Leaders stay perfect with late winner
But they were made to work very hard for their 1-0 victory over a resilient Roslyn Wakari at Ellis Park in the men's Southern Premier League on Saturday.
Northern had the majority of possession and attempted to speed up the game early, taking a more direct route. However, Roslyn's defensive pairing of Joe Woods and Angus Mackay dealt with things well.
Both teams were cancelling each other out in the first half, being limited to half chances with Northern's Cam McPhail winning a lot of ball and Sam Cosgrove looking dangerous on his attacking forays.
Rory Hibbert had the best chance of the first half with a shot from the left-hand edge of the 6-yard box, forcing Roslyn keeper Tom Stevens to save with an outstretched foot.
The second half was equally tight with chances at a premium.
Roslyn had a chance to take the lead when Jack McFarlane worked his way to the edge of the box and, having a clear sight at goal as well as striker Nathan Wilkie free on his inside, he opted to shoot and put it over the bar.
Northern were not ready to give up their 100% record and got the winner in the 83rd minute. With Roslyn's defence stretched, Hibbert found space inside the box and shot from 10 yards, across Stevens into the top left-hand corner.
University are in second spot following a 5-0 win away to Old Boys. Mosgiel overcame Queens Park 4-2 at Memorial Park, while the Northern Hearts secured a valuable point in a 2-2 draw with the Dunedin City Royals.
In the Women's Southern Premier League Sofia Zame scored a hat-trick and Naomi Jutel added one more for Otago University to beat Northern 4-0 at the Caledonian Ground.
Green Island beat Roslyn Wakari 4-2 at Sunnyvale, while Queens Park upset the Dunedin City Royals 2-0 in Invercargill.
— Neville Watson
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Otago Daily Times
6 days ago
- Otago Daily Times
Leaders stay perfect with late winner
Northern continued their 100% league record, winning 10 games on the trot. But they were made to work very hard for their 1-0 victory over a resilient Roslyn Wakari at Ellis Park in the men's Southern Premier League on Saturday. Northern had the majority of possession and attempted to speed up the game early, taking a more direct route. However, Roslyn's defensive pairing of Joe Woods and Angus Mackay dealt with things well. Both teams were cancelling each other out in the first half, being limited to half chances with Northern's Cam McPhail winning a lot of ball and Sam Cosgrove looking dangerous on his attacking forays. Rory Hibbert had the best chance of the first half with a shot from the left-hand edge of the 6-yard box, forcing Roslyn keeper Tom Stevens to save with an outstretched foot. The second half was equally tight with chances at a premium. Roslyn had a chance to take the lead when Jack McFarlane worked his way to the edge of the box and, having a clear sight at goal as well as striker Nathan Wilkie free on his inside, he opted to shoot and put it over the bar. Northern were not ready to give up their 100% record and got the winner in the 83rd minute. With Roslyn's defence stretched, Hibbert found space inside the box and shot from 10 yards, across Stevens into the top left-hand corner. University are in second spot following a 5-0 win away to Old Boys. Mosgiel overcame Queens Park 4-2 at Memorial Park, while the Northern Hearts secured a valuable point in a 2-2 draw with the Dunedin City Royals. In the Women's Southern Premier League Sofia Zame scored a hat-trick and Naomi Jutel added one more for Otago University to beat Northern 4-0 at the Caledonian Ground. Green Island beat Roslyn Wakari 4-2 at Sunnyvale, while Queens Park upset the Dunedin City Royals 2-0 in Invercargill. — Neville Watson
Otago Daily Times
15-07-2025
- Otago Daily Times
Northern close in on title with win
Northern have all but wrapped up the men's Southern Premiership title with a hard-fought win over the defending champions. A 2-1 win over Mosgiel at the Caledonian Ground maintained their perfect record of nine wins from nine games, pushing them 11 points clear at the top of the table. Mosgiel nearly took the lead in the opening two minutes when Morgan Day's goal-bound header was blocked on the line. Northern took the lead in the sixth minute when Rory Hibbert rifled home from close range, scoring his 11th goal of the season. On the hour mark Northern doubled their lead when Nick Treadwell pounced on a loose pass in the midfield and, seeing keeper Kobe Watt off his line, lofted the ball home from 40 yards out. Harvey Stephens reduced the deficit with 14 minutes to go, when he swept home a fine cross from Jack Walecki. However, Northern held on to preserve their 100% record. Queen's Park beat Otago University 4-3 after the students held a 3-2 halftime lead. Queen's Park's win leaves five teams separated by only three points from second to sixth. With Northern all but wrapping up the title, interest is at the bottom as to what team may be relegated. Old Boys, from Invercargill, have dropped to the bottom of the table with a 3-1 loss at home to Dunedin City Royals. Zachary Tull gave the home side a 20th-minute lead which they held until the first half stoppage time, when Samuel Hawke equalised. Old Boys then conceded two penalties and George Barker scored both, in the 48th and 77th minute. Timaru's Northern Hearts and Green Island drew 2-2. The game was locked up 1-1 at the break, as Finley Kruger canceled out the home side's Bailey Chambers 29th-minute goal. It looked like Hearts would drop to the bottom of the table when Kellan Crowe put Green Island ahead with nine minutes to go, however Hayden Teixeiras' 87th minute equaliser meant the home side earned a point keeping them one point ahead of Old Boys. In the women's Southern Premiership Georgia Kennedy scored twice as the Dunedin City Royals beat top-of-the-table Otago University 2-1 at Culling Park. Queen's Park beat Roslyn-Wakari 3-0, while Green Island were 6-0 victors over Northern. — Neville Watson
Otago Daily Times
03-07-2025
- Otago Daily Times
Unbeaten Northern on target in bad weather
Northern overcame atrocious conditions to complete a 100% record in the Southern Premiership's first round. Nick Treadwell and Amasio Jutel scored to beat Queens Park 2-0 at Logan Park on Saturday, taking them eight points at the top of the table. Queens Park defensive pairing Tom Kent and Rodrigo Schmidt De Camargo were keeping Northern strike force Rory Hibbert and Treadwell quiet. For the opening period they looked the more likely side to break the deadlock. Northern came into the match midway through the first half and their first attempt on 20 minutes was a 25-yard effort from Nicholas Brett that went narrowly past the post. Northern were starting to gain ascendancy and four minutes later Kim Gorman got to the byline and saw his cross hit the crossbar. A minute later Northern took the lead through Treadwell. He was in the right spot to react to the loose ball to tap home from close range. Just before the halftime break Queens Park nearly equalised when a long-range free kick was sent into the penalty box and Zack Owen-Gear saw his header flash narrowly wide of the far post. Northern did hit the post in the opening seconds of the restart when Hibbert's shot came back off the post. Queens Park again threatened from a long free kick that saw Schmidt De Camargo's bicycle kick land on the roof of the net. However, Northern rode the storm and made the game safe in the 54th minute when the ball was played across field to Jutel in an advanced position on the left. He cut inside, beating his man and bending his shot into the top right-hand corner, giving goalkeeper Mitchell Fowler no chance. Otago University finished the round in second spot, beating Dunedin City Royals 4-1, also at Logan Park. The Royals started well but University took the lead with their first serious attack after a series of corners Warryk Hodson scored on 13 minutes. The students doubled their lead six minutes later when Josh Kotkamp combined with Sam Murray and Kotkamp bent his shot past keeper Jonathan Tucker. Tucker did extremely well early in the second half to deny Simba Muwunganirwa from point blank range clattering into the post as a result, but wasn't able to deny Ashton Hodson making it 3-0 after 54 minutes. Kantaro Nagata pulled one back for the Royals just after the hour mark, however the final scoring was Ashton Hodson's injury time penalty giving University the win. Green Island beat Old Boys in Invercargill 3-1 to pull away from the relegation zone. First-half goals to Ryan Walker and Phil Yeardley were added to by Harrison McClean's 50th minute strike, William Fleming scoring Old Boys consolation goal. In the men's South Island league, the Otago derby between Wānaka and Dunedin City Royals was washed out due to an unplayable field. The Dunedin City Royals women's South Island league team were able to get their match under way and had a comfortable routine 2-0 victory over NW United at Logan Park. Raegan Potter bagged her sixth goal of the campaign in the 20th minute and Hannah Mackay-Wright's 51st minute goal made sure the Royals 100% record remained intact after nine rounds. Yesterday, Georgia Nixon scored twice as Otago University drew 2-2 with Halswell United at Logan Park. Halswell took an early lead through Ella Hartel, before Nixon equalised in the 49th minute. Amelia Wilson edged the visitors ahead once more 10 minutes later, but Nixon drew level and secured a point for University from the spot in the 71st minute. By Neville Watson
