Laser Plumbing Gore Wanderers closed the gap at the top of Donald Gray Premiership to two points with a 3-1 win over Southern Steel Windows Old Boys AFC at the ILT Football Turf on Saturday in an otherwise uneventful weekend of football in the city.
With Waihopai and Thistle not playing until midweek, and with Queens Park having the bye round, Gore’s win was the only weekend result in the top league. Rithvy Goundar put Gore ahead on the 23-minute mark, but Old Boys kept themselves in the game, matching Gore until late into the second half when Matthew Winkel extended Gore’s lead with 15 minutes to go.
The game was put beyond Old Boys with eight minutes remaining when Frank De Jong netted Gore’s third, although Old Boys did get a deserved, albeit consolation, goal through a Sam Christie effort with five minutes remaining.
However, it was to be Gore’s day as they continue their good form to launch a challenge for the Donald Gray title.
In the other game in the round to be played midweek, I predict Thistle will join Gore on 19 points, two behind leaders Queens Park, with the Surrey Park side also having a game in-hand.
The match report will be on the website.
In the Kolk cup, iHire Thistle FC stamped their authority on the league and arguably put one hand on the trophy — despite eight games still to be played — by beating closest rivals Kingsgate Hotel Te Anau Wyndham Town FC 6-0 at the weekend.
Looking at Thistle’s previous form in the competition, 10 wins from 11 and drawing the other game, a seven-point lead at the top of the table should see them lift the Kolk Cup next month.
Update: McIntyre Dick Thistle FC beat Kowhai Roofing Waihopai 7-0 in the rescheduled midweek game at the ILT Turf on Wednesday night.
- By Chris Montgomery
