Chch well-drilled soccer unit

Press, 12 June 1989, Page 40

Chch well-drilled soccer unit

PA Wellington Christchurch served notice it would not give up its national soccer league title without a fight when it beat Wellington, 2-0, at Newtown Park yesterday. There have not been many changes in the Christchurch lineup over the past three years and the South Island side played like the welldrilled unit it is.

Wellington, on the other hand, is still looking for its best combination with newly-signed Steve Fleming from Dunedin and Peter Simonsen from Nel-

son being brought into the team.

In the first half yesterday, Christchurch was well on top and led at the break through a twentysecond minute goal from Alan Carville. . . „

The second goal, in the seventy-sixth minute, was scored by Keith Braithwaite from the penalty • spot after the Wellington goalkeeper, Don Finlayson, had saved Braithwaite’s first attempt.

The referee, Ken Wallace, ordered the kick retaken because Finlayson had moved and Braithwaite made no mistake the second time.

Wellington played well for much of the second half and it needed a fine save from the Christchurch goalkeeper, Alan Stroud, to keep out a powerful drive from Dean Behrens just before the visitors scored their second goal.

® Mt Maunganui had a hard-fought 1-0 win over the previous pace-setter, Mt Wellington, in their national league soccer match yesterday in Auckland.

Results and points table after the ninth round of national soccer league matches yesterday:— Gisborne City 2, Miramar

1; Napier City 2, North Shore 1; Waterside 2, Manurewa 1; Waikato 2, Waitakere 0; Christchurch 2, Wellington 0; Mt Maunganui 1, Mt Wellington 0; Hutt Valley 4, Papatoetoe 2.

P W D L F A Pt MtMaung 9 7 2 0 13 2 23 Chch 9 6 12 22 6 19 Napier 9 6 12 16 8 19 Mt Wgtn 9 6 0 3 20 7 18 Hutt V. 9 5 13 16 10 16 Waitk're 9 4 14 14 16 13 Wgtn 8 4 0 4 9 9 12 Waikato 8 2 4 2 7 8 10 Papatoe. 8 2 3 3 11 15 9 Wtrside 8 2 2 4 14 13 8 Manur’a 8 2 15 8" 13 7 Gisborne 9 2 16 7 31 7 Miramar 8 0 5 3 5 9 5 N. Shore 9 10 8 8 23 3 ® Miramar’s points stand as such pending appeal.