In a match where both teams were down on numbers, the superior skill of the Uni players came up trumps against Southland.
It did not take long for Uni to get going as Tim Matthews opened the scoring with a reverse stick shot in the first 30 seconds. Over the next 15 minutes, Southland clawed its way into the battle and had some great chances, but no luck.
However, over the last 15 minutes of the first half, it was one-way traffic as Henry Will (two), Lucien Burt and Jarrod Casey all netted to take it to 5-0 to Uni at halftime.
As both sets of players tired in the second half, due to their lack of substitutions, the game got scrappy and neither team could construct positive play.
The game got an end-to-end feel to it and at one stage, both keepers touched the ball three or four times in the space of about two minutes as the middle of the field was neglected by those clearing out of defence.
Casey added a second midway through the half to take it to 6-0 but Southland had the last joy, if not the most, as Rob Dickie broke its duck late in the match.
Pratik Thamboor and Cody McKenzie up front caused Uni the most trouble of the Southlanders, while Stirling Milicich and Matthews created a lot of the play for the Whales.
In the other matches this weekend, Kings surprised Albany 4-2 in a back-and-forth tussle, while Taieri got some breathing room in fourth place by beating Uni B 7-1.
-By Matthew West
