The Star: March 15, 2018

38 Thursday March 15 2018
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New-look MPL set for kick-off
• By Gordon Findlater
THE MAINLAND Premier
League kicks off around
Canterbury this weekend in what
is a new look competition due to
the new much anticipated South
Island League.
This year’s MPL will see the
eight teams play home and away
over two full rounds. The top
five sides will earn the right to
contest the inaugural South
Island League along with the
top three sides from the Football
South Premier League, with the
bottom three sides in the MPL
then playing each other twice to
determine who will face relegation.
The opening round matches
with the most intrigue will be
between MPL debutants Selwyn
United and Coastal Spirit.
On Saturday Selwyn United
will become the 20 th different
side to make their debut in the
MPL since it was formed in 2002.
A crowd of close to 500 turned
out for Selwyn’s match to win
promotion to the MPL in 2017.
A similar showing is likely
Championship win for Milligan in Toyota 86 series
• By Gordon Findlater
CHRISTCHURCH driver Jack
Milligan claimed the Toyota
86 Championship with a string
of podium finishes at the final
round of the championship
at Hampton Downs at the
weekend.
Milligan, 21,
had a strong but
not unassailable
lead, heading
Michael Scott
and Connor
Adam by 30
points and
Jack Milligan
123 points
respectively,
with three
races remaining. With 75 points
available for each race win the
championship was still wide
open.
DEFENCE: Ferrymead Bays will have some new faces when they begin
the defence of their MPL title. ​
when they run out for their first
premiership game. Not to be outdone,
Coastal have organised a
travelling bus of supporters from
their clubrooms to Rolleston for
the match.
Selwyn will be looking to
prove they can compete with
top clubs in the MPL and have
great first up chance to show that
“THe weekend started well. We
were quick in practice and knew
we had the speed to get the job
done,” said Milligan.
Qualifying on the front
row for Saturday’s first race,
Milligan was up against fellow
Christchurch racer Jaden
Ransley, who had taken pole.
Ransley, 16, drove the race of his
life to hold out Milligan.
Milligan was happy to settle
for second with his nearest
championship rival Scott
finishing seventh.
“Our main focus was on where
Michael [Scott] was. When we
knew he was further down the
field I didn’t take as many risks
I might have normally,” said
Milligan.
In the partial reverse grid
race, Jacob Smith had pole with
Milligan starting fourth of a
field of 14. He carved through
the field to attack Smith for lead,
NEW RULES: This
year’s MPL will see
the trial of a new 10
minute ‘sin bin’ or
temporary dismissal
for dissent offences
directed at match
official by on field
players.
against last seasons’ third placed
club, who will be looking to
prove they can be part of the title
chase this time around.
“We haven’t been quite there
but we really want to give it a
good crack this year,” said Coastal
Spirit coach Ekow Quainoo.
Coastal have lost striker Jordan
Ball who has returned to England.
However, they have gained
the services of striker Matt
Thomas and Ash Wellbourn who
will turn out for Coastal when he
returns in from England May.
Meanwhile, Selwyn have made
a handful of additions to their
promotion winning squad. They
welcome defender Matt Pledger,
midfielder Tom Stewart, forward
BATTLE: Jack
Milligan (right,
front) claimed
the Toyota 86
Championship
at the
weekend. ​
fading slightly at lap seven and
then surging back to draft
Smith down the main straight
and almost snatch the victory
away.
In the final race of the
championship, Milligan was
swamped off the start line as
four cars flew through the blind,
downhill turn one side by side.
Tom Alexander had carved
through to lead from Jacob
Smith, Milligan now moving
Hamiora Davey Brown.
The team boast former Cashmere
Technical goal-scoring
machine Dan Ede who has 70
MPL goals to his name. However,
Selwyn coach Lee Padmore believes
the team’s depth is also key.
“We’ve got some very good players
that other some teams may not
be aware of,” said Padmore.
Title favourites will once again
be Ferrymead Bays and Cashmere
Technical who played out
an exciting race to the title which
Bays prevailed in last season.
Bays have lost several first
team players from last season
including Adam Highfield, Michael
Forshaw, Geoff McIntyre
and Chris Anderson.
New arrivals include both Jordan
Halligan and Michael White
from Cashmere Technical. They
have also signed keeper Duncan
Reed.
Opening round fixtures (Saturday):
FC Twenty11 v Nelson Suburbs,
Avonhead Park, 12pm; Universities
AFC v Cashmere Technical, Ilam
Fields, 2.45pm; Selwyn United v
Coastal Spirit, Foster Park, 2.45pm;
Ferrymead Bays v Nomads United,
Ferrymead Park, 2.45pm.
through to third and then a lap
later overtaking Smith.
Alexander and Milligan soon
forming a two-car battle for the
lead that went all the way to the
chequered flag with Alexander
taking the honours.
“I can’t thank the CareVets
team enough, my mechanics,
Dr Keith Houston who put the
CareVets Racing programme
together and showed faith in me
– it’s been amazing.’’
Milligan continued a fine run in
the championship for local drivers.
He became the third Christchurch
driver to win the championship
which is in just its fifth year. He
will head to Bathurst in October to
compete in the Australian Toyota
86 Racing Series, which is part
of the prize for winning the NZ
championship.