Resounding win for GI in southern competition

Green Island made an emphatic statement when convincingly beating Roslyn Wakari 5-1 at Ellis Park in the Southern Football Championship on Saturday.

Roslyn started well and was nearly ahead in the opening seconds.

Nathan Wilkie was through on goal, one-on-one, but Green Island gloveman Christian Firth saved the goal-bound effort.

Green Island then outmuscled Roslyn and dominated the rest of the half.

Oscar McCallion opened the scoring on five minutes with a tap-in at the far post following a deflected cross.

He made it 2-0 10 minutes later when he coolly beat Tom Stevens one-on-one.

Into the second half and it was 3-0 on the hour mark when Chris Kessell broke free from defending a corner.

He dribbled down the flank and crossed to Matt Brazier who calmly finished.

Kessell was on the score sheet with 19 minutes left when he slotted past Stevens.

McCallion completed his hat-trick on 77 minutes. His initial shot was saved but he reacted quickest to the loose ball.

Nathan Wilkie scored a consolation goal for Roslyn with seven minutes remaining.

The 5-1 win places Green Island atop the table on 18 points.

Queenstown moved into second spot on 16 points with a 5-1 win over Southland.

A solitary goal to Quinn McDonald in the first half gave Queenstown a narrow lead.

However, an emphatic second half with goals to Jan Kumar, Thomas Mills and a brace to Gardener, ensured Southland remain mired in the relegation spots.

Wanaka pulled away from the danger zone but was made to work hard for its three points against Northern.

Northern got off to a great start when it scored in the fifth minute after Wanaka was guilty of giving away possession.

Wanaka equalised when Weston Bell hit a well-placed free kick into the far top-left corner.

Wanaka went 2-1 up on 22 minutes when Harry Grimsdale found space inside Northern's penalty area and calmly sided-footed home.

But Northern hit back immediately with a glancing header from a well-struck free kick which left Britton Dowling, in the Wanaka goal, no chance of saving.

Levi Fletcher was next to get on the score sheet as the set-piece goals continued.

A corner delivered from the far post by Bell was met by Fletcher's downward header to give Wanaka a 3-2 halftime lead.

Wanaka showed more composure and retained possession to dominate the next 30 minutes.

Bell linked smartly with team-mates playing consecutive one-twos.

As he received the second pass his first-time shot was a low volley which found the bottom-right corner to put Wanaka 4-2 up.

Blair Scoullar then pushed forward and was next to score when he headed home at the near post following a corner taken by Toa Roode.

Substitute Valentine Nova Ruis made it six - again from a set piece.

Bell's flighted delivery was met by Nova Ruis' firm header ball in the 77th minute.

Northern pulled one back when Dowling over played a ball and gifted Northern its third goal.

 - Neville Watson
 

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