Crushing win gives Chch soccer title

Press, 14 September 1987, Page 36

Crushing win gives Chch soccer title

By

GARY BIRKETT

The Christchurch national league soccer team ended eight years in the wilderness by winning the league championship with a crushing, 8-1, win over Manawatu United in Palmerston North yesterday.

Christchurch last won tiie league in 1978 and yesterday’s rout gave it a seven point lead over Gisborne City with one game remaining. It was Christchurch’s fourth league win since the league began in 1970 and next month it gets a chance to complete a unique treble when it meets either Gisborne or North Shore in the Chatham Cup final. As well as suffering the embarrassment of having eight goals scored against it Manawatu also lost the N.Z.F.A. Challenge Trophy to Christchurch, which will defend It against Nelson on Sunday at Queen Elizabeth II Park. There is little doubt that Christchurch is the best team in the league. It started its 26 game programme shakily, losing three of its first six matches, but a superb run of results in the second round has pushed it to a well deserved win. It has picked up nine wins and two draws in its last 11 games, a much more consistent record than its nearest challengers. To reinforce its superiority Christchurch has scored 57 goals in 25 games, one better than Mount Wellington, while its defensive record of 23 goals conceded in 25 games is two better than North Shore. Appropriately it was the Christchurch captain, Keith Braithwaite, who led the charge against Manawatu yesterday, his five goals equalling the record set by Earle Thomas, of Mount Wellington, in 1971. On a wet and windy afternoon Christchurch went in front after only four minutes when Johan Verweij converted a penalty awarded when John Hanson was fouled.

Manawatu stormed back Into the game after going behind and the Christchurch goalkeeper, Alan Stroud, did well to save attempts by Stu Jacobs and Paul Thompson. Christchurch rode out the pressure and eventually took a 3-0 lead when Briathwaite and Hanson struck on the half hour. The flood gates well and truly opened in the second half, Braithwaite starting the procession when he capped off a fine move Involving Danny Halligan and Hanson. Jacobs pulled one back with a 20 metre drive but the rest of the half belonged to the new champions. Braithwaite struck after 59min, 70min and 86min, while Hanson scored the best goal of the match after 82min when he volleyed home a left wing cross from 20 metres. The Christchurch coach, lan Marshall, praised his players for the complete team effort they produced. “Everyone was goal hungry. We did what we set out to do and that was to win the league through our own actions, not somebody else’s.” The $15,000 prize money for first place will certainly help the club’s financial situation. It started the season with a $34,000 deficit but with the prize money and input from its main sponsor, Linwood City, it should finish the year with a small surplus, according to the club chairman, Mr Malcom Hinman. Mr Hinman said he was delighted by yesterday’s win and is looking forward to Christchurch taking part in the Chatham Cup final. “It would be great to get that treble and you have to remember that

the second team won the Hertz Cup on Saturday and the third team won its competition. The whole club is in a winning frame of mind." Mr Hinman was full of praise for Mr Marshall, saying it would be a big surprise if Mr Marshall did not win the “Coach of the Year” award. In other matches Gisborne City moved to second place by beating Mount Wellington, 3-0, in Gisborne with goals from Kevin Birch (2) and Brian Strutt. Wellington was pushed back to third place when Nelson United held it to a 1-1, draw in Nelson. Tony Buick-Constable scored for Wellington in the first half but Nicky Herron equalised for Nelson late in the second half. Mount Maunganui continued its recent good form with a 2-1, win over North Shore in Auckland. Greg Little scored the winner after Allan Boath had earlier conceded an own goal for Shore. Duncan Cole hit Shore’s only goal from the penalty spot Dunedin City gave Itself a good chance of avoiding the wooden spoon by beating Hutt Valley, 2-0, in Dunedin with goals from Mike McGarry and Peter Ryder. Manurewa and Papatoetoe drew, 0-0, while Miramar beat Napier City Rovers, 5-3, David Chote and Jeremy Cutler scoring twice each for Miramar.

P W D L F A Pt Chch 25 17 4 4 57 23 55 Gisborne 25 13 9 3 49 29 48 Wgtn 25 14 5 6 47 33 47 Mt Maug. 25 14 4 7 35 24 46 N. Sbore 25 10 9 6 39 25 39 Papatoe 24 11 5 8 48 32 38 Mt Wgtn 25 11 5 9 56 48 38 Napier 25 10 7 8 38 37 37 Hutt V. 24 9 2 13 34 47 29 Manrwa 25 6 6 13 29 44 24 Nelson 25 6 4 15 27 48 22 Dunedin 25 6 4 15 30 56 22 Manwtu 25 4 8 13 30 50 20 Miramar 25 6 1 18 41 66 19