Canterbury into semis

Substitute Seth Clark scored a spectacular late goal to beat Team Wellington and send Canterbury United through to the semifinals of the ISPS Handa Premiership.

The 18-year-old provided the impact coach Willy Gerdsen was hoping for following his secondhalf introduction by lofting a shot above the reach of goalkeeper Scott Basalaj in the 89th minute to give Canterbury a crucial 2-1 win English Park yesterday — a result that cements their place in the top four.

Canterbury took the lead when Gary Ogilvie converted a 51st minute penalty following a foul by Taylor Schrijvers on Adam Thurston. However, Ogilvie’s goal was quickly cancelled out as Team Wellington’s Andy Bevin levelled four minutes later.

Despite Southern United doing their job by beating 10-man Tasman United 2-1 at Trafalgar Park, Canterbury’s result leaves them nine points clear in fourth and guarantees their place in the semifinals alongside Auckland City, Eastern Suburbs and Team Wellington.

English import Joe Ellul went from hero to zero as Tasman conceded two late goals following the striker’s second dismissal in as many games.

In a game Southern had to win to keep their faint semifinal hopes alive, Paul O’Reilly’s men suffered an early setback when Ellul, returning from a two-game suspension following a red card on debut, opened the scoring three minutes before halftime.

However, Ellul was given his marching orders when he received his second yellow card for a foul on Danny Ledwith shortly after the break.

Southern took control of the game from there, with in-form striker Garbhan Coughlan scoring twice inside seven minutes to give the visitors their second win over Tasman this season.

Coughlan, who rose above Keegan Smith at a corner to nod in the match-winner in the 89th minute, has now scored 12 goals in 15 games this season, taking him level with Hawke’s Bay United’s Sam Mason-Smith and Eastern Suburbs’ Callum McCowatt in the golden boot race.

In the late game, league leaders Auckland City bounced back from dropping points for the first time midweek by beating Hamilton Wanderers 3-2.