Dunedin City Royals faced a challenging task against Christchurch United as they looked to get their South Island league season back on track.
Despite ultimately losing 3-1, the Royals attacked early on the Logan Park Turf on Saturday and exerted pressure.
However, United’s Matt Tod-Smith’s 12th-minute shot deceived Royals keeper Alex Boomer to give the visiting team the lead.
The Royals enjoyed a purple patch midway through the first half as Ben Stanley seized on a loose ball and bore down on goal but was chopped down 23m out.
The Royals won a succession of free kicks, one of which was cleverly taken by Connor Neil and found En Watanabe. However, the end shot was off target.
At the other end, Boomer did well to deny Sam Phillips and United playmaker Eoghan Stokes’ goal-scoring opportunities.
The Royals enjoyed a strong opening to the second half and it was no surprise when the equaliser came 10 minutes into it when Ben Stanley ran on to a delightful long ball.
He held off two challengers and smashed his volley into the roof of the net.
United showed their patience and calibre to ride out the Royals’ resurgence and Sam Phillips’ 17th goal of the season put United ahead with 16 minutes left.
Stokes made sure of the three points with United’s third goal on 84 minutes to move eight points clear at the top of the table.
A double to Trevin Myers was not enough to get Green Island over the line in their clash against Coastal Spirit at English Park in Christchurch yesterday afternoon.
Spirit won 3-2.
In the ODT Southern Premiership, Queenstown entertained Roslyn.
The home side had some early chances but Harry Pidgeon shot straight at keeper Tom Stevens before Roslyn’s Max Johnston then sent a curling shot goalward that tested keeper Mitchell Crow.
The game offered few clear-cut chances, both sides sitting back and looking to counter-attack.
Roslyn took the lead in the 71st minute when Ben Williams Davies got on the end of Nathan Wilkies cross after a quick free kick caught Queenstown napping.
Roslyn held on to record the victory which keeps them on the coat-tails of Mosgiel and sets Roslyn up nicely for next week’s Chatham Cup quarterfinal.
Mosgiel came from behind to come out on top of the Saddle derby at Sunnyvale, beating neighbours Green Island in a tight tussle 2-1.
Josh Kotkamp siezed on a defensive error to give the home side the lead in the 13th minute. Rory Findlay equalised through a 33rd-min penalty.
During a period of second-half dominance, George Duncan scored the winner in the 73rd minute with an assured finish.
Wānaka remain in third place following a 2-1 victory on the road over Dunedin City Royals reserves.
Wānaka fullback Anthony Sprowson scored both goals, one in each half, and Raven August scored an 89th-minute consolation consolation for the Royals.
Queen's Park recorded their third successive victory, defeating Northern Hearts 3-1 in Invercargill.
First-half goals to Cameron Johnson and Ryo Okuyama set them up nicely and, despite Ryan Bagrie pulling one back with 18 minutes left, Dylan Hawkes’ goal with two minutes to go means Queen's Park move into mid-table.
Going in the other direction is University who suffered a 3-4 loss to Northern.
When Northern’s Dean Allan was sent off early in the second half, the students scored two goals in a minute, to Liam Reynolds and Sam Murray, to go ahead 3-2.
Northern showed their resilience when Gian Krauer scored his second goal of the game with 20 minutes left and Rory Hibbert’s 83rd-min winner kept Northern in fourth place.
By Neville Watson
