By Gavin Searle
Cashmere Technical made hard work of defeating Ferrymead Bays 2 – 1, and Coastal came out on top over Nomads 2 – 0.
Selwyn won the battle at the foot of the table after edging Halswell 3 – 2.
These results led to five of the eight clubs swapping position on the table from round 4.
Technical is now the only unbeaten side and move to the top of the table with 13 points.
United sit in second place on 10 points, and Coastal remain third on nine.
Suburbs climbed two spots to sit in fourth on seven, and Nomads and Bays both dropped a spot on six with Selwyn now on four, and Halswell remaining pointless.
Suburbs got their season back on the right track by toppling United.
They took the game to United from the opening minute, and Eddie Ashton was called on to make several early saves before he was finally beaten when Simon Gatward-Smith put Suburbs ahead in the 12th minutes.
Ten minutes later, Andy Tuckley doubled the lead when scoring from the penalty spot.
Benji Lapslie then scored his third goal in four games to reduce the margin just before the break.
After the break, chances went begging at both ends, with Lucas Hogg then giving Suburbs some breathing space after scoring in the 74th minute.
With the win, Suburbs bring up the significant milestone of 200 premiership wins.
Technical started strongly against Bays, with Yuya Taguchi scoring the fastest goal so far this season to put the defending champions ahead after just 95 seconds.
Garbhan Coughlan then doubled the lead after just nine minutes, with Technical then wasting several clear chances to put the game to bed before half time.
The second half saw Bays come back into the game, with Ryan Stanley hitting a shot straight at Harri Rowe in goal.
Poor finishing was Bays downfall as shots were pushed wide of the goal as Tech continued to turn the ball over in front of their own goal.
Bays were finally rewarded when Rhys Williams scored with three minutes of normal time to play. Bays then had several half chances to pick up a share of the points, but Technical did enough to hold on for the win.
Poor finishing also proved costly for Nomads over Coastal.
Coastal took the lead after Mika Rabuka was brought down in the area, and Coastal captain, Michael Hogan, stepped up to put his side ahead in what was the 10th penalty scored this season.
Hogan then doubled the lead with a low shot from just outside the area. Nomads then lifted with Nathan Dix hitting a shot just wide in the 65th minute, and just after a cross from Daniel Thoms, a player slid across the front of the goal, but none of his teammates could turn the ball home.
With five minutes remaining, Nomads then had a shot cleared off the line.
Selwyn and Halswell traded late first-half goals, with Dan Ede putting Selwyn in front with a penalty and Chris Whiteside then locking up the scoreboard minutes later on the stroke of halftime.
Joe Arnott then restored the Stallions lead just after the break before Jack Allatt made it 3 – 1 midway into the second half.
Toby Tullet then gave Halswell hope after scoring with twenty to play in what turned out to be the final scoring movement of the game.
Halswell went a player down after Craig Stewart received a straight red card with two minutes to play after bringing a player down near goal.
Round 6 will see United host Halswell on Friday. On Saturday, Suburbs travel south to face Bays. Technical face Nomads and Selwyn entertain Coastal at 5pm.
On Monday, Coastal and Suburbs play their catch-up game as the other sides will be playing the opening round of the Blackwells Holden English Cup.
Results, scorers
Ferrymead Bays 1 (Rhys Williams) Cashmere Technical 2 (Yuya Taguchi, Garbhan Coughlan) HT 0 - 2
Halswell 2 (Chris Whiteside, Toby Tulett) Selwyn 3 (Jack Allott, Joe Arnott, Dan Ede - pen) HT 1 - 1
Nelson Suburbs 3 (Simon Catward-Smith, Lucas Hogg, Andy Tuckey - pen) Christchurch United 1 (Benji Lapslie) HT 2 - 1
Coastal Spirit 2 (Michael Hogan 2 - incl pen) Nomads 0 HT 1 – 0
Big two set up huge game in women's premiership
Coastal Spirit and Cashmere Technical have dominated the New World Women's Premiership in recent seasons, and both went three from three after recording comfortable away wins in the latest round.
They will now go head-to-head in round 4 at the end of the month.
With most of the teams missing players due to the 2021 Tertiary Futsal Championships, Coastal were untroubled, defeating Waimak 6 – 1, with Technical accounting for Nomads 7 – 2.
In the final game, Universities edged Ferrymead Bays 1 – 0. Coastal and Technical are now on nine points with Universities moving to third on four. Bays have three, Waimak one, with Nomads still to claim points.
Waimak kept the defending champions scoreless until Alyssa Whinham put Coastal ahead in the 30th minute, with Zoe McMeeken doubling the lead before the break.
Jayda Stewart then extended the margin against her former club. Dolci Wagner pulled a goal back for Waimak before three Coastal goals in the final seven minutes completed the scoring.
Chloe Jones added her name to the scoresheet, with Isabella Donald and Kyra Lazor both coming into the game off the bench and scoring their first premiership goals on debut.
Former Football Fern Kate Loye opened the scoring for Technical and was quickly followed by a second from Sarai Dyck.
Jasmine Barrett reduced the margin, but Nomads then conceded an own goal minutes later.
Two goals in the space of two minutes from Nicola Dominikovich and Emma Kench saw Technical well in control at the break.
The two sides traded goals just after the break, Ava Herrick for Tech and Shae Coghlan for Nomads, with Mikayla Hunt scoring the final goal for Technical with 10 minutes to play.
Universities and Bays played out a tight encounter which appeared to be heading for a draw, until Universities were awarded a penalty for a handball with nine minutes to play. The students' skipper, Ekaterina Lieshout, slotted home the spot-kick to secure her side their first win of the season.
The women's premiership takes a break for a week as teams are involved in round 1 of the New Zealand Football Foundation Kate Shepard Cup and the Blackwells Holden Reta Fitzpatrick Cup.
Results, scorers
Nomads 2 (Jasmine Barrett, Shae Coghlan) Cashmere Technical 7 (Kate Loye, Nicola Dominikovich, Emma Kench, Mikayla Hunt, Sarai Hunt, Ava Herrick, own goal) HT 1 - 5
Waimak 1 (Dolci Wagner) Coastal Spirit 6 (Alyssa Whinham, Chloe Jones, Zoe McMeeken, Kyra Lazor, Jayda Stewart, Isabella Donald) HT 0 -2
Universities 1 (Ekaterina Lieshout - pen) Ferrymead Bays 0 HT 0 – 0
Western and Waimak maintain winning run in championship league
Western and Waimak maintained their perfect run in the New World Championship when they recorded their fifth straight win.
Burwood and St Albans Shirley also claimed victories, with all four games level at half time.
Three goals after the break saw Western come out on top over Parklands, with Mitchell Quigley scoring the deciding goal that saw Waimak winning 2 – 1.
A strong second half saw Burwood secure their second win of the season when overcoming Mid Canterbury 5 – 2. SAS picked up their first win when edging Universities 2 – 1.
Western and Waimak move to 15 points, Parklands have 9, FC and Burwood are both on six with Universities, Mid Canterbury and SAS now all on three.
The league will take a break over Anzac weekend as teams contest the opening rounds at the Chatham Cup and English Cups.
Championship league results
Burwood 5 Mid Canterbury 2 HT 1 - 1
Parklands 2 Western 5 HT 2 - 2
St Albans Shirley 2 Universities 1 HT 0 - 0
Waimak 2 FC Twenty11 1 HT 0 - 0
