Rally keeps Royals on track for third
THE Dunedin City Royals stayed in the hunt to finish third in the Southern League with a comefrombehind 32 win at home over Selwyn United on Saturday.
After falling behind in the 26th minute, the Royals responded quickly and emphatically.
Ben Stanley equalised two minutes later, then Will Turner gave them the lead in the 38th minute and En Watanabe made it 31 in injury time of the first half.
Josiah Clark pulled one back for Selwyn with 12 minutes remaining, but the visiting side remains bottom of the table on eight points.
The Royals’ eighth win of the season took them to 25 points, just two behind Ferrymead Bays and Nelson Suburbs, which drew 11 with Coastal Spirit.
Both the other Dunedin clubs had difficult weekends against the league’s powerhouses.
Green Island made a wonderful start on the road against leader Christchurch United, leading 10 early through an Adam Hewson goal.
Dreams of an almighty upset were dented when United equalised through William Pierce, then destroyed when the home team scored three goals, two to former Green Island talisman Eddie Wilkinson, in the three minutes before the break.
Wilkinson scored twice more in the second half and a tiring Green Island side conceded a further three goals in the final six minutes.
Despite the 91 loss, Green Island has all but secured its place in the league next season thanks to other teams losing.
All three teams below the
Sunnyvale club would need to win both of their remaining games to consign the Shane Carvellcoached team to relegation.
Mosgiel remains one of those three teams, and it is licking its wounds after an 80 loss to Cashmere Technical.
Former Southern United striker Garbhan Coughlan banged in five for Cashmere and Lyle Matthysen had a brace.
The Southern League title is likely to be determined next weekend when Cashmere (43 points) hosts United (46).
In the ODT Southern Premiership, the Dunedin City Royals — who had already clinched the league title — beat Mosgiel 30 on Friday night, with Max Davidson, Sam Reidy and Charlie Fawcett scoring the goals.
Wanaka moved into third with a 30 victory in Invercargill against Queen’s Park, Tomas Tinka’s 54thminute goal securing the points.
University finished the season with a 61 win at home to Queenstown, having led 40 at halftime.
The win moves University off the foot of the table, and with Northern Hearts beating Green Island 54, GI is now bottom of the table.
However, GI and Hearts still have catchup games to play and may both leapfrog University again.
Tate Barron bagged a late brace for Green Island to level the scores at 44 in the 85th minute, but Bailey Chambers slotted the winner in the 88th minute.
Yesterday, RoslynWakari beat Northern 40 to seal second place and a chance to play for entry to the Southern League. Max Johnston scored twice for Roslyn.
❛ Dreams of an almighty upset were dented when United equalised through William Pierce, then destroyed when the home team scored three goals . . . in the three minutes before the break.