Central save their best for last
Central will be wishing the women’s national football league went a few more weeks with the way they’ve found form recently.
Fresh from their first win of the season against South last weekend, Central put in a great performance to draw 1-all with Canterbury in Christchurch yesterday, in what was the last game of the season.
Central lost their first four games of the season, but have started to play some improved football recently.
Canterbury were favourites for the game by a long way, so for Central to secure a draw is a big result for them.
Playing on an artificial turf, Football Fern Aimee Phillips headed home for Canterbury in the 25th minute to give them a 1-0 lead.
But TJ Lyne-lewis scored from a set piece for Central in the 36th minute, her second goal in two weeks, to level the scores.
Canterbury had most of the possession and created a lot of chances, but the Central defence, led by centre backs Amber Phillips and Kate Bennett denied them time after time.
Canterbury even hit the cross bar, but couldn’t finish.
Central’s Rose Morton was good with her distribution in midfield and young Tilly James played well.
Central will finish seventh from eight teams.
Central coach Matt Kilsby believed they had confidence from their win last week and that helped against what was a good Canterbury team.
Kilsby would like to have his side together for longer in future so they don’t make a slow start to the competition.
‘‘It’s always the last two games of the year that we get the results in,’’ he said.
But it is always hard in the Central region with players spread from Hawke’s Bay to New Plymouth.