Caversham maintained its perfect record and clinched the Football South Premier League with three games still remaining after a 1-0 victory over a plucky Northern at Tonga Park on Saturday.
The champion has been in a class of its own this season, but it was given more than a good fright by a Northern side that had enough chances of its own to be disappointed it could not take at least a point from the match.
Caversham certainly was not at its fluent best, probably because of a combination of Northern's gallant determination, and perhaps a little complacency as it looks ahead to this weekend's trip to Auckland for its Chatham Cup quarterfinal against Waitakere City.
The home side rested captain Rhys Henderson but had a pretty useful replacement in coach Tim Horner, still looking classy and composed at the back.
His side controlled the first half without creating many clear chances.
Northern struggled to string more than a couple of passes together and relied on busy strikers Ryan Hawken and Shaun Richards to pick up scraps on the counterattack but, at least four times in the first half, they just about crafted opportunities without ever genuinely threatening Caversham keeper Liam Little.
Caversham's attacking unit was not quite clicking.
Golden boot contender Lewis Jackson was not at his sharp best and, about the only times the visiting goalkeeper Frederic Haidekker was called into action, was to attend to hopeful looping crosses.
The Northern defence was resolute and David Henderson was impressive.
The deadlock was broken in the 35th minute, when the ball fell to Caversham's Sam Collier, who was free at the far post.
In what perhaps summed up a scrappy match, he only scuffed his first-time shot, but it trickled across the line before the desperate defence could clear it away.
Just when it looked like the goal might spur the home side into form, the game took a turn.
Only three minutes into the second half, Caversham was reduced to 10 men.
Caversham defender Craig Ferguson burst free but was clipped by Joe Wesney.
The Northern player was always going to be booked for the challenge, but Ferguson reacted by lashing out and left referee Jeff Clamp with little choice but to issue a red card.
A distraught Ferguson quickly realised the ramification - the experienced defender will be suspended for the big Chatham Cup match.
Northern coach Lewis Houghton knew his side had Caversham a little rattled and would have rated its chances playing against 10 men but, barely 10 minutes later, Northern was in the same boat, when another Wesney foul led to a second yellow card and an early shower.
Suddenly, Caversham created some chances.
Haidekker pulled off a great save from an Andrew Ridden header and, minutes later, the otherwise excellent Ridden somehow blasted a shot over the bar from just a few yards out.
Northern fought hard over the dying minutes but could not find an equaliser, and Caversham was able to celebrate lifting the Premier League trophy and retaining the Blair Davidson Challenge Trophy.
Dunedin Technical had a comfortable 5-1 win over University at the Caledonian.
George McCall bagged a brace and Ash Watson, Tim McLennan, and Alistair Rickerby also scored.
The win moved Technical level on points for second place with Mosgiel, which had the bye.
At Ellis Park, Roslyn Wakari and Green Island had another even encounter.
Roslyn's young striker, Nathan Wilkie, scored the only goal of the game.
Ben O'Farrell was the home side's standout player, while Green Island's stand-in custodian, Nick Grant, had a great game in goal.
The match was also notable for young referee Mark Currie controlling his first game at this level.
In the women's premier league, Dunedin Technical Premiers confirmed its place at the top of the table with an impressive 7-0 win over University Prems, and the Technical Maroons defeated Uni B 3-0.
- Morgan Jarvis
