Nomads score English Cup

Nomads United coach Keith Braithwaite can tuck another trophy away after two Jean-Claude de Joux goals secured a 2-0 win in yesterday's English Cup Canterbury football knock-out final at English Park.

Second-tier side Coastal Spirit put up some admirable resistance and could have caused an upset had its strikers had their shooting boots on.

However, Nomads, the 2007 Mainland premier league champion and the runner-up this year, made the most of its limited opportunities.

Coastal's Jason Stapley blazed wide in the third minute and Canterbury United frontrunner Gareth Turnbull could not beat Nomads keeper Jordan Buchanan with two attempts.

National league marksman Michael Fifii missed an open goal for Coastal after the interval and De Joux made the Spirit pay for its slackness with his first goal in the 56th minute. Deep in injury time, he scored again after he was set up by Luke Petrie.

A hat-trick by teenager Hannah Wong helped Coastal Spirit romp to a 7-0 win in the one-sided Reta Fitzpatrick Cup women's final. Coastal led 2-0 at half-time after a goal by Alana Ainsworth and a well-placed shot from New Zealand under-17 international Megan Shea.

Wong got her hat-trick in the second spell, and Poppy Binning and Emma Proctor also netted.

Meanwhile, Canterbury is almost certain to have a seventh team in next year's Mainland men's premier league after Christchurch United beat Nelson club Richmond Athletic, 2-0, in the promotion-relegation series first leg game at QE II Stadium. United striker Steve Hill scored both goals in the final 10 minutes.

Mainland league champion Nelson Suburbs completed the first unbeaten season in the competition's history with a 5-0 thumping of Western on Saturday. Nelson also set records for most wins (17), biggest points margin (8), most clean sheets (12), best goals difference (52) and fewest goals against (10). Solomon Islands striker Joses Nawo struck twice to secure the Golden Boot top scorer crown with 20 goals the highest tally in an eight-team league. Dan Ede grabbed a brace in Halswell United's 3-2 win over Woolston Technical to finish second on 14 goals.

- © Fairfax NZ News