Four-goal finale

Press, 27 September 1982, Page 3

Four-goal finale

PA Invercargill Southland Savings Bank Thistle ended its Rothmans Soccer League programme with its biggest win of the season, 4-0, against National Mutual Miramar, in Invercargill on Saturday. ■lt was the heaviest defeat of the season for the Adidas Chatham Cup finalist. Thistle, did all the damage in a 20-minute spell towards the end of the first half. Robbie Larter beat a loose defence in the 21st and 40th minutes, while James Margaritis scored from the penalty spot in the 26th minute. - Thistle’s other goal came from Miramar’s Brent Pratt who headed a cross from .Harry McCulloch ’ past his own goal-keeper, Barry Pickering, in the 36th minute. Margaritis missed another penalty — awarded after he was fouled-by Pickering — in the Both minute, sending his shot over the bar., Miramar looked a jaded team in the first half, and although it tightened play in the second, the visitors got little change from the Thistle defence. In another Rothmans League match. Hanimex North Shore trounced Gis- ! borne 5-1 at Dacre Park in Auckland yesterday. . Hanimex, led 2-0 at. halftime •

The defeat pushed Gisborne, into fourth place in the league for the season. The Gisborne and World Cup soccer coach, .Kevin Fallon, said later: "Ten games without defeat and. we have to end up like that.” ; Any hopes Gisborne had of snatching second place from Shore, or shading Dunedin City on goal difference, foundered when Peter Henry produced a hat-trick.

Henry’s last goal — three minutes from time — cost Gisborne $lOOO. prizemoney. At that stage Gisborne were * equal on goal difference for third and had a better goal tally.

“We did not expect to beat a tough team lik/ Gisborne by as much as that,” said Adrian Elrick, Shore’s captain. Final table The final Rothmans League standings for the 1982 season:-

P W D L F’ A Pt Mt Wgtn 22 15 6 1 52 .15 36 Hanimex 22 11 7 4 44 25 29 Dunedin C. 22 10 y 5 30 21 27 Gisborne C. 22 10 / 5 39 31 27 W.D.U. • 22 8 8 6 29 23 24 Miramar 22 9 4 9 30 32 22 Chch M.U. Manurewa Napier C. Hamilton EC. Bays 1 Thistle 22 5 22 8 22 7 22 3 22 4 22 3 11 5 7 4 5 6 -9 8 12 14 14 27 31 36 21 23 18 26 21 33 2! 40 21 39 13 44 12 51 11