Green Island maintained its unbeaten record with a convincing 4-1 victory over University at Sunnyvale on Saturday.
Teams had split into top four and bottom five and in the top section, Green Island hosted University and Wanaka travelled to Mosgiel.
University had a good first 10 minutes but a loose square ball was intercepted by Green Island’s Matt Brazier and he coolly slotted home past Luke Schaffer-Swan.
The goal gave Green Island confidence and it dominated the rest of the first half. Good interplay between Matt Milton and Eddie Wilkinson led to a low cross being driven into the penalty box and Genta Kojima got in behind his marker to make it 2-0.
Kojima then turned provider as Wilkinson raced on to his through ball and finished well.
The game lost structure in the second half until Ben Stanley pulled one back past the unsighted Christian Firth in the 72nd minute.
Firth then pulled off a stunning save three minutes later to deny the students. Green Island made the game safe when Tom Milton scored from a trademark free kick with 10 minutes left.
At Mosgiel, the home side was too passive in possession and lost the ball in dangerous areas but dominated as the game went on to win 4-1.
On several occasions Wanaka's Adam Hewson drove at pace towards the Mosgiel goal but good play by Mosgiel centre back Rory Findlay denied Hewson.
Mosgiel broke through in the 26th minute when Cam Anderson wove his way past a couple of defenders before firing a low driven ball that was turned into the net by Thomas Van Hees for an own goal.
The game came to life in the 65th minute when Hewson beat defenders and fired past Liam Whittaker to equalise.
Mosgiel then struck in the 76th minute when an Anderson free kick was headed home by centre back Liam Dungey.
Seven minutes later Anderson earned a penalty when he was fouled by Van Hees.
Alex Cox's penalty was initially saved. However, he pounced on the rebound to score.
Another Anderson set piece brought the fourth and final goal on the 90-minute mark when Rahan Ali got his head on the end of the free kick.
In the bottom five, Queenstown took the lead near halftime at home over Roslyn-Wakari.
Debutant Todd Vermeir followed an attack down the right wing and then finished at the far post powerful first time side foot.
Roslyn had the majority of attacking play and Queenstown attacked on the counter but found no way past Roslyn’s defensive centre backs Luke Williams and Josh Lucas.
Lucas got on the end of a Luke Clissold corner and Nathan Wilkie was quickest to the rebound, equalising on the hour.
Wilkie then scored the winner with a spectacular diving header from a Clissold cross with 13 minutes left, to grab the 2-1 victory.
Northern almost scored its first win in more than two years but conceded two goals in the dying minutes at Tahuna Park to lose 3-2 to Dunedin Technical.
Northern opened the scoring on 34 minutes when Mark James stabbed home from close range following a corner.
In the second half, Phil Dawson spotted Technical goalkeeper Alex Boomer off his line in the 56th minute and a 30m lob was perfectly placed to give Northern a deserved 2-0 lead.
Technical substitute Chima Roberts’ goal on the hour got Technical back in the game.
Chris Boomer then equalised and in the second minute of injury time Rhys Quarrell bagged the winner.
- Neville Watson
