The Stingers, currently sixth on the table but riding a three-game winning streak, pulled off a major upset on Saturday, beating previously unbeaten league leaders and former shield holders Marist 1-0 at Marist Park.
Cameron Douglas’s third-quarter goal and outstanding performances from goalkeeper Gareth Stewart and man-of-the-match Isaac Brydon saw them claim victory and take the shield off their opponents. It marks the first time Southern have held the prestigious shield since 2020.
Southern centurion Ben Owers said he was “stoked” to have the shield back with the club.
“We have a large number of new players with most of them unaware of the shield’s history and importance,” he said.
“It was great to see us put in such a good performance against the competition leaders.”
Second-place HSOB/Burnside was also upset 5-2 by Avon, while Carlton Redcliffs beat Hornby 2-1 and Harewood thrashed University 12-0.
In the women’s competition, Harewood retained the Challenge Shield and stayed top of the table thanks to a 9-0 win over University, while HSOB/Burnside (7-1 v Avon), Marist (6-0 v Southern), and Hornby (1-0 v Carlton Redcliffs) had wins.
The competitions take a break this weekend due to Matariki.
CPL men’s points
Marist 19; HSOB/Burnside 16; Carlton Redcliffs 16; Harewood 12; Avon 11; Southern United 11; Hornby 5; University 0
CPL women’s points
Harewood 24; HSOB/Burnside 19; Hornby 18; Marist 16; Carlton Redcliffs 9; Avon 6; University 3; Southern Utd 0
