The Star: February 21, 2019

38
Latest Christchurch news at www.star.kiwi
Thursday February 21 2019
Sport
The Star
in brief
Pride dominate first
futsal super league
Canterbury United Pride have
pulled off a clean sweep at the
inaugural Women’s Futsal
SuperLeague, picking up the
title and all three individual
honours. The Pride went
through the competition at
ASB Sports Centre, Wellington,
with a perfect record of six wins
from six matches, including
a 3-1 triumph over Capital in
the final. Most of the damage
was done by Macey Fraser and
Serena Patel, who plundered 12
of their team’s 22 goals. Fraser
contributed seven to win the
golden boot, while Patel was
named the competition’s MVP.
Bulls play Warriors ISP
at Ngā Puna Wai
Canterbury Rugby League will
officially start life at Ngā Puna
Wai Sports Hub on Saturday.
The Canterbury Bulls will
square off against the Warriors
InTrust Super Premiership
team at 1.30pm. It will be preceded
by a women’s trial game
requested by Warriors’ NRLW
the coaching staff. The matches
will be played on the adjacent
community field at Ngā Puna
Wai, rather than the designated
rugby league fields.
Goal enhances under-20 chances
• By Gordon Findlater
A BUSY seven days was capped
off in style by teenager Seth Clark
when he scored the winning goal
at English Park on Sunday to book
Canterbury United a play-off spot.
Clark, 18, was substituted on
with 30min remaining in United’s
match against Team Wellington.
With the scores level at 1-1 the
attacking midfielder became the
hero in the 89th-minute when he
finished off the 2-1 victory.
“I think it was one of the most
significant goal I’ve ever scored,
it’s a good feeling that we’re in the
playoffs again,” said Clark.
The effort, which saw him
receive the ball on the edge of
the area and turn two defenders
before moving the ball onto his
favoured left foot and curling it
into the back of the net, came
much to the delight of coach Willy
Gerdsen.
“I have seen many goals in my
career, but that goal was something
special,” said Gerdsen.
The goal could work as a springboard
in his push for a spot at this
year’s under-20 FIFA World Cup
in Poland.
Clark, who has started the
majority of United’s games this
season, was introduced from the
bench because he was only able
to attend one team training session
during the week. Following
United’s 4-2 win at Hamilton
Wanderers the prior Sunday, Clark
and fellow United player Jacob
Richards travelled to Auckland on
Monday morning for a four-day
under-20 identification camp in
preparation for the tournament in
May.
Following the camp’s conclusion
on Thursday he flew back to
Christchurch to attend United’s
Friday evening straining session.
The teenager isn’t new to travelling
in the pursuit of a professional
football career. Clark lives
in Darfield and commutes into
Christchurch each day to train.
With two round-robin matches
remaining and a play-off spot now
confirmed, Clark will have ample
opportunity to push his case for
under-20 selection on the country’s
biggest stage domestically.
“I just need to keep playing
well and hopefully the selectors
and the coach will see that,” said
Clark.
United are currently fourth in
the national league. However, they
have a chance to finish as high as
second which would grant them a
home semi-final.
After recently finishing his final
year at Middleton Grange School
Clark is also hopeful of securing
a football scholarship to a United
States college by August.
WINNER: Seth Clark is embraced by his teammates after
scoring an 89th-minute goal in Canterbury United’s 2-1 win
over Team Wellington at English Park on Sunday.
PHOTO: MARTIN HUNTER
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