Christchurch reserve side deserving southern champion

Press, 15 August 1988, Page 24

Christchurch reserve side deserving southern champion

GARY BIRKETT

By

Few would dispute that the Christchurch reserve soccer team deserved to win the southern league division one title.

A record of 12 wins, four draws and only two losses in a demanding 18-match campaign, with 34 goals for and 20 against, is evidence that the side was a deserving winner.

It wrapped up the title with an emphatic 5-1 win over Oamaru on Saturday, its biggest winning margin of the season. The coach, Martin Stewart, acknowledged that Christchurch won nine of its matches by a one-goal margin, but said that was not surprising. Mr Stewart said that the league was very tough and the side knew it had to concentrate for the full 90min against every opponent. He believes this comparatively young team will be even better next season when it sets out to defend its title. As an added bonus its young striker, Juiyan Falloon, was the leading league scorer with 12 goals, two more than Barry White, of Dunedin City, and Mike McGarry, of Mosgiel. Falloon scored a hat-trick to boost his tally to 12 as Christchurch downed Oamaru. In other games,

Dunedin City beat Burndale United, 2-0, Technical beat Western, 1-0, Mosgiel beat Caversham, 3-1, and South Canterbury upset Rangers, 21, Rangers’ only loss in the

last six rounds. Final points:—

Sth Canty 18 3 0 15 11 38 9 HAT-TRICK A fine hat-trick by the youth All White striker, Juiyan Falloon, sparked Christchurch to an easy 5-1 win over Oamaru at Queen Elizabeth II Park No. 2 and ensured that his side would win the championship. Falloon, rated as one of the best prospects in the South island, scored after smin after being put through by his striking partner, Julian Bowden, who has also had an impressive season. Falloon struck a firm shot past the Oamaru goalkeeper, Robbie Duncan, for the allimportant early goal. A well-worked goal after 35min put Christchurch 2-0 ahead. A quick free kick sent Tony Wilson clear on the left z and his deep cross was vol-

leyed in from close range by Mike Boomer.

Oamaru, which kept trying to play football, made sure that Christchurch would have to work hard for its victory when Paul Coutts took advantage of some loose marking to nudge a shot home 2min later.

Falloon opened the second half with a glaring miss after a nice build-up and was further frustrated when Duncan blocked a shot in a one-on-one situation.

It was not long before Christchurch restored its twogoal margin. Wilson scampered down the touchline and cut in, unleashing a dipping shot which flew over Duncan for a 3-1 margin after 60min.

A deft header from a Bowden cross by Falloon and a strong drive after beating two defenders by the same player finished the scoring and Christchurch was able to celebrate its first southern league title. Stephen Adams and Peter Bennie had fine matches in midfield for the victor, Bennie adding the steel with some crunching tackles, while Falloon carried on with the form that he showed for Canterbury against Wellington. Mike Fullen was dominant at the back on the few occasions that Oamaru threatened danger.

TECHNICAL WIN In spite of its 0-1 loss to Technical, Western claimed third place over all after a consistent season resulting in 10 wins, four draws and four losses. It was a far cry from last season, when it finished third from bottom and could manage only four wins.

Technical has also had a useful season in its return to the top grade. Indifferent second-round results cost it dearly but it produced a composed effort at Ensors Road to seal fourth place. Technical had much the better of the first half and went ahead after 20min when Pat Berry ran onto a long through ball and held off a defender to score his ninth goal of the season. Two minutes later a bad defensive lapse almost resulted in a second Technical goal. Berry intercepted a poor back pass and scored, but was ruled to be in an offside position. Western began the second half in much better vein but was unable to finish off, the young Technical goalkeeper, Deane Nagle, making several fine saves.

Technical should have gone 2-0 up after 60min when Simon Myers was brought down, but Terry Neville’s penalty was palmed away by Steve Payne. While both sides had chances in the closing

stages, Technical preserved its 1-0 margin. Dunedin City clinched second place with a 2-0 home win over Burndale, Barry White and Peter Verwey scoring while Mosgiel beat Caversham, 3-1, with goals by Shane Robinson (two) and Mike McGarry (penalty).

In the second division competition New Brighton emerged a clear winner by downing Nomads, 2-0. Its nearest rival, Shamrock, lost, 0-1, to University. New Brighton now enters a home-and-away series with Green Island, of Dunedin, for a place in division one next season. Results.—

Division two.— New Brighton 2, Nomads 0; University 1, Shamrock 0; Woolston W.M.C. 4, Rangiora I; Cashmere 0, Halswell 2; Riccarton 1, St Albans-Shirley 1. Points: New Brighton 43, Shamrock 39, Halswell 35, Woolston 34, University 30, S.A.S. 25, Cashmere’ 17, Rangiora 16, Riccarton 8, Nomads 7. Third division: Christchurch 1, Burwood 0; Old Boys 5, West Coast 1; Western 0, Technical 4; Rangers 1, Ashburton 2; Kaiapoi 0, Burndale 2.

Technical is the third-divi-sion champion with Christchurch second and Old Boys .third.

P W D L F A Pt Chch 18 12 4 2 34 20 40 Dun. City 18 12 2 4 45 21 38 Western 18 10 4 4 26 15 34 Tech. 18 9 5 4 33 19 32 Mosgiel 18 9 3 6 33 28 30 Burndale 18 8 3 7 25 21 27 Rangers 18 6 3 9 22 26 21 Caversham 18 4 1 13 26 43 13 Oamaru 18 3 3 12 18 42 12