Southern claim all three points in tight affair

Southern United overcame Waitakere United to win 2-1 in the ISPS Handa Premiership round 14. While it wasn't the comprehensive performance of the 5-2 win in the reverse fixture, Southern again showed it's defensive resilience and ability on the counter to come away with the points.

On a sunny yet windy day at Logan Park in Dunedin, Waitakere dominated possession from early with Jake Porter forcing an early block from the Southern United defence on the edge of the area.

Southern United began to work their way into the game and received immediate rewards. A long ball forward swerved in the wind and was collected in the attacking third by Coughlan, who skipped passed a defender and squared the ball for an unmarked Cody Brook, which the Mosgiel man duly dispatched past keeper Ross Draper.

A familiar pattern followed, with Waitakere United moving the ball around the field and holding onto possession, but without much penetration, and Southern United looking for counter attacking opportunities. A head injury to Southern midfielder Danny Ledwith in the 20th minute temporary reduced Southern to ten men, and Waitakere continued to apply pressure. It was from a corner that the travellers eventually breached the home defence. After Southern failed to clear the first ball the rebound was nodded in by Rob Tipelu to level the scores in the 25th minute.

This incentivised Southern United to raise it’s attacking intensity with Cam Mackenzie, Cody Brook and Garbhan Coughlan causing problems for the Waitakere defence but clear scoring chances proved elusive.

However, it was Waitakere who ended the half with more confidence - Liam Little being forced to deal with a 1v1 opportunity which Jake Porter will feel disappointed not to have made something out of. Jack Duncan was the next guilty party for Waitakere after he drifted his shot wide of the right post from inside the area. Liam Little then came to O’Farrell’s rescue following a mis-clearance as he saved at close quarters from the Waitakere attacker. It wasn’t all one-way traffic, with Stevie Lawless forcing a save out of the keeper following some trickery on the edge of the Waitakere area.

The second half had a sense of deja-vu, with Waitakere again piling on the pressure and Southern scoring on the counter. Moments after a Waitakere cross has skimmed across the Southern goal mouth, Garbhan Coughlan was released through the middle and picked out Cam Mackenzie with a perfectly weighted ball. The young kiwi did well to place the ball to Draper’s right from the edge of the area and it hit the back of the net to the delight of the home supporters.

Southern United almost went two goals clear after tenacious work by Cody Brook on the wing resulted in a pin-point cross which Jordan Spain could only blaze over.

Waitakere, now trying to get back into the game, started to pin Southern inside their own half – Liam Little dealing with yet more set pieces and long shots, with Waitakere’s Alex Connor-McClean asking the loudest questions of the Southern defence.

With the clock ticking into the 76th minute Southern started to look more composed on the ball. Stevie Lawless receiving the ball in space and finding Cam Mackenzie in space on the edge of the box. The Waitakere defence did well to scramble back but Mackenzie still managed to get a shot away – on this occasion Draper came out on top as he dove to his right and held the ball. Coughlan then went close twice in succession, once from close range and secondly following a beautiful team passing move with his curling shot narrowly floating past the outside post.

The final 20 minutes became increasingly feisty and end to end – Waitakere showing good patience and build-up play, and Southern showing famous resilience and danger on the counter. Despite several late chances falling to the away side, it was Southern who ultimately claimed success and all three points.

With several stand-out performances including another incredible defensive performance, note must be made of Coughlan’s linking, hold-up and general creative play along with goalscorers Brook and Mackenzie.

Southern have a break next week due to the split-round and will next play Hawkes Bay United away on February 29th.