One point is all Level One Queens Park need from the remaining three fixtures to win the Donald Gray title after beating their nearest rivals Laser Plumbing Gore Wanderers 1-0 at Hyde Park on Saturday.
A Brayan Orobio strike on the half-hour mark was enough to get the Surrey Park side over the line in a tight, edgy contest. Wanderers left their run a little late, a slow start in the league has cost them, if they had been able to show the form they have in their recent games at the start of the season, they would have been challenging Park to the final game.
With games against Old Boys, Waihopai and Thistle to come, previous form would suggest it is a matter of when, not if, the Surrey Park side will lift their first Donald Gray since 2021.
Jesus Castillo and Barrix Kawe grabbed a brace each as McIntyre Dick Thistle FC demolished Southern Steel Windows Old Boys AFC 6-1 at the ILT Turf in the other Donald Gray fixture on Saturday.
Sobur Omoyajowo opened the scoring with Jose Rodriguez also getting on the scoresheet as Thistle completely dismantled a shell-shocked Old Boys outfit.
Sam Christie grabbed a consolation goal on the 85th minute but the damage was done with Thistle already six goals to the good in a classy and clinical display.
It has been a patchy season for the Turnbull Thomson side who have been capable of beating the best, but unable to back it up week on week. The bones of a good side are there, but discipline has cost them dear this season, arguably halting their challenge on the league as early as June when key goal threat Jose Rodriguez copped a six-week ban.
The following week, Lars Meehan and Byron Hawkes also saw red, adding to Thistle's woes and halting any chance of mounting a serious title challenge.
Old Boys have naturally suffered with the top team competing in the Fletcher Cup, effectively meaning the Donald Gray side is a second-string reserve side. They have had some good performances but also suffered some heavy defeats, none more so than last weekend’s loss to Thistle.
If Old Boys are looking to join Queens Park in the SPL, they will need to strengthen their numbers as the SPL is even more demanding than the Fletcher Cup and depth is key to survival.
It was a good weekend for Green Island, beating Old Boys 1-0 in the Fletcher Cup and recording a 3-1 win over Queens Park in the SPL.
The result sees Old Boys sit in third position in the league and Park slip to sixth in the SPL.
Old Boys are in a precarious position. They will need to wait to see if third place is enough for a playoff for the SPL as although the teams sitting above them, Royals and Northern, already have SPL teams, Old Boys’ promotion to the league is not guaranteed.
Park’s loss to Green Island was poor, in a game that should have seen them climb to joint second has instead seen them drop to a disappointing sixth place. The Surrey Park men will be looking to rectify this and get back on track as they entertain Wanaka this weekend at the ILT Turf. Old Boys entertain Northern in the Fletcher Cup on Saturday, kicking off at 12.30 at Waverley Park.
A 3-0 win for Queens Park against Northern was enough to retain top spot in the Women’s SPL on goal difference from Dunedin City Royals. Park head to Green Island this weekend in a bid to retain pole position as the league enters the final three fixtures with a possible league decider against Dunedin City Royals in Park's final game of the season.
- By Chris Montgomery
