Canterbury United
1
–
1
Waitakere United
22 Oct 2017 – 16:35English Park
FROM NZ Football:
In the day’s televised match at English Park in Christchurch, there was another early contender for goal of the season as Canterbury and Waitakere shared the spoils, the hosts ending with 10 men after the dismissal of debutant George King with around quarter of an hour remaining.
The Dragons took the lead in stunning fashion as a loose ball dropped through the air to Stephen Hoyle and the English striker pulled off a textbook piece of technique to execute a perfect bicycle kick just before half time. In an even and entertaining encounter, Waitakere finally got back on level terms with a sweetly-struck Keegan Linderboom volley in the 73rd minute and then appeared the most likely side to win it when King, once part of the Manchester City academy, received his marching orders for a high challenge.
But they could not find the decisive goal in the remaining minutes as Canterbury hung on for a point in front of a sizeable and boisterous crowd.