Level One Queens Park cemented their lead at the top of the Southland Express Donald Gray Premiership with a tightly fought win over McIntyre Dick Thistle FC at Surrey Park on Saturday.
Park started the game as a stronger team and scored at 28 minutes through a penalty, after a Lars Meehan challenge, which was converted by Park captain Joel Murray.
Ten minutes later, Brayan Orobio doubled the home side’s lead to 2-0 at the break.
Thistle upped the tempo in the second-half and pulled a goal back on the 58th minute through Sobur Omoyajowo.
Park responded well and were looking the stronger of the two until Ben Paterson received a straight red card for ‘‘violent conduct’’.
The sending-off shifted momentum to the visitors as Thistle pressed in search of an equaliser.
Park was forced to defend deep to keep Thistle at bay, which made for a tense finish for the home side.
Queens Park did hold on and managed to keep Thistle at bay until the final whistle.
They secured the three points and now have a five-point lead in the race to the title.
As I predicted, it would be Gore that would play the pivotal role in deciding where the Donald Gray Cup will spend the summer this year.
Thistle is sitting on 19 points and although not out of the race mathematically, it is unlikely they will be able to claw back enough points in the remaining four fixtures to challenge.
Gore on the other hand is only five points adrift and face the league leaders this weekend.
A win for Gore would mean the race is on, a win for Park and they would arguably have one hand on the trophy with only three games remaining.
In the other Donald Gray fixture, Southern Steel Windows Old Boys AFC beat Kowhai Roofing Waihopai 9-1 at Waverly Park.
Old Boys and Thistle face off at Waverly Park and a win or even a draw for the home side would end any hope of a Thistle comeback in its bid for the Donald Gray Cup.
In the SPL, Queens Park went down 4-3 to Dunedin City Royals in an intense fixture at the ILT Turf on Saturday.
Queens Park Coach Paddy Murphy commended his side’s performance but for “10 minutes of madness” that cost them the three points.
When pushed, Murphy would not elaborate on his comments but did state his side needed to go back to doing the basics well.
The loss is frustrating for Park as a win would have seen them join Northern in second spot, instead the loss sees them three points adrift as they hit the road to face Green Island at Sunnyvale this weekend.
There was no mistake for the Park women as they beat University 2-1 in at their Dunedin turf.
In form Rebecca Walker was on the scoresheet again.
Lucy Dermody sealed the win with a penalty after Sapphire Gallagher had put the home side ahead early on.
The win puts Park joint top with Dunedin City Royal, level on goal difference with only goals for putting the Dunedin side ahead. Dunedin have 16 goals to Park’s 14.
Park host Northern at the ILT Turf this Saturday with Royals arguably facing the more difficult fixture against Green Island.
- By Chris Montgomery
