Shamrock, Rangers retain lead

Press, 24 June 1985, Page 25

Shamrock, Rangers retain lead

Cockram Nissan Shamrock and Hurricane Rangers retained joint leadership in the Hertz Soccer League's northern zone after victories at the week-end. Shamrock’s 2-0 win ove' Frucci Baisweil United at Riccarton Domain on Saturday was enough to keep it above Rangers on goal difference. The league’s top goalscorer, Peter Schuyt, lifted his tally to seven, with a penalty to open the scoring for Shamrock. The tall midfielder, Jim Small, headed the second goal in the' second half.

Rangers beat South Canterbury United, 2-1, at English Park yesterday, with victory being "based on a solid firsthalf performance. The Timaru team began badly, spending much of the first 45 minutes back-pedalling. After the interval, however, its performance lifted sufficiently to trouble the defending southern region champions. The match began excellently for Rangers, with their sweeper, lan France, getting up well at the far post to head a Grant Hughes corner kick from the right into the net, in the third minute.

That lead was somewhat fortuitously increased 12 minutes before half-time, when the referee, Stewart Campbell, awarded a penalty against the South Canterbury right back, Gary Binnie. He ruled that Binnie had been holding back the nippy Gordon Faichnie, but the offence seemed to have been committed just outside

the penalty area. James Margaritis scored from the penalty spot.

South Canterbury brought itself back in search for a share of the points eight minutes after half-time with its best move in the match.

The ball was pushed the length of the field until it reached Dean Hammond whose delicate left foot chip was headed in by Richard Morgan, with the Rangers defence in disarray. There was little else to enthuse over, although Binnie did rifle one hard, low drive into the side netting from 20 metres. France found himself booked, for failing to inform the referee he was leaving the field to receive medical attention to a facial injury. Woolston W.M.C. stayed in fourth place with a 1-0 win over Christchurch United’s reserve team yesterday. The solitary goal, a penalty, was scored by the experienced

midfielder, Rab Brown, for an offence just inside the United penalty area. In the first half, United could have gone ahead when the striker, Alan Stroud, hit the cross-bar.

Nomads United kept close to the pace with a 4-1 win over the bottom-placed Western at Western Park on Saturday. Duncan Bean scored twice, Alan Munro and Danny Halligan once each for the young Nomads team, while John Brand got Western’s goal shortly after half-time. KLM Cashmere had its first league win since April 27 when it beat New Brighton, 2-0, at Queen Elizabeth II Park No. 2. Both goals came towards the end of the match, from Tony Orpwood and Paul Harrison. HERTZ LEAGUE P W D L F A Pt Shamrock 9 6 1 2 22 9 19 Rangers 9 6 1 2 17 9 19 Nomads 8 5 2 1 17 9 17 Woolston 9 5 0 4 13 7 15

Woolston W.M.C. held its lead in the premier league with a narrow 2-1 win over Burndale United on Saturday. Technical beat Rangers, 4-1, to stay in second place, a point back.

In the other three matches, Shamrock beat New Brighton, 2-1; Cashmere beat Riccarton, 2-0; and Western comfortably beat High School Old Boys, 4-2. PREMIER LEAGUE

Cashmere 10 4 2 4 9 12 14 Sth Canty 9 3 3 3 13 17 12 Brighton 9 3 1 5 12 14 10 Chch Utd 9 1 4 4 9 13 7 Halswell 9 2 1 6 13 23 7 Western 9 1 3 5 10 22 6

P W D L F A Pt Woolston 11 8 1 2 22 9 25 Tech. 10 8 0 2 32 8 24 Rangers 11 7 0 4 25 24 21 Cashmere 11 5 2 4 21 20 17 Burndale 8 5 0 3 22 11 15 Shamrock 10 3 2 5 12 19 11 H.S.O.B. 10 3 1 6 16 28 10 Rice. 11 3 0 8 12 19 9 Brighton 10 2 2 6 7 18 8 Western 10 2 2 6 12 25 8