Unbeaten Northern went top of the ODT Southern Premiership with a hard-fought 2-1 win over Roslyn-Wakari at the Caledonian on Saturday.
Roslyn started well with more possession, but Northern scored in the 15th minute when Tyler Muir latched on to a long ball from Janic Gorman that took both centre backs out of the game, and Muir’s shot squeezed past on-rushing Roslyn goalkeeper Kavindu Bhagya.
Northern doubled their lead five minutes later when good work from Rory Hibbert released Emilio Ghosh-Novero, whose cross from the right wing forced Roslyn defender Josh Lucas to head past his own keeper for an own goal.
Roslyn coach Kris Ridley rang the changes at halftime, changing shape and sending on Josh Marshall and Jasper Moy.
Both made an impact and had Northern under pressure forcing keeper Eli Urwin to tip a couple of shots over the crossbar.
In the 87th minute, Tom Connor won a free kick for Roslyn, and Callum Smith’s precise delivery was finished by Nick Treadwell to make it 2-1.
Roslyn pressed for the equaliser, making it a nervous few minutes for the home team, but were not able to get past Urwin.
Mosgiel slipped to their first defeat of the season, losing 2-1 to University.
Mosgiel had the better of the opening 20 minutes as Luke Clissold rattled the crossbar and created some half-chances but University took the lead when Ben Campbell scored from the penalty spot.
George Duncan stabbed home in injury time to make it 1-1 but the students grabbed all three points, moved level on the table with Mosgiel and claimed the Blair Davidson Trophy when the aptly named Hugo Davidson scored straight from the restart in the 93rd minute.
In nine rounds of football, including the end of last season, the Blair Davidson Trophy has changed hands six times.
In Timaru, it looked like Wanaka would take all three points when Paul Rodwell scored a 77th minute penalty after Northern Hearts keeper Hamish Fikken was sent off for a foul.
Up stepped Bailey Chambers, as he did last week, to score in the 90th minute to secure a point for Hearts in a 1-1 draw.
Invercargill’s Queens Park moved into second-equal place with a 2-0 win over Green Island thanks to goals in each half from Calem Castle and Anton Fitzgerald.
The Royals thumped Queenstown 7-1.
Queenstown opened the scoring through Junior Violato but the Royals’ response was immediate as Benji Woodard scored twice to give them the lead.
Max Stanley bagged a brace before a late flurry of three goals in five minutes — two for Charlie Fawcett and one for substitute Josh Calimlin — sealed it for the Royals, who move into fifth place and are only one point off second.
In the South Island women’s qualifying league, University beat Roslyn 3-1 thanks to a strong first-half performance with their midfield domination setting the platform.
Aynsley Martin opened the scoring on 12 minutes then Charli Marvin and Elise Jackson scored two minutes apart to give University a 3-0 lead after 31 minutes.
Roslyn reduced the deficit through Abbey Neilson with 23 minutes to play, but just as they were getting a foothold in the game, Maddie Northern was sent off with 15 minutes left.
University’s win moves them into second spot and holding a massive advantage leading to qualifying for the South Island league.
The Dunedin City Royals dispatched Northern 10-0 to remain in top spot.
Youngster Charlotte Summers scored in the first minute and further goals to Nieve Collin, Abby Rankin and a brace from Georgia Kennedy made it 5-0 at the break.
Rankin, Collin and Tahlia Roome scored in the second half, and Summers completed a hat-trick in the 81st minute.
Queens Park secured a second win in their debut season, beating Green Island 1-0 thanks to Rebecca Walker’s 28th minute goal.
— Neville Watson
