Burndale United wins league

Press, 14 August 1989, Page 22

Burndale United wins league

Bumdale United’s 5-0 loss in the quarter-finals of the Chatham Cup against Waitakere City was the spur the side needed to win the southern soccer league, according to its player-coach, Graeme Archer. That heavy defeat against the national league high flyer last month motivated the Bumdale players to work harder on the field and they got their reward by beating Christchurch United, 1-0, on Saturday to seal the championship for the first time in the club's history. "After we lost in Auckland the players took it on themselves to work harder and play a bit better in the league,” said Archer, who is in his second season as coach. "The club is really happy about winning the title. We have a good blend of players and they get on well. There is no trouble or arguments and I can take it fairly easy on them. We talked about our games a lot but I basically left them to play and just organised set plays. We have no real weaknesses in any area and everybody has worked hard.” Bumdale scored in the second minute against United, which had its key striker, Julyan Falloon, controversially sent off just before half-time by the referee, Ron Gallon. Earlier Mr Gallon had booked three players and Archer felt the referee was too strict. “United got a bit frustrated but they came back at us well in the second half. It wasn’t a great footballing game but the crowd got their share of excitement.” Archer is hoping to retain the same squad next season although the young wing, Ko-

rosh Monsef, is likely to travel overseas. In other games on Saturday, Technical clinched third place with a 2-1 win over Rangers while Western and Green Island drew, 0-0.

After leading the league by seven points with six rounds left, Christchurch United probably blamed itself for letting the title slip away in the final rounds. It took only seven points from a possible 18 in its last six games and things certainly did not go its way at Burnside Park. Burndale, playing with a fresh breeze, scored after two minutes when a long goal kick by Graham Quinn caught the United defence out. The midfielder, Steve Toohey, got the decisive touch in a scramble to make it 1-0 before the 250 strong crowd had settled on the touchlines. It was Burndale’s 50th goal of the season and meant that United was under intense pressure from the outset. After that dramatic opening the next 20 minutes were all elbows, arms and legs as if nobody needed reminding of how tense the situation was. The United midfielder, Mike Boomer, was the first to be booked and was quickly followed by Falloon (backchat) and Toohey (bad tackle). In between the clattering tackles United almost

equalised through Archer, whose rushed clearance spun goalwards and forced Quinn to concede a corner. Burndale went close through John Hanson on the half hour, his shot being saved by the legs of the United goal-keeper, Alastair McCosh, after a good run and cross by Jeff Hawker. Then came the moment where the match was lost for United. Falloon fouled Peter Ross in a 50-50 situation and Mr Gallon sent the young striker off, a harsh decision in light of some of the heavier tackling of the opening stages. Early in me secona half Burndale should have wrapped the game up when it won a penalty. Archer’s shot was handled on the line by the fullback, Kelly Tonkin, but the resulting penalty was hit weakly by Hanson and McCosh saved comfortably to his right. Bowden’s cross from the left with five minutes remaining saw McDermott head just wide and United, which forced three corners in the last five minutes, almost equalised with time up. Bowden got free to get in a firm header but his effort was again wide when he should have at least tested Quinn. Technical scored in the last minute through Peter Shea to pip Rangers, 2-1, at Ensors Road in a physical match which the Technical coach, Hal Upton, described as a typical end-of-season affair. Rangers opened the scoring after 55 minutes when Paul Welford hammered home a 20 metre effort when a free kick was played square to him, the ball clipping the inside of the post. Technical came back to

equalise through Dave Munro after lan France had flicked on a corner at the near post. Shea’s winner came after he lobbed the Rangers goalkeeper, Darren Johnson, theball striking the underside of the bar and sitting up for Shea to follow up and chest in the winner. In the second division competition New Brighton was beaten for the first time this season when it lost, 1-2, to University. New Brighton needs to win its last game against Cashmere to be sure of the title. The second place side, Halswell, is two points behind but with a better goal average. It meets Woolston in its last match. Results: Division two. — University 2, New Brighton 1; Halswell 1, Cashmere 0; Woolston 3, Shamrock 1; Riccarton 3, Rangiora 1 (Rangiora is relegated to division three). Points.— New Brighton 38, Halswell 36, South Canterbury 28, University 26, Woolston 23, Shamrock 21, Cashmere 17, Riccarton 16, St AlbansShirley 15, Rangiora 13. Technical won the third division title with a 2-1 victory over Burwood. Kaiapoi has been relegated in spite of drawing, 2-2, with Christchurch United. Division three.— Ashburton 0, High School Old Boys 1; Western 2, Burndale 1; Burwood 1, Technical 2; Rangers 1, Kaiapoi 1; Nomads 2, Christchurch United 2. Points.— Technical 42, Rangers 38, Christchurch United 36, Old Boys 34, Western 28, Nomads 19, Burndale 19, Ashburton 17, Burwood 10, Kaiapoi 8.

P W D L F A Pt Bumdale 17 12 1 4 50 15 37 Chch 18 11 3 4 33 19 36 Technical 18 11 2 5 28 21 35 Green I. 18 10 3 5 33 17 33 Western 18 8 5 5 25 26 29 Dun. City 18 7 5 6 24 20 26 Rangers 18 5 7 6 17 22 22 Oamaru 18 2 7 9 16 32 13 Mosgiel 17 1 5 11 15 32 8 Cavsham 18 2 2 14 15 52 8