trailing Tech have two
catch up games in hand and remain favourites for the title.
Both Southland men’s Premier
League games were played on the artificial turf at Turnbull Thompson Park with
AMP South Old Boys stretching its lead in the competition to four points with a
3-1 win over Eyeview Queens Park.
Ryan Jones with 2 goals and Brandon de Garnham scored the goals that enhanced
Old Boys aim to retain the Donald Gray trophy it won last season, Mark Pearson
netted Park’s lone goal.
Southend United needed 2 goals
from youngster Brandon Brookland and 1 from veteran Ken Cresswell to secure the
three win points from their game against Invercargill Brewery Waihopai 3-2.
Waihopai led at the break 1-nil but after a great fight back by the Southend
unit conceded the winner late in the game.
In the top of the table Women’s premier league clash at O’Rorke Park yesterday
Malloch McClean Riverton staved off a strong challenge from second placed
Sinderellas Southend United to eventually win the game 3-2.
Riverton held a 1-nil lead at the half time break but the victory wasn’t sealed until
their leading scorer Jessica Mallon netted her second of the afternoon ensuring that Riverton
increased its lead on the points table and retained the Ottley Challenge trophy.
Estelle Hamlin scored Riverton’s other goal while Tove Crosswell with 2 for Southend
kept on level terms with Mallon as the league’s leading goal scorers with 21 apiece.
Queenstown Rovers missed a golden opportunity to move ahead of Southend into second spot
when they were surprisingly held to a 1-all draw by the much improved JK Stevenson Queens Park
team.