Football: Chance for Technical to narrow gap

Aaron Burgess.
Aaron Burgess.
Footballers are advised to keep their eyes on the ball, and even with a log jam of action in the coming weeks, wise coaches will be insisting that their most important game is the next one.

For Dunedin Technical, that is a clash with Roslyn-Wakari at Ellis Park today, and player-coach Aaron Burgess is concentrating his squad's attention on competition points.

A win could take Technical to a point behind leader Caversham, which has the bye this week.

Technical's recent form has been impressive. Apart from losses to Caversham and Mosgiel, Burgess' side has dominated the opposition by scoring 24 goals in five games, and conceding only four.

Whether critical damage was done to Technical's Football South Premier League championship hopes by dropping six points in the two losses remains to be seen, but Burgess, who has personally gathered a bunch of Golden Boot awards, knows the value of being single-minded.

His squad is developing into an efficient unit, with a tried and true defence led by Matt Joy and Andrew Douglas, and backed by keeper Tom Batty.

Through Tim McLennan and Justin Flaws, Technical generates wide pace, and the experienced Flaws can deliver wicked free kicks and corners that test opposition defences.

Apart from himself, Burgess has a pack of varied attacking cards ranging from the power of big Josh Stewart to the darting pace of Taylor McCormack and Alistair Rickerby.

Roslyn-Wakari had a faltering start, but may be hitting form after a 5-0 demolition of University last week.

Ellis Park fans are now recognising the pace and cutting edge of new faces Blair Bates, Rupert Mark and Isaac Nicholson.

All have pace and stamina, and are glad to pressure opposition defences and punish any errors.

Roslyn coach Colin Thom has dropped Patrick Ebanda back to partner Tyrrel Barringer-Tairi in central defence, producing better quality of passes forward.

After a week off, Mosgiel is keen and hungry to get back into the fray, targeting University at the Caledonian Ground.

Mosgiel is unbeaten but did drop points in 2-2 draws with Green Island and Caversham.

Coach Andrew Brook is pleased with his squad's progress this season, and especially with the way new players have merged into his top group.

Eder Franchini is a standout, but lesser-known youngsters have arrived from points beyond the Silverstream.

Isaac Snell, Michael Bu, Tom Cairns and Ifeanyichukwu Unamadu have provided essential depth as Mosgiel aims for its best finish in years.

University is bottom of the league with no wins and just one competition point, but most teams that play the students agree there is real potential in the team.

Northern won its first game of the season last week, and coach Murray Devereux hopes to keep that momentum going against Green Island at Sunnyvale.

Can Magpie goal-scorers Taylor Quirk and Paolo Timajo do it again?Green Island coach Malcolm Fleming needs to recharge his side's early impetus, after two heavy losses to Technical (4-0) and Caversham (3-0), and his demands are for better ball protection, better passing and better use of his side's pace.

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