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Green Island took a massive step towards clinching the Southern Premier League title with an entertaining 5-3 victory at Sunnyvale on Saturday.
Green Island took an early lead in the eighth minute when Liam Carrington reacted quickest to a loose ball from a corner to ram it home.
Carrington then turned provider three minutes later when he intercepted a loose pass and his perfect cross was chested down by Matt Brazier, who flicked his shot past Lukas Schafer.
Wanaka responded through the dangerous Adam Hewson on 32 minutes when a corner was only partially cleared to the edge of the box. Hewson buried the ball in the bottom corner.
Carrington, continued his involvement, pouncing on a loose ball from Wanaka keeper Lukas Schafer to put it into an empty net.
Three minutes into the second half Brazier, with his back to goal, turned his marker and curled an exquisite shot past Schafer.
In the 50th minute it was 5-1 when Cam Brewitt was on hand to force the loose ball over the line following a free kick from Tom Milton.
Wanaka fought back and scored a couple of consolation goals, but it was all over when striker Steve Plusken received a yellow card for mistiming a challenge on Green Island goalkeeper Christian Firth.
University had a 2-1 win over Mosgiel at the turf at Logan Park.
In the 24th minute, Ben O’Farrell struck a sublime shot from 30m out which he curled into the top left corner of the goal, giving Mosgiel goalkeeper Liam Whittaker no chance.
The goal sparked Mosgiel into life, and it started to match the students in possession and chances created.
A Cam Anderson corner on 32 minutes found Alex Cox, who rose high to head home past Miro Van Asbeck-Fisher to level the scores before halftime.
In the second half, O’Farrell’s free kick from the left was whipped into the Mosgiel box and parried away by Whittaker. Ben Stanley got on the end of the clearance to slam a half volley past the outstretched Whittaker in the 54th minute.
Mosgiel then pushed bodies forward and started to dominate the remainder of the game. But it could not score, and the loss put a big dent in the hopes the side had for defending its title.
Dunedin Technical scored a 1-0 win over Roslyn-Wakari at Ellis Park.
Both teams had chances in the first half, but good goalkeeping kept the game scoreless in the first half.
The only goal of the game came early in the second half when Ash Watson delivered a cross from wide which caught the wind and found the top corner.
The home team was reduced to 10 men in the 72nd minute when following an altercation between Rhys Quarrell and Luke Williams, Josh Lucas got involved, and in the ensuing melee he was shown a red card.
There were further chances but Alex Boomer in the Dunedin Technical goal and Tom Stevens, for the home team, were too good, and Technical scored a rare away victory.
In the other game, Caversham was too good for Northern at Forrester Park, winning 5-0.
- Neville Watson