Canterbury United

Otago United

3

0

Russell Kamo 42', 85' 
Aaron Clapham 54'

-

by John Donnachie at ASB Football Park.
asbpremiership.co.nz

CHRISTCHURCH - Canterbury United stay second on the ASB Premiership ladder after a comfortable 3-0 win over mainland rivals, Otago United, this afternoon in Christchurch.

A brace from Dragons striker Russell Kamo, plus a glorious Aaron Clapham freekick had the Dragons coasting in what turned out to be a rather flat South Island derby.

The visitors, Otago, showed a lot of spirit and worked hard, but rarely troubled the Canterbury defence. Dragons goalkeeper Adam Highfield was a virtual spectator and had no saves of note to make.

Otago held Canterbury out for 42 minutes but their resistance was broken when their defence failed to deal with a Andrew Barton corner.

Dragons striker, Russell Kamo, scrambled the ball home from the six yard box, after a Tom Schwarz goalbound header was blocked on the goal-line.
 
After the break, Aaron Clapham demonstrated his dead ball skills with an exquisite freekick from 25 yards out, bending the ball around the Otago defensive wall, and into the far corner past a flat-footed Rodriguez.

Russell Kamo killed the match as a contest with his second and seventh goal of the season, with a composed finish from around ten yards out shooting past an exposed Rodriguez.

The Dragons as a unit were once again faultless. There was also outstanding displays from forward Andrew Barton and the evergreen Joe Murray-both of whom deserved a goal.

For Otago, goalkeeper Os Rodriguez, stood tall while young All White Tristan Prattley, was a standout shackling the ASB Premiership's top goalscorer George Slefendorfas.

Afterward Dragons coach, Keith Braithwaite, said patience had been the key after a frustrating first half.

“We got three quality goals today. We kept the ball well. They really tried to stop us playing. [But] once we got the first goal it settled us down.

"At the break we spoke about moving the ball around quicker, and I think that by doing that we moved them (Otago) around, and they got tired and the gaps started to appear then.”

Otago coach, Richard Murray, expressed his disappointment over his team's failure to test the Canterbury defence.

“We were second best all over the park today. Os(Rodriguez)made some good saves to keep us in it. But we just didn't react well after half-time and failed to take the game to them.”

Next up, Canterbury head to West Auckland for a mouthwatering showdown with Waitakere United in a game that could determine the destiny of the second O League spot.

Canterbury United

V

Otago United

22. Adam Highfield

1. Oswaldo Rodriguez

3. Mark Johnston

3. Tristan Prattley(cpt)

5. Tom Schwarz

5. Matt Joy

7. Darren White

23. Morgan Day

8. Aaron Clapham(cpt)

7. Regan Coldicott

9. George Slefendorfas

8. Seamus Ryder

10. Russell Kamo

14. Sam Mepham

12. Andrew Barton

18. Harley Rodeka

13. Daniel Gloizer

21. Jose Cantillo

15. Julyan Collett

25. Craig Ferguson

16. Joe Murray

27. Aajay Cunningham

Substitutes

Substitutes

1. Tom Batty

20. Matt Brook

4. Nick Wortelboer

22. Peter Evans

14. Josh Smith

24. Andrew Ridden

19. Calvin Opperman

26. James Watson

20. Ken Yamamoto

=goal

=yellow card

=2 yellow cards

= red card

Good afternoon and welcome back to ASB Football Park. Otago United are back in town for the second week in a row. Last Sunday, the Dragons edged their mainland rivals 2-1 in the White Ribbon Cup. So what can we expect today? A high scoring match? there has been 20 goals scored in the past 3 matches here.Bring it on!!

 Conditions meanwhile are overcast and a tad cool for this time of year.

Underway soon and the sun is breaking though the clouds

1'  CORNER OTAGO-RYDER corner is cleared away by Canty defence.

2' CORNER CANTY- Collett pass though to Slefendorfas is cleared goes out for corner

3'corner comes to nothing

4'CORNER- CANTY- BARTON CORNER is headed towards goal by SCHWARZ but is kicked off the goaline by FERGUSON

6'Lively start  by both sides. CORNER CANTY-KAMO Crosses but goes out of Canty head at near post.

8' WHITE(CANTY)  shoots wildly across the goal from the edge of the box.

10'  OFFSIDE FLAG UP as COLLETT tries to put in SLEFENDORFAS.

12' OTAGO looking good defensively and keeping CANTY out for now.

14' OFFSIDE again! SLEFENDORFAS finding it hard to break the shackles of linesmen and defenders.

16' The visitors winning alot of 50/50 challenges

17'KAMO-CANTY almost plays in BARTON- ball runs through to OTAGO goalie

19' COLDICOTT-OTAGO-miss-kicks in front of goal from edge of the box

20' CORNER CANTY- PRATTLEY heads behind goal. BARTON CORNER is cleared.

21' OTAGO not offering much up front- content to invite CANTY to attack

24'OFFSIDE again- linesman trying home crowd's patience!

OTAGO BOOKING-JOSE CANTILLO- CLAPHAM freekick from far side of box goes into danger zone but KAMO can't get any on it.

28' Not much in the way of goalmouth action- OTAGO have laid their stall out to frustrate CANTY

30' SCHWARZ-CANTY- attempts cross- but ball goes out of play harmlessly.

31'OTAGO BOOKING-FERGUSON- CLAPHAM FREEKICK from edge of box is scrambled clear and COLLETT shoots over from 25 yrds out.

34' CANTY BOOKING -DANIEL GLOIZER for challenge in front of dugout.

37' Otago finally have raid in Canty 18 yard box but called up for offside! RODEKA  called back

39'Otago now feeling the wrath of the linesmen-OFFSIDE again 

40. MURRAY drive from 25 yards out is held by OTAGO Goalie

41'MURRAY AGAIN  brings great save out of Rodriguez- best chance of match so far.

42' GOAL CANTY- KAMO scores from close in of BARTON CORNER after SCHWARZ had header at near post parried by RODRIGUEZ

45x1 CORNER OTAGO- PRATTLEY shoots over from edge of box.

Halftime

48' OTAGO'S PRATTLEY doing a good marking job on the Asb premiership's top scorer GEORGE SLEFENDORFAS

49'PRATTLEY IS LIMPING  after intervention on edge of box to prevent SLEFENDORFAS.

50' CORNER CANTY- GLOIZER probing crosss headed behind.

CANTY'S COLLETT appears to be pushed off the ball from corner- OTAGO meawhile clear the danger

53' WHITE tries to put through SLEFENDORFAS -again OTAGO defence stand tall anddanger averted.

54'OTAGO SUB-RYDER OFF JAMES WATSON ON.

55 FREEKICK-CANTY in CLAPHAM RANGE-GOAL CLAPHAM direct from free-kick 25 yards out

56'FREEKICK CANTY-CLAPHAM hits wall but then drives a great shot at the goal great reflex save by RODRIGUEZ

57'CANTY force two corners in row- but OTAGO survive. 

58'CANTY turning the screw now. BARTON lashes the underside of the bar from close in.

59'OTAGO SUB - MATT BROOK ON FOR JOSE CANTILLO

64' ALL CANTY now BARTON dribbles along the area but shot is blocked

65'BARTON CANTY brings great save out of RODRIGUEZ after mazy run and shot inside the OTAGO box.

69' FREEKICK CANTY- WHITE FOULED 30 yards out. CLAPHAM this time fires over th bar.

71'CANTY SUB KEN YAMAMOTO FOR SLEFENDORFAS

72'OTAGO BOOKING SAM MEPHAM for challenge on JOE MURRAY

73'CANTY'S JOE MURRAY denied again by RODRIGUEZ after WHITE had set him up with a cross deep in the OTAGO box.

75'  OTAGO just staying in the game. 

79'CORNER CANTY -WATSON CLEARS dangerous BARTON CROSS.

80- OTAGO clear danger- OTAGO SUB MEPHAM OFF-?

82'  Game winding down.

84' CANTY SUB JOSH SMITH ON FOR MURRAY

85'GOAL CANTY- KAMO scores from inside box of BARTON assist- neat finish in th corner.

88' CANTY SUB-BARTON OFF FOR OPPERMANN

89'YAMAMOTO cross just beyond KAMO at far post

90x1- all over comfortable victory in the end for CANTY