Southern Utd hold out Waitakere for hardfought draw

A DOGGED defensive effort has helped Southern United return from Auckland with a point.

It snuffed out several dangerous attacks to emerge with a 11 draw against Waitakere United at the Trusts Arena yesterday.

That is not to say Southern did not create its own share of chances.

It had several periods on attack and opportunities to win the game.

However, its ability to keep Waitakere out when it found itself in dangerous positions was crucial.

That was particularly important through a 15minute period early in the first half.

Waitakere had momentum and created several chances,

The scores

Southern United 1 (Abdulla AlKalisy) drew with Waitakere United 1 (Jake Butler 60).

Halftime: 00

although Southern hung on well.

Southern then fought back after a Stephen Last header from a Danny Ledwith free kick provided its best chance of the first half in the 29th minute.

That sparked Southern’s most dangerous period of the half, and five minutes later Garbhan Coughlan had another good chance when he shot just left.

It took until after the break for the deadlock to be broken.

Ledwith played the ball through to danger man Abdulla AlKalisy, who found himself in space up the left.

He made a crafty run and got himself open, before his shot was deflected into the goal.

That gave Southern a 48thminute lead, but it did not take long for Waitakere to answer.

Andrew Abba entered the game nine minutes later and was a constant threat for the hosts.

He helped create Waitakere’s goal, taking the ball from Ben Wade, before finding Matt Conroy.

Conroy went around Southern defender Erik Panzer, taking the ball to the left byline, before centering to Jake Butler.

Butler timed his run on to the ball well and rocketed it past goal keeper Liam Little to draw his team level in the 60th minute.

Minutes later Abba was back in the action and found himself oneonone with Little.

However, his shot was pushed right, the first of several chances Southern did enough to keep out.

Indeed the defence did well to hold up, as injuries forced Stephen Last and debutant Rory Findlay from the field.

That left midfielders Tony Whitehead and Jared Grove to fill the spots at the back late in the game, which they did well.

Waitakere continued to threaten throughout the last two minutes, but the Southern defence kept working.

Conor O’Keeffe and Ledwith both pulled off impressive stops, before Southern created its own chances as time wore down.

However, it was unable to genuinely challenge the goal.

The result moves Southern to four points and leaves it in seventh place, although with a game in hand over the majority of the competition.

In other games Hawke’s Bay United held Team Wellington to a 22 draw and Auckland City beat Canterbury United 41.

Tasman United claimed its first win of the season with a 32 win over the Wellington Phoenix Reserves, while Eastern Suburbs beat Hamilton Wanderers 20.

Meanwhile in the national youth league, Southern was beaten 21 by Waitakere in Auckland on Saturday.