New Zealand Football Championship
The Waiting Game... 
Rab Smith
Since the senior Otago United team is not playing this weekend – just waiting with bated breath for the Canty v Hawkes Bay match on Saturday. Here is a catch-up.
United’s Youth team is however in action, and will play Wellington away at 12 noon on Sunday. Yth Lg table below.
Nat YL North |
P |
W |
D |
L |
For |
Ag |
GD |
Pts |
Waitakere |
6 |
5 |
0 |
1 |
23 |
9 |
14 |
15 |
Auck-Manukau |
5 |
4 |
0 |
1 |
15 |
9 |
6 |
12 |
Auckland |
5 |
3 |
0 |
2 |
14 |
10 |
4 |
9 |
Waikato FC |
5 |
1 |
0 |
4 |
9 |
20 |
-11 |
3 |
Hawke's Bay |
5 |
0 |
0 |
5 |
2 |
15 |
-13 |
0 |
Nat YL South |
P |
W |
D |
L |
For |
Ag |
GD |
Pts |
Canterbury |
2 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
8 |
1 |
7 |
6 |
Wellington |
2 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
7 |
6 |
1 |
3 |
Otago United |
2 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
3 |
2 |
0 |
3 |
Manawatu |
2 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
1 |
9 |
-8 |
0 |
I was on holiday last week, but still managed to veer round by Chch to see the match at English Park where Otago was real unlucky not to go ahead after clearly dominating the first half.
Didn’t help of course that two players, Kelly and Deeley were stood down for disciplinary reasons.
Yet, I thought the Otago team that was fielded did well. Dave Dugdale ( above ) was desperately unlucky with a header across goal, and Ben Light had lots of goal to aim at – but slewed his header wide from zero range. Big Nathan Knox also got in some aggressive challenges - pic right. 
Even the Canty goal – tho well taken – was a bit lucky to squeeze past a determined tackle by Mike Smith.
Lots of very good performances, and it will be another selection headache for Malc Fleming for next weeks match with Manawatu, which will decide whether we can grab a place in the Top Four.
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NZFC table
NZFC table |
P |
W |
D |
L |
For |
Ag |
GD |
Pts |
Waitakere |
13 |
8 |
2 |
3 |
27 |
20 |
7 |
26 |
Auckland |
11 |
7 |
4 |
0 |
23 |
7 |
16 |
25 |
Canterbury |
11 |
5 |
3 |
3 |
20 |
9 |
11 |
18 |
Wellington |
13 |
6 |
0 |
7 |
20 |
23 |
-3 |
18 |
Otago United |
13 |
5 |
2 |
6 |
15 |
21 |
-6 |
17 |
Hawke’s Bay |
12 |
3 |
3 |
6 |
15 |
20 |
-5 |
12 |
Manawatu |
12 |
3 |
3 |
6 |
14 |
22 |
-8 |
12 |
Waikato FC |
13 |
3 |
1 |
9 |
17 |
29 |
-12 |
10 |
So get along to Carisbrook next week. It’s a 4 pm Saturday kick-off and more bums on seats would help the drive the lads onwards.
Hate to say it, but Canty is right behind the Dragons as they call their 
NZFC side. Crowds of over 700 are turning up ( we can get 150 ) and they are pretty vocal.
The same supporters got in behind their team to support a bid to Chch City Council for an Artificial Pitch to be laid – work starts in three weeks. So, with an Artificial pitch already installed in Invercargill, and Canty imminent, where does that put Dunedin ?
Back of the bus as usual. Of course our grounds are like putting greens 
eh? Hardly need improvement there ….
English park also produced some quality characters too, I spoke to Malc Ferguson senior and he is a real Peter Pan. Malcy is about to get a knee replacement cause the former pro sprinter is slowing down – and he is only 93 years old.
The man is one of Football’s Gentlemen. For many years he played for Otago, also coached and managed Otago teams for around 40 years – and fathered one of NZ’s best in ‘young’ Malcolm Ferguson who starred for Otago and represented NZ.
The Youth team kicked off at 11 am in Chch which made for a long day. They too were beaten 2-nil by a well organized Canty side, that included Ken Yamamoto – who was a guest player in the Otago team that performed so well in Singapore.
Young Ken ended up top scorer in Singapore, and did the damage against Otago scoring a superb hanging header, that he flighted past our keeper to clinch the 2-nil win.
I had to leave South Brighton in a hurry since we were camping near the sea, and that Tsunami scare had people fleeing the coastline. No problems afterwards as we headed for Mt Cook, then down to Hawea and St Bathans to do some casual cycling.
Apart from the Fitba – it was a great wee holiday.