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Otago Daily Times
2 days ago
- Sport
- Otago Daily Times
Royals score five in convincing win
The Dunedin City Royals put five goals past Universities of Canterbury to notch an impressive win on Saturday. Building from last week's draw with high-flyers Christchurch United, the Royals beat UC 5-0 in the men's Southern League at Logan Park on Saturday. The Royals took a seventh-minute lead when they smartly passed the ball around the UC defence allowing Will Turner to score. Midway through the first half Brady Jacobs jinked into the penalty box and struck his shot against the post. The Royals were enjoying a host of possession and keeper Alex Boomer had little to do. As halftime approached Max Davidson was denied a goal when his powerful header was spectacularly saved by Matthew Aitchison. It was 2-0 soon after the restart when Charlie Fawcett scored in the 47th minute. Turner made it 3-0 just before the hour mark. Coach Blair Scoullar was happy to have a strong bench. He introduced Cato Williams and Lewis Wall — both of whom got on the scoresheet in the 70th and 77th minutes to round out a well-deserved victory. The top of the table clash between Cashmere Tech and Christchurch United finished 2-2, meaning if Coastal Spirit can win Sunday's clash over Ferrymead Bays, Spirit will go top of the table. Selwyn remain rooted to the bottom of the table after losing 6-2 to Nomads. Wānaka did not play as their game over Nelson Suburbs was postponed, as Suburbs were in the Chatham Cup cup semifinal where they lost 3-0 to Auckland United. In the women's South Island league Roslyn Wakari was the only southern team in action. They took a lead through Morgan McCormick in the 22nd minute against Coastal Spirit at Logan Park. However, Margi Dias and Samantha Whyte both bagged doubles to give Coastal a 4-1 win. In the ODT Men's Southern Premiership, Northern continued on its quest for a 100% season with an emphatic 7-0 victory on the road against Northern Hearts. Sam Cosgrove opened the scoring after five minutes, before Rory Hibbert scored a 16-minute hat-trick to lead 4-0 after 40 minutes. While doing so, he took his personal tally to 21 goals for the season. Toby Orchiston made it 5-0 midway through the second half and Cosgrove bagged two late goals to get his first hat-trick of the season. Mosgiel retained second spot beating the Dunedin City Royals 4-0, Queens Park claimed local bragging rights in the Invercargill derby beating Old Boys 4-0, while Roslyn Wakari overcame Green Island 2-1 at Sunnyvale thanks to a double from Ben Williams-Davies. In the Women's Southern Premiership, Green Island moved clear at the top of the table beating Northern 2-0 with Hannah Post and Jonna Barth's goals. University and the Dunedin City Royals played out a 0-0 draw to leave them both three points behind Green Island — however both teams have games in hand. Queens Park came from behind to beat Roslyn with Tyler Andrews scoring her second goal in the 87th minute, before Megan Waters injury time goal secured a 3-1 win for the Invercargill team. — Neville Watson
Otago Daily Times
10-08-2025
- Sport
- Otago Daily Times
Rejoining Southern United ‘best challenge' for coach
Kris Ridley in 2022. PHOTO: ODT FILES Sometimes taking a step back helps you move forward. Kris Ridley stepped down from coaching Southern United earlier this year after three seasons to avoid any conflict as he took over as the Dunedin City Royals women's head coach. But having a hand in the women's game all year round had been good for Ridley, who threw his hat in the ring and will re-join Southern United as the national league head coach again this season. Coaching at club level differed from the national stage. But having coached various levels in Australia, Ridley knew it was the "best challenge" for him. "Coaching a club football team for 20 games-plus is a challenge beyond just a nine-week national league challenge," Ridley said. "You get the love for football again. "Even coaches like myself who coach all the time, you fall out of love every now and then with football and you're like ... 'what's my why?'. "Albeit, the national league is a very serious competition. It's the biggest competition in women's football here in New Zealand — so why wouldn't I want to be a part of that?" He is excited to get stuck in to another big national league campaign. "Always excited. Very grateful that I've been selected again to lead the girls, and the staff, and look forward to that challenge every time. "Probably more so this time ... when you consider trying to replicate 2023 — that'll be our aim," he said. Southern United made it through to the final in 2023, falling just short to Auckland United, who were in some form. Southern United finished eighth last year with three wins, two draws and four losses and their biggest loss was only by two goals. "Last year we were a competitive side but the results just didn't come out way. "We didn't get thumped. We were very unlucky. "On paper, we had an amazing team but it just didn't work last year and that happens in football and sport." Shontelle Smith was named the league's MVP last year, scoring five goals in seven games. The national league kicks off later next month.
Otago Daily Times
10-08-2025
- Sport
- Otago Daily Times
Royals stay perfect to clinch South Island crown
The Dunedin City Royals celebrate winning the Women's South Island League in Nelson on Saturday. PHOTO: SUPPLIED The Dunedin City Royals have been crowned the queens of the South Island. They wrapped up the Women's South Island League title with two rounds to spare after beating Nelson Suburbs 3-1 in wet conditions on Saturday. Youngster Hannah Scott — the 15-year-old getting her first start — scored the opener two minutes in before Nelson equalised through Samantha Crawford. Defender Hannah Mackay-Wright scored a brilliant penalty in the 68th minute and Amy Hislop sealed it for the Royals with a screamer in the 82nd minute. It was good reward for a team who were up at 4.30am to catch a flight to Nelson and had a "sluggish" warm-up. Head coach Kris Ridley could not be prouder of his players, who knuckled down over the past few weeks to win the title. "It's what we set out for at the start," Ridley said. "We wanted to win the Kate Sheppard Cup and the league. "Cup, we were a bit short, but the league, we've done everything right so far. Three points every week and that's sort of what we aim for. "Just really proud of the group. "It's been a massive effort, especially probably the last three or four games." There was further reason to celebrate with stalwart Kelsey Kennard bringing up her 250th game. "We wanted to make it as special as we could," Ridley said. "The girls were probably doing whatever they could to win for Kelsey as well as winning the league, so it was a good double." Roslyn-Wakari drew 1-1 with NW United. Amelie East-Giles opening the scoring in the 13th minute but Roslyn conceded the equaliser in the first half stoppage time. Otago University beat Universities of Canterbury 2-0 in Christchurch yesterday. — There is still all to play for ODT Women's Southern Premiership with only one point separating Green Island, University and the Royals. Green Island beat Queens Park 3-0 with Hannah Post scoring a brace, University beat Roslyn-Wakari 3-1, and the Royals, who had beaten Northern 7-0 in a midweek catch-up game, were held to a 0-0 draw by Northern. The Royals have a game in hand.
Otago Daily Times
03-08-2025
- Sport
- Otago Daily Times
University still in hunt for title
Two second-half goals from Otago University have kept the title race alive — just — in the women's South Island league. They beat Coastal Spirit 2-0 at Logan Park on Saturday, moving to 31 points and remaining a comfortable second on the table behind the Dunedin City Royals, who have a perfect 39 after 13 games. Jemma McCormick and Georgina McEwan scored goals as University gained ascendancy in the second half. After a tight opening half with few chances, University changed their formation after the break. That yielded the first goal just two minutes into the second half, when McCormick scored from a well-rehearsed corner move. The game ebbed and flowed, Laney Whiston in particular having a strong defensive performance to keep Coastal at bay. It took until injury time for the students to guarantee their three points, when McEwan tapped the ball home in just her second appearance. Roslyn Wakari claimed their fourth win of the season, beating Halswell 5-0 in Christchurch. Amelie East-Giles opened the scoring on 40 minutes and got her second on 78 minutes, making it 4-0 after Zara Pratley and Harriet Park had also scored. Park finished off the win in injury time. Yesterday the Dunedin City Royals claimed a 2-0 win over Universities of Canterbury at Tahuna Park, Hannah Mackay-Wright and Amy Hislop scoring first-half goals. In the men's Southern League, the Dunedin City Royals continued their run of not being able to hold on to a lead, when they drew 2-2 with Ferrymead Bays at Logan Park. Bays had a goal disallowed after 15 minutes, before the Royals' Ben Campbell, playing an advanced midfield role, got on the end of a free kick to head home in the 27th minute. Tom Milton doubled the lead on 53 minutes, before Bays pulled one back three minutes later through a Jacob Killick penalty. Luke Pritchard equalised on 65 minutes, and things began looking ominous for the Royals when Connor Neil was sent off on 70 minutes. However, Anhel Toro Perez missed a 94th minute injury time penalty, which would have given Bays a comeback win. Wānaka claimed their fifth win of the season with an emphatic 6-1 victory in Selwyn. Conceding an early goal woke Wānaka, who scored three goals in the last 15 minutes of the first half. The first was to Michael Johnson who scored from the edge of the box. Johnson then turned provider — with a defence splitting pass for Anthony Sprowson to run on to. The pace of Sprowson was causing Selwyn problems and he benefited by scoring his second right on halftime. Ed Belingher rifled in the fourth on the hour mark when he was left unmarked in the penalty box and he smashed his shot into the far corner of the net. Sprowson claimed his hat-trick in the 69th minute — running into another through ball and skipper Jake Thompson finished off the scoring heading home from close range on 73 minutes. In the ODT Women's Southern Premiership Green Island reclaimed top spot from University with a 2-0 victory over the students, thanks to a goal in each half from Hannah Post and Charli Elliott. Dunedin City Royals Reserves are two points off the pace, following a 1-1 draw with Roslyn. Maggie Burgess' second half equaliser cancelled out Aimee Kay's first half opener for Roslyn. The Royals do have games in hand over Green Island and University however. Queens Park beat Northern 3-0. Northern continued their 100% winning streak in the ODT Men's Southern Premiership with a 6-1 victory over Dunedin City Royals. Nick Treadwell opened the scoring after only three minutes. Goals to Rory Hibbert and Jonas Gorman midway through the second half made the game safe. However when Kenny Nagata pulled one back for the Royals with eight minutes to go, it awakened Northern. Hibbert scored a further three goals in the last four minutes. Mosgiel remain second with a 2-0 win over Roslyn Wakari, University beat Northern Hearts 4-0 and Queens Park ran out 6-2 victors over Green Island. — Neville Watson
Otago Daily Times
20-07-2025
- Sport
- Otago Daily Times
Royals return from Nelson trip with point
A very solid defensive showing secured a point for the Dunedin City Royals on their long trip to Nelson. They drew 1-1 against Nelson Suburbs in the Men's South Island League yesterday, moving to 14 points and remaining seventh on the table. Ryan Christie and Tom Milton kept Nelson's danger men Trevin Myers and Lennon Whewell very quiet. There were few clear-cut chances throughout and as the match entered its last 10 minutes, it looked like Tom Milton's well-taken free kick on 26 minutes, when his inswinging left-footed strike deceived keeper Corey Wilson, would give the Royals all three points. The Royals nearly sealed the win in the 84th minute when Max Davidson's header from a corner cannoned off the crossbar. But despite Royals goalkeeper Jonathan Tucker twice denying Suburbs, they squeezed in an equaliser in the last minute, when Ben Polak's shot looped up off Tucker and into the back of the net. In other games the top three teams all won — Christchurch United beat Selwyn 4-1, Coastal Spirit were too strong for Wānaka in Central Otago winning 4-0, and Cashmere Tech overcame a fight back from Nomads scoring in the third minute of stoppage time to secure a 3-2 win. In the women's South Island league Otago University continued to keep the pressure on the unbeaten Dunedin City Royals — who had the bye — with a 2-0 win over Roslyn Wakari. The opening goal was scored by Ashley Geusebroek in the 14th minute — following up on a corner and with Roslyn at times causing the students trouble around possession the second goal, did not come until the 93rd minute when Charlotte Grey chipped the keeper from 30 yards out. Coach Hamish Phillip said he was "happy with the performance and being solid across the park allowed us freedom of possession when we wanted". The win leaves University in second place — two points behind the Royals and seven points ahead of third place Cashmere Tech who beat NW United 7-0. Coastal Spirit beat Universities of Canterbury 4-1. — Neville Watson
