Pride hang on to first-half lead

Southern player Abby Rankin tries to control the ball under the pressure of Canterbury player Anna McPhie at Logan Park yesterday. PHOTO: LINDA ROBERTSON

Margi Dias is used to sending the ball flying for Southern United.

But Southern United found themselves on the receiving end of one of those balls yesterday following the lively forward’s return to Canterbury United Pride this season.

Dias launched a looping ball across into the box for Anna McPhie to head home.

It levelled the scores at 1-1 in the 24th minute at Logan Park, but the visitors were not finished there.

McPhie punished Southern with her speed, cutting through the defence.

She put the ball left for captain Nicola Dominikovich, whose first attempt hit the left post.

But the deflection fell perfectly in front for Dominikovich, who made no mistake on her second shot and buried it.

The 43rd-minute goal handed Canterbury a 2-1 win and moved them to third on the national league table, with three wins and one draw to start their season.

It was a blow for Southern, who held possession for much of the opening 20 minutes but could not find a reply in the second half.

Southern wasted no time getting their goal.

Raegan Potter was busy in her first start and applied the pressure up front.

Potter made a sliding tackle on Canterbury goalkeeper Amber Bennett across the front line as she went to exit.

That tapped the ball on and put Bennett out of position to stop Abby Rankin from running on to it and burying it inside the opening two minutes.

It has become a trend for Southern United, scoring within the opening 10 minutes — after Shontelle Smith’s goal the week before — but they are yet to find anything late in their games.

Potter curled in a good corner, which Hannah Mackay-Wright’s header connected to, only for it to go wide.

Canterbury then served up a double blow to lead 2-1 at halftime.

Millie Scott, Gemma Keen and Danica Urlich-Beech came on for the second half for Southern.

Scott crossed in to Stacey Martin in the box several times, but they just could not finish their chances.

Defender Alisa Tuatagaloa was fearless at the back and made a crucial sliding tackle to save what could well have been a third for Canterbury Pride.

It was a quieter second half for both sides, who really did not test either keeper.

Auckland United continued their unbeaten run beating Western Springs 1-0, Waterside Karori banked a 3-0 victory over Central, Eastern Suburbs thumped Phoenix Reserves 5-0 and West Coast Rangers had a 1-1 draw against Wellington United.