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Green Island secured three points and moved away from the Southern League relegation zone with a deserved 4- 3 victory over Coastal Spirit at Sunnyvale on Saturday.
Missing some of its star players, the team responded well to coaches Shane Carvell and Stu Moffats’ game plan.
Just as Coastal was starting to get more possession and territory with Cameron Rean a toe away from scoring the opening goal, Green Island took the lead in the 18th minute following a determined run from Cam Anderson. Beating his marker, he cut the ball back from the byline to Beckham Wheeler-Greenall whose initial shot was well saved by Angus Dempster, but he was on hand to tap home the rebound.
The game started to open up and Coastal’s Michael Hogan found himself unmarked in the box. However his shot cannoned off the crossbar two minutes later.
Along with Anderson, Caleb Williams and Harrison McLean were to the fore in most of the home side’s play while Hogan was central to most of Spirit’s play.
Spirit nearly equalised in the 35th minute when Christian Firth tipped Jake Hodder’s header on to the woodwork.
Anderson switched flanks and in the 44th minute he cut in from the left channel and unleashed a shot that Dempster did extremely well to parry with a flying save.
Green Island doubled its lead in the 52nd minute when Weston Bell ran down the left-hand wing, held off his marker and put his shot across Dempster and into the far corner of the net.
Coastal reduced the deficit when, following a poor clearance, the ball fell to Kenshin Hayashi and he blasted the ball into the net.
The setback was only temporary as in the 60th minute Anderson attacked down the right hand flank and he drove his low shot across Dempster and scored the goal that his performance deserved.
The home side went further ahead with 20 minutes to go when Dempster dropped the ball, Anderson reclaimed it and drove to the byline and found Harrison McLean, who made no mistake .
Hogan, who was having a standout game for Coastal, scored in the 77th minute with a strong header at the far post. Coastal was then denied another goal a minute later when Firth made an instinctive save to deny Cooper Goldsmith.
Coastal has made a habit of scoring late goals this season and with four minutes left Firth had to react quickly to gather a loose ball in the box. Centre defender Cam Brewitt then did well to head clear a goal-bound effort.
In injury time, Coastal scored from a corner when Nicholas Smith headed home. But it ran out of time and the Island secured a 4-3 victory and a precious three points.
■ Dunedin City Royals got their revenge on Ferrymead with a well deserved 3-1 victory in Christchurch.
Kaleb DeGroot-Green opened the scoring in the 29th minute and two goals either side of half-time, the first to Connor Neill and then En Watanabe in the 47th minute, secured the points.
Ferrymead scored a consolation goal in the 90th minute through Michael White.
■ Mosgiel was undone by three first-half Nomads goals in Christchurch .
Jack Walecki got the last touch for an unfortunate own goal after 11 minutes. Guy Reeves and Kenny Willocks scored the other Nomads goals.
Selwyn remain bottom of the table following a 3-1 defeat to Cashmere Tech.
■ In the first round of the four-team South Island Women’s Championship, the Dunedin City Royals beat Roslyn-Wakari 2-1.
The Royals made a dream start when Chelsea Whittaker opened the scoring in the third minute with a cracking shot from just inside the area.
But that only fired up Roslyn-Wakari, which equalised just six minutes later when Zara Prattley swooped on a loose ball and made no mistake in front of goal.
The Royals created more opportunities but it remained 1-1 at halftime.
Hannah Mackay-Wright popped up to score her seventh goal of the season to seal victory for the Royals, who host Cashmere Technical in the second round, while Roslyn plays Coastal Spirit.
■ In the ODT Southern premiership, Dunedin City Royals came from behind to defeat Northern 4-1 at Forrester Park.
Hayden Teixeira gave the home side the lead. However Max Davidson equalised just before halftime.
The game turned early in the second half when Northern goalkeeper Liam Little was sent off. The Royals then scored three goals in the space of seven minutes to ensure they remain top of the table.
Roslyn Wakari lost ground on the Royals when they succumbed to a surprise 1-0 defeat to Green Island. Blake Fairbairn scoring the wining goal after four minutes.
University beat Northern Hearts 6-0.
— Neville Watson
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