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by Bruce Holloway at Links Ave
nzfc.co.nz
Canterbury are the most improved team in the New Zealand Football Championship.
Korouch Monsef's team might be bottom of the table but they showed just what a tenacious and plucky unit they have become in the past two months in forcing a 1-1 draw against fifth-placed Waikato FC at Mt Maunganui today.
It was an entertaining and evenly matched contest, in which referee James Thian seldom found the need to intervene.
For Waikato, the draw ended their run of two successive losses and moved them an extra point clear of Manawatu in fifth position in the table.
But they needed keeper Dan Robinson to pull off three improbable one-on-one saves to keep them in the game as they pushed forward firstly in search of an equaliser, and then the winner.
Canterbury started with purpose and scored in the first attack. Michael Fifi got the better of two Waikato players and slipped a lovely ball through for Jamie Smith who calmly steered it home past the advancing Robinson.
Fifi was mobile, unpredictable and muscular, and now only needs to add finishing to his repertoire to be a real handful in this league.
 Waikato were lucky not to be 2-0 down 10 minutes later when they failed to clear a corner and in a frantic bout of pinball, a Canterbury shot rebounded off the post, though steadily clawed their way back into the contest.
Though Waikato showed character and grit, Waikato assistant coach Mark Cossey summed it up as two points lost.
"We are better than that," he said. "The boys are frustrated. Everyone was mediocre today apart from Dan.
"Today we were not the best team, but at least we pulled together and got the goal to level."
Monsef thought Canterbury, 13 points adrift of Waikato, deserved to win.
"We started very well with pace and mobility against a pretty static backline but failed to put away further chances," he said.
"The good thing is we are creating so many chances, and they required some fantastic saves out there.
"We have worked exceptionally hard on creating a structure and cuklture where we have got the right balance in the side and I am delighted we have been able to turn it around."
 Susbstitute Michael Gwyther scored a brillant equaliser for Waikato in the 68th minute. From a throw-in, Steven Holloway controlled the ball in the box, slipped it to Dale Beattie who clipped in a delightful curling cross which Gwyther flick-headed into the corner of the net.
It was just Waikato's second goal in six outings but just reward for finally moving the ball with speed and purpose in the attacking third.
If there is a general criticism of Waikato's approach it is that their tendency to be overly deliberate and slow in moving the ball forward, which seldom allows them to get in behind teams and limits their attacking options.
For Canterbury, Andy Pitman was composed in a holding role in midfield, Rhodri Payne had moments of class and Bill Robertson was the heart and soul of defence.
For Waikato, Robinson showed expert judgement with a series of saves though apart from the goal, lacked cohesion.
Photos: Tony Whtehead www.wildlight.co.nz
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