Marist nail down third
After a typically rough-house derby, Palmerston North Marist nailed down third place in the Federation League in their last game of the season. They did so by beating Red
Sox-manawatu 4-1 in a dour battle at Skoglund Park, Palmerston North, on Saturday that featured two penalties and an own goal to settle the issue.
The result meant Marist finished ahead of fourth-placed North End on goal difference.
It was end-to-end stuff between Marist and eighth-placed Red Sox as the teams sought to establish physical dominance, but Marist’s skill set in key positions gave them the edge.
Prolific Marist striker Nick Carrick didn’t have his best day, but it was a measure of the threat he posed that he forced an own goal, the first of the game, when he drove the ball goalward from close range, it crashed off a post and deflected across the line off a defender.
Carrick also made it 3-0 to Marist in the first half when he converted from the penalty spot after a Red Sox hand ball and netted from the spot again late in the second spell after he was chopped down dashing into the Red Sox area.
In between times, fellow frontrunner Josh Smith scored a regular goal when he saw daylight to the left of the Red Sox goal and thumped the ball into the back of the net for his ninth of the season.
Red Sox pulled one back during the second half when Tom Pearce finished off a sweeping upfield movement that left the Marist defence in tatters, but they couldn’t repeat the performance – there always seemed to be a body or a foot in the way to break down some promising-looking manoeuvres.
Marist’s Carrick, despite his woes on Saturday, won the Golden Boot race with 23 league goals, finishing comfortably ahead of North End’s Nathan Cooksley, to reverse last year’s result.
Havelock North Wanderers finished unbeaten at the top of the league, followed by Napier Marist.
Other placings saw Wanganui Athletic come in at fifth spot, followed by Wanganui City then Massey University. Hokowhitu finished ninth, New Plymouth Rangers 10th and Palmerston North Boys’ High School were bottom in 11th place.
Wanderers will now play off against Capital Premier winners Petone for a place in next year’s Central League. Relegated from the Central League are Wellington United, who finished in last place below Wairarapa United on goal difference.
In Federation Cup semifinals at the weekend, Massey beat Hokowhitu 2-1 and Gisborne United swamped Wanganui City 6-1 in extra time after the score was 1-1 at fulltime.
And in the Easter Cup, played for by Horizons Premiership sides, Red Sox reserves and Feilding United will meet in the final.
In semifinals at the weekend, Red Sox beat Massey on penalties thanks to a save by goalie David Emmens after the score was tied at 2-2, and Feilding beat Takaro 4-2.