SOUTHERN UNITED vs CAPITAL

In beating Capital last week, Southern took control of the SCS with three wins outta three. If they could repeat the dose in the home return fixture a week later then they’d be one win away from lifting the silverware. Assuming that there is any silverware... surely must be, right? If there is then they’ll never have to give it back because nobody’s planning on another South Central Series any time soon. Depending on what happens with the league it may be their last chance to compete as a federation team too.

Southern have relied upon a consistent starting team throughout, pretty much all of whom have been around the traps in past seasons. No need to change a good thing here... other than one move which was Shontelle Smith returning to the squad and finally getting a start after a couple of super impressive bench outings earlier on. She came in for Lena De Ronde, the Southerners otherwise same-same. 10 of their 11 starters have started every match so far.

Can’t say the same for Capital who have tended to mix it up. Ellen Fibbes was obviously out after her injury last game. Unfortunately Zoe Barrott wasn’t involved here either (another injury by the sounds) while Lauren Owen was on the bench so that starting back four from seven days earlier was down to just Anna Green. Rosie Wild and Jayden Watts filled in. Good news was that key midfielder Helena Errington was back. Jemma Robertson also started instead of Olivia Ingham... four changes all up as well as a couple positional shifts.

This game was massive. A Southern win or draw and the championship would surely be theirs. A Capital win and not only would they open things back up for themselves but they’d bring the Canterbury Pride back into the hunt supposing they were able to overcome Central the following day. The match last week gave both teams a great look at each other, could Maia Vink mastermind a way to unpick that Southern defence? Could Graeme Smaill’s team repeat the performance and maybe even create a little more going forward? Would it warm up enough that the subs no longer needed a blanket?

So much of football tactics are about give and take. You’ve got the same number of players regardless so emphasise one area and that comes at the expense of another area. Capital might have preferred Anna Green defending through the middle as she had done in each of the first three games but they also need different avenues of attack against a Southern side that shut them out last time so Green slid across to left back where her crossing would get a major emphasis. Watts and Wild were the central defenders with Jemma Catherwood on the right.

Of course, in order to cross the ball well you kinda need to get into crossable areas and for the first ten minutes or more it was Southern setting up that midfield block and patiently asking Southern to play through it... which they were struggling to do – keep in mind they had two new CBs there at the start of that build-up play. Chuck in a couple bits of Charlotte Whittaker skill and the home fans woulda been fairly chuffed. Then Capital won a free kick on the left edge of the box and Anna Green whipped it in and Emma Main got a glancing header at the near post and Capital were up 1-0 in the 18th minute.

Shontelle Smith was the one who gave away the free kick, she rushed up to tackle Kennedy Bryant and had a crack from range but couldn’t match her goal from a couple weeks back. Then a lovely ball from Smith splitting two Capital players gave Toni Power some room to run into and her pass towards Amy Hislop was dummied for Kirsty Hayr driving through... but Hayr’s shot was too close to Molly Simons who gathered it up. Plus Renee Bacon picked a clever lobbed ball into the angled run of Amy Hislop but Hislop tried to lift it over Simons rather than just placing it past her. Should probably have been an equaliser... Southern fighting back nicely after going behind.

Southern had been forced out of their shells by conceding. Half an hour gone and this was looking like a funky game of football. Green’s crosses were a constant worry for Southern but their midfield was getting a head of steam now. Shontelle Smith pounced on a loose ball caused by the press and lifted a shot onto the crossbar. Almost another wonder goal. Capital just struggling to play the ball out of their half and this is why...

Not a lot of space there, right? Hislop setting the tone up top and then five players pushing through as a unit – Hayr having pushed up to close down an option on this occasion. Even with some very good players in that side, Cap were getting into trouble struggling for an outlet.

But one time when they were able to get the ball through that line, Jemma Catherwood made full use of the space in behind that Southern midfield block. Angled a run back infield and when the reverse ball to a striker didn’t open up and Anna Green/Jemma Robertson weren’t able to get down the left wing to overlap... mate, might as well just have a pop yourself aye? Jemma Catherwood making it go swish.

Then five minutes into the second stanza, Robertson hit an angled ball towards the middle where Kaley Ward dashed onto it. Ward threw in a slight hesitation as she got into the box, probably trying to set up for a shot but it meant that Rose Morton’s challenge came in a little crooked and knocked her over. Penalty. Morton was livid, Ward stroked it top corner regardless. 3-0 to Capital.

The penalty was probably fair but when Wild blocked off Smith soon after and the ref called play on the tensions for the home side were clear. Smith talking herself into a yellow card. Morton then nearly got her team back in the hunt by sneaking in between defender and keeper but she put the ball wide. A few too many of those almost moments for Southern here, sadly for them. Ruby Anderson came on for Renee Bacon on 57 mins which signalled a more attacking mindset, as it had to be, though they also had to spend a sub on a keeper switch soon after when Amy Simmers pulled up injured. First appearance of the season for Emma Andrew in her place – and she was tested early with Emma Main unleashing a shot from distance which she saved confidently.

But, you know, Southern aren’t a team that scores in bulk. To find themselves 3-0 down with the clock ticking in the wrong direction (also the only direction clocks tick in, generally speaking), that’s a lot of comebacking that needs to happen and they didn’t exactly look convinced they could do it. To be fair, all you really need to get the belief going is that first goal but Capital were well in front and could afford to sit a little deeper. Frankly, they did a Southern to Southern. They were sturdy and committed at the back – every instance of Southern threat was dutifully shut down. Some fantastic defending from the likes of Watt, Wild, Bryant and the rest of them. They took the heat out of the game (whatever heat there was on a chilly Dunedin arvo) and then a flurry of subs did the rest.

Southern’s best remaining chance fell to one of those subs as Amy Hislop flicked on for Juliette Lucas, who tried for the perfect volley when maybe a touch to control first might’ve been more suitable. Hannah Mackay-Wright lifted a free kick cross onto the bar late on. Not a lot else happened. Capital swapped their keeper too with Ariana Gray getting a stint. Also Lena de Ronde ran on for Southern forgetting to take off her bib so that was a bit of a laugh.

Log it as a 3-0 win for Capital. Well and truly making up for last week with a scoreline that books them the head to head split against Southern. Could be crucial with them both on 9 points now with two games to play (and neither against each other). Once again, Kaley Ward was huge with her nous up top. Helena Errington also makes a large difference in the middle while Kennedy Bryant and Emma Main had excellent games. And then in the second half that back four locked it down.

For Southern, this was an opportunity missed. Could’ve been a different game had they put away a couple of those chances... though it was the three goals they conceded which cooked them. One from a set piece, then two more bookending the half-time break. No matter how they go in, conceding just before or just after that break tends to mess a team up mentally and doing both is a killer. But they’re not out of this yet. No way. This result merely sets up a thrilling last couple weeks of the South Central Series.

CENTRAL vs CANTERBURY PRIDE

That Saturday result was a blinder for Canterbury who effectively saw the defeat they suffered to each of those teams cancelled out across the last fortnight. Still leaves them as the third team of three as they’ll have to win both of the return fixtures but it does give them life. This after dropping Central 5-0 in a big return to form last week. So for the rematch up at Massey University... only the one change. Same formation, almost all of the same personnel. Just with Annalie Longo dropping to the bench to allow a first appearance of the season for the significant potential of Samantha Senior. Also while Whitney Hepburn appeared to initially be named, it was Ellena Firth who started in her place. 50th Pride appearance for Rebecca Lake too.

Longo was influential a week ago with two goals and an assist in that one but has had a busy couple days in her day job as NZF’s women's development manager. Present at the announcement of the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023 legacy plan and then just the previous evening she’d been part of the broadcast team for Sky Sports’ Football Ferns vs South Korea coverage. So fair enough that she was only on the bench here.

Elsewhere Central also made two changes. Charlotte Noakes in for Eve Barry on the right wing while Footy Ferns fullback Sarah Morton made her first start of the campaign after coming off the bench for her home region last week. Love to see it – her sister Rose is going great guns for Southern too. Morton hasn’t featured for the national team for a few years but was part of the 2019 World Cup squad. Only four players who’ve played in this South Central Series have past Ferns caps and three of them featured in this game: Annalie Longo with 124 caps, Sarah Morton with 6 caps, and last week’s standout player Kate Loye who played once for the Ferns in a 2015 loss to Brazil (Anna Green is the other with 78 caps). Morton played at CB with Devyn Crawford on the right.

Patterns were set from kickoff: Canterbury trying to move the ball around against a deep and compact Central defensive shape. Working it from side to side. Overwhelming possession. Central holding firm though and it took ten minutes before Kate Guildford ran down a channel and fired a shot over the top for the first clean attempt of the match. By the way, busy arvo at Massey with a second game going on over on the other pitch.

13 mins gone, Central nearly caused some havoc as a midfield turnover allowed Noakes to slip a ball through for Jessie Falloon dashing in between the Canterbury CBs before they could close the gap... but Falloon shot too early. Didn’t realise that she had time for another touch and Una Foyle was able to make a comfortable enough save. Holly Kleinsmann made a run down the right later on and was probably trying to hit a cross towards Falloon when she lifted a ball over the bar from distance. Not much of a chance but it showed that Central were getting out with a bit of intent now and then. Falloon also managed to hold off Wall to drive a shot narrowly wide and despite last week... after 20 mins it was Central with more notches in the shots tally.

Central got in some trouble as Lara Wall robbed her namesake Lara Smith and popped a ball over towards the middle but Rebekah Trewhitt was there to shut down Senior before she could shoot. Senior did get a shot away on the end of a great switch of play from Guildford but Bennett one-handed that one away. Not clicking for the Pride, not looking the same without Hepburn and Longo in the middle. So on came Annalie Longo. Subbed on for Sam Senior after only 27 minutes – a stink one for Senior but she’ll play many more games for this team over the years. Alana Gunn keeping it ruthless with the season on the line (unless of course there was an unnoticed injury at play).

Guess what? Annalie Longo had an immediate effect coming on and drifting around between the midfield and forward lines and linking everything together. The Pride were instantly more threatening with her on the park and after 35 minutes Kate Guildford won a penalty getting tangled up with Crawford. Rebecca Lake is the usual penalty taker for this team, she put it where it needed to go and Canterbury had the lead.

Longo had another chance stabbed wide. Kiara Bercelli was held off by a great challenge by Smith. But before the half was out they did bag a second: Charlotte Mortlock combining with Longo who sent it wide to Bercelli and her low ball back into the middle was partially cut out by GK Bennett but Longo pounced for the extremely simple tap-in.

At 2-0 we were probably heading for a Canterbury win, even if Central did continue to pick off a few sloppy passes early in the second half. The Pride went to the bench after 50 mins to chuck on Frankie Morrow and Megan Simpson. The next goal would make absolute sure of it. Longo shot over the top. Longo had one saved at the near post, unleashing on the turn. Guildford hit the post from a narrow angle after her corner delivery was recycled (by Longo, naturally). Bennett somehow caught a Guildford shot like she was fielding at short leg. Longo surprisingly lifted one high after cutting inside following a great feed from Guildford. Hepburn was subbed on with twenty to go, along with Charlotte Roche. Finally, in the 74th minute, Longo rolled past her marker on halfway and spread the ball out to Guildford who sliced inside and scored a ripper of a goal. Completely deserved, arguably the best on the field here.

With ten minutes to play and the game into what they call garbage time (as in, the result already sorted), Central chucked on their reserve keeper Sophie Campbell - the 14 year old on National League debut... you’d hope so at 14 years of age. Definitely a baptism of fire. 84th minute, Guildford squared to Longo who squared to Loye who dispatched the ball inside the far post for a fourth. Central had a decent five minute spell after that with a few corner kicks... but then Longo and Guildford combined again and there was a cheeky touch in there from Roche on the way to another Longo tap-in. Two goals and an assist for Longo last week, two goals and two assists for Longo this week. 5-0 wins both times.

Annalie Longo to the rescue, aye? When she was subbed on, Canterbury were looking a bit messy against a well-drilled Central team with a plan to frustrate them. Then on came Longo and everything changed. Not that she did it all by herself, Kate Guildford was superb. Kate Loye had another good game. Charlotte Mortlock was a menace. Lara Wall and Rebecca Lake were solid. The Pride just a step above despite Central looking a lot more potent this time around on their home field. Jessie Falloon is getting better week to week and Sarah Morton’s experience certainly helped them too.

Tell you what though, how enticing does this table look with two weeks to go?

It’s Canterbury vs Capital next week on Saturday, then Central vs Southern on Sunday. Three teams within three points going for the South Central Series title. No final, straight league play. Go on then.

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