Canterbury United

YoungHeart Manawatu

6

0

Paul Dirou 21
Darren Overton 34
Matt Boyd 42
Tom Lancaster 61
Aaron Clapham 64, 67

by Gavin Searle at English Park 
nzfc.co.nz

Canterbury United are firmly back in the NZFC play-off race after  a 6-0 demolition of Youngheart Manawatu at English Park.

The Dragons have now scored ten goals without reply in just two home matches with memories of the 4-0 win over Waitakere still fresh in the minds of local fans.

This latest emphatic result moves Canterbury into fourth place while Manawatu drops back to seventh.

Manawatu are still involved in the play-off chase mathematically but they will have to reverse their current run of form which has seen them slump to five straight defeats sooner rather than later.

 
The home side had to survive a Manawatu onslaught in the opening stages that included one effort that hit the post and forced Tom Batty into a further three quality saves in the opening twenty minutes.

With chances squandered it was perhaps no surprise that Canterbury took the lead when former YoungHeart player Paul Dirou scored after 24 minutes from a corner.

At this juncture YoungHeart's afternoon disintegrated as with some basic defensive mistakes gifting The Dragons two more goals before the break to Darren Overton and Matt Boyd.

If Manawatu had any hope of getting back into the game they were soon extinguished when Cory Chettleburgh was shown a straight red card after a heated incident with assistant referee Paul Cook.

Manawatu then pushed players forward as they looked to reduce the margin but this only created gaps at the back which the home side ruthlessly exploited.

Canterbury racked up three more goals in the space of six second half minutes - one to Tom Lancaster and two to Aaron Clapham and it was only some smart saves by Ross Nicholson that prevented Canterbury from heaping more goals - and embarrassment - on the visitors.

After the game Keith Braithwaite was all smiles.

"We knew it was a must win game for us and we trained hard all week and I thought or play today was outstanding," Braithwaite said.

 
"There was a couple of outstanding saves by Tom Batty that kept us in the game and after that we got a goal we went from strength to strength."

"Everyone did what we asked of them even the subs that came on for us", said the former All White.

Understandably irate, YoungHeart coach Bob Sova gave a blunt summation of the day's action.

"Crap defending - we had our chances early on and didn't take them. When we had a poor period of defending - and we had a fair few of those -  Canterbury scored," Sova said.

The 6-0 win is Canterbury United's biggest ever win in the NZFC and is also their first ever home success against YoungHeart Manawatu.

Canterbury's previous best margin of victory was also against YoungHeart Manawatu - a 5-1 win in Palmerston North back in 2008.

Canterbury's next NZFC match is at Kiwitea Street when they take on Auckland City for the first time this season.

Beyond that showdown with the reigning champions comes the eagerly anticipated local derby against third placed Otago United.

Canterbury United

V

YoungHeart Manawatu

18. Tom Batty (gk)

1. Ross Nicholson (gk)

2. Dan Terris (capt)

11. Scott Robson

4. Gareth Rowe (of 66)

4. Colin Falvey

5. Matt Boyd

15. Caleb Duncan

6. Andy Pitman (of 55)

10. Adam Cowan (capt)

7. Aaron Clapham

2. Nobi Ishi

9. Russell Kamo (of 62)

21. Cory Chettleburgh

11. Tom Lancaster

6. Matt Kennedy

15. Paul Dirou

12. Mickey Crisford (off 23)

19. Darren Overton

9. Selile Soromon

23. Campbell Banks (off 28)

Substitutes

Substitutes

1. Jordan Buchanan

19. Matt Borren (rgk)

3. Jeremy Wild (on 66)

14. Marco Paracchini

13. Hue Frame (on 62)

17. Des Faaaiiuaso

16. Daniel Burns

18. Taka Oml (on 28)

17. Glen Collins (on 55)

20. Jimmy Haidakis (on 23)

=goal

=yellow card

=2 yellow cards

= red card

15 min

Sorry for the lack of updates before now due computors issues. No score at the moment in this vital game with Canterbury having the better of the earlier chances

23 min

A strong wind has arrived coming acroos the park as both sides have created changes to score.

24 min 

GOAL 1 - 0  From a Tom Lancaster corner Aaron Clapham flicks on fo Paul Dirou to score to put Canterbury in front

32 min

Nicholson saves a header from Lancaster after a great cross from Dan Terris who is playing his NZFC game today

34 min

GOAL 2 - 0 Darren Overton doubles Canterbury's lead with Nicholson slow to reacte to shot 

42 min

GOAL 3 - 0 Poor defending allows Matt Boyd in to score The Dragon's third goal

45 min + 1

HT 3 - 0 Canterbury go to the break well incontrol with YHM having plenty to do if they are to avoid their fifth straight defeat 

46 min

Play back under way with computor problems hopefully now resolved so will have more updates this half

50 min

RED CARD YHM Cory Chettleburgh straight red card after being tackled, must had said something to the assistant

53 min

Long range shot from Lancaster nearly catches out Nicholson on the back foot

55 min

Sub Canty go to the bench Collins on for Pitman

61 min

GOAL 4 - 0 The hard working Lancaster finally rewarded with a goal are Russell kamo broke clear

62 min

Sub Kamo off for Canty Frame on

64 min

GOAL 5 - 0 Clapham makes it five for Canterbury after YHM could only half clear the ball

65 min

Yellow card Rowe in the book for Canty for a tackle

66 min

Sub Rowe of for Cany Wild on

67 min

GOAL 6 - 0 Clapham breaks clear and bags a double to put Canty further in front

75 min

Canty still pressing for more goals

80 min

Nicholson tip ball over crossbar after Terris head home from a corner

84 min

Nicholson again good save to turn a shot bu Dirou away for a corner

86 min

YHM so looking to get forward but Canty defence want the clear sheet

88 min

Nicholson beats a shot out from Lancaster to prevent Canty adding to their record score

90 min

3 minutes added time

90 min + 3

FT  6 - 0 this result puts Canty back into the top four, with Manawatu's bad run continuing. Wrap and comments to follow