Southland United claim maiden win
Southland United claimed their first win of the Southern Premier League season, overcoming the previously unbeaten Mosgiel 2-1 at Memorial Park.
The upset result is encouraging for the Luis Paiva coached team in their first season in the federation’s top flight and comes on the back of defeats against Queenstown Rovers and Caversham.
Mosgiel opened the scoring in the 12th minute through Riley Anderton.
Southland United equalised in the 21st minute when a George Edwards header was partially saved but ended up in the goal to make it 1-1.
Southland were reduced to 10 men in the second half when Ryo Okuyama was shown a red card, but it was Jack Boland who scored from a nice play by impressive Japanese import No 10 Hayato Wakino with 15 minutes left, for the crucial winner as Southland claimed a 2-1 victory.
Goalkeeper Elliott Binks produced some excellent saves at the other end.
The result lifts Southland United into seventh spot, on three competition points.
Meanwhile, Winton’s Stewart Catto saved a penalty to help last year’s cellar dwellers Green Island topple Queenstown Rovers 5-4 in a thriller at Sunnyvale, for their first win of the season.
In Donald Gray Cup action, contenders Gore Wanderers, Old Boys and Queens Park all recorded emphatic victories.
Gore scored two goals in the opening quarter to give themselves an early 2-0 buffer, before a flourish of late goals heaped further misery on Thistle with the country team recording an impressive 5-0 victory.
Miguel Ortiz secured a hat-trick for Gore, while Andy Roberts and Roy Gibson also scored.
Old Boys won a high scoring encounter with new entry Winton 7-4, while Queens Park outclassed Waihopai 10-0 in a match, where former Queens Park president and life member Lindsay Barnett was remembered.
New recruit John van Rij who joined the team this season from Christchurch bagged four goals in his debut match for the yellows.
In men’s division one, Old Boys and Gore Wanderers emulated their Donald Gray Premier club mates with handsome victories.
Meanwhile, in the Kolk Cup, Queens Park secured a crucial 4-2 win over Southend United to sit at the top of the table, while Queens Park Wyndham continued their unbeaten run in division one.