Caversham, Tech go goalless but hat tricks everywhere else

Caversham got its season under way with a gritty affair against Dunedin Technical.

It was hard watching at times at a bitterly cold Hancock Park.

The 0-0 draw showed both sides have a way to go.

Caversham dominated large chunks of the match and was let down by some rusty execution. Tech showed plenty of spirit and counterattacked strongly in a bid to stage a smash-and-grab.

Will Turner was a bright spark going forward for Tech, while goalkeeper Cade Fink gathered anything that came his way.

 

Caversham midfielder Olivier Cassidy gets up for a header, despite the attention of Dunedin...
Caversham midfielder Olivier Cassidy gets up for a header, despite the attention of Dunedin Technical forward Nick Fadgent, during a premier club match at Hancock Park on Saturday. PHOTO PETER MCINTOSH

Caversham’s Jared Grove showed his class in the middle of the park and Jed Collings and Rhys Henderson were tidy in defence.

Connor Neil showed flashes of his ability .

Caversham had the wind in the first half and immediately looked threatening.

Ben Wade tried a speculative shot in the 18th minute that floated over the bar, and a Grove cross shortly after was just out of Ben Kiore’s reach.

Caversham had a free kick on 28 minutes but was easily gathered by Fink.

Tech’s first chance came when Michael Neaverson fired wide in the 31st minute, and Caleb Osborne found space right on halftime but Caversham goalie Sean van Dyk produced a tidy save.

Perhaps the biggest scoring opportunity of the game came in the 71st minute, when Turner whistled in a cross and David Hayman missed a relatively straightforward opportunity to give Tech the lead.

Tech had one final chance to steal all three points, but Joel Theissen-Papp headed just over the bar from a corner.

"We were definitely rusty," Caversham coach Richard Murray said.

"We looked like a team that hadn’t played for a year, especially in the final third.

"Promising signs, and you’ve got to start somewhere, but frustrating at the same time."

Green Island continued its strong start to the season with a 6-1 victory against Roslyn. Matt Brazier scored a hat trick .

Queenstown was too strong for Northern with an emphatic 12-0 victory. It netted six goals in each half. Thomas Mills and Josh Bowden claimed a hat trick apiece.

And at Mosgiel there was another hat trick, when Cody Brooks claimed three in Mosgiel’s 7 -0 win against Wanaka.

In the women’s premier league, Dunedin Technical beat Green Island 4-0, Roslyn-Wakari beat Otago University 5-2 and Mosgiel drilled Otago University 2nds 9-0.

 - Neville Watson

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