Bays down United
Defending champions Ferrymead Bays may be top of the Mainland premier football league table but coach Mick Braithwaite warns the championship race is wide open.
Bays beat bottom-placed Christchurch United 2-1 at ASB Football Park on Friday night and then benefited when Coastal Spirit and Cashmere Technical drew 2-2.
Braithwaite said Bays had been boosted by the return of Canterbury United stars Adam Highfield and Russell Kamo in their climb back to the league summit.
‘‘When we played Nelson, Adam saved a penalty at nilnil, which gives you a bit of a fillip, and we went on to win the game. And Russell’s starting to score goals.’’
Canterbury Dragon Josh Smith played his second game for Bays on Friday.
Braithwaite has also had ‘‘one or two games out of [exAll White] Glen Collins’’.
However, teenage striker Jamie Draper was Ferrymead’s player of the day against United.
‘‘He turned 17 onfriday, so it was a good birthday present for him,’’ Braithwaite said.
Draper is ‘‘a clone’’ of his older brother, former All White, Canterbury United and Wellington Phoenix striker Greg Draper, who won the Golden Boot top scorer award in the Welsh premier league this season.
United shocked Bays with a first-half goal to Thanarat Prathumphithik and Braithwaite conceded United deserved their 1-0 halftime lead.
‘‘We bombed forward too much and didn’t keep our shape and United always looked dangerous on the break,’’ he said.
Kamo equalised for Bays, then blazed a penalty over the bar before Smith slotted the winning goal.
Bays lead Nelson Suburbs and Coastal Spirit by two points but only five points separate the top five after nine rounds.
‘‘It’s still wide open, if you lose a couple of games you can quickly slip back to the pack again,’’ Braithwaite said.
Ferrymead play Coastal on Saturday and Nelson host Tech in round-10 clashes.
Gareth Turnbull scored a goal in each half in Coastal’s 2-2 draw with Tech to take his tally to eight goals – two behind team-mate Ash Welbourn, the Golden Boot race leader.
English import Ricky Hulbert and Ken Yamamoto were on target for Tech, who had three ‘‘goals’’ disallowed for offside.
Western won the Hurley Challenge Shield by beating FC Twenty 11 2-0 with goals to Daniel Thoms and Sam Miles.
Nelson Suburbs moved into second place on goal difference from Coastal with a 3-1 win at Halswell United.
Western’s Dana Napa scored in a 1-0 win over University in the only premier women’s league match.