Spirit 0, Mosgiel 1; July 16th

On a day when the local football programme was decimated by cancellations due to the effect of recent rain on the fields, spectators who attended the two games played on the ILT Football Turf in Invercargill were treated to an afternoon of quality football.

Spirit FC was desperate for a win to curtail its recent run of losses in the Footballsouth Premier league.

Ossie tried his best, he completely lost his head tipping this stinging shot onto the bar and away.

However, although scoring the only goal of the game it was an own goal and was enough for Dunedin visitors Mosgiel to go home with the three win points from the 1-nil final score.

Mosgiel's Jordan Swaney (highest) cleans Lloydy out on this occasion

In the Southland premier men’s Donald Gray cup curtain-raiser the less fancied Computer Supplyline Thistle unit proved their 4-1 win in the previous round over third placed Eyeview Queens Park was no fluke when they repeated the three goal margin with a 3-nil win.

Spirit welcomed the return of their quartet of age-group players from last weekend’s New Zealand football training camp and of Scottish Import Craig Ferguson from a one game suspension for Saturday’s main game.

Mosgiel's Abbo dissects the Spirit defenders

They had a golden opportunity to take a first half lead when they were awarded a penalty kick mid way through the half.

Nobby lays it on the line...hand ball it was lads he said,authoritively, now lets get on with it.

Ferguson was given the task but to his, and the Spirit spectators disappointment, his powerful effort eluded the Mosgiel keeper only to strike the upright and ricochet to safety.

The nil-all half time score line was a fair reflection of the game’s possession and territorial battle.

Attracted by my Tottenham jacket, Barry Gardiner passed the ball to me.

Spirit continued to play a better standard of football than they have in recent times and remained well in contention until the unfortunate own goal.

Spirit goal keeper Oswaldo Rodriquez defied a fierce Mosgiel shot on goal with a fine save but in doing so parried the ball into the path of his retreating defender Stephen Black who inadvertently bundled the ball across the line.

Despite the set back Spirit continued to share the stage with their opponents and while they successfully repelled Mosgiel’s often swift attacks could not register a goal they richly deserved to level the score.

Lloydy (8) had a couple of goes but to no avail

In the early game Thistle all but extinguished Queens Park’s mathematical chance of overtaking AMP South Old Boys for the Senior Men’s title with their 3-nil win.

Park's Jonny Cox tiptoes through the Thistle defence....sort of ballet style huh

A Marty Black long range effort gave Thistle a well deserved 1-nil half time lead before second half goals from Todd Findlater and Steve Cook sealed the result.

Postie, Craig Campbell was back in goals for Park and did the job OK but really had no
answer to the class of Thistle's three strikes....

Old Boys, who meet Thistle in next Saturday’ feature game, need just three points from the twelve available in their remaining fixtures to wrap up their third Premier Men’s title in succession.

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