The Canterbury United Gazette
Match18 Nov 2026
Canterbury United through in the cup
A 2‑0 win over Hawke's Bay United, and the draw for the next round can be watched with some interest for once.
Player ratings23 Nov 2026
What a way to start for Cameron Bell — 7.68
1 on the scoresheet on his first appearance and a mark of 7.68 beside it. Most debuts are got through; this one was enjoyed, by him and by everybody watching it.
Match23 Nov 2026
Canterbury United refuse to drop out of the race
Position 3, 8 points, and the result everyone checks first is now theirs. The word is still not being said around the ground, which is how you know everyone is thinking it.
Player ratings23 Nov 2026
A first appearance Matt Just will want to forget — 5.53
Everybody's debut is one of two stories and this was the other one. 5.53, and the only consolation available is that nobody's career has ever been decided by ninety minutes in a shirt he had just been given.
Squad23 Nov 2026
A falling-out at Canterbury United
Alex Bell and a teammate went at it, and not about football. Training grounds are small places and a long season makes them smaller.
Match21 Nov 2026
Canterbury United come up short against Auckland City
Auckland City left with the points after a 1‑3 defeat that will take some explaining on the terraces.
Squad23 Nov 2026
Tim McCowatt signs on for more
“Some decisions take a long time. This one took ten minutes, and most of that was finding a pen.” Tim McCowatt and Canterbury United agree another 3 years.
Squad23 Nov 2026
Words at Canterbury United training over how hard people work
Somebody said out loud what several people had been thinking. Alex Boxall is at the centre of it, and the squad will now find out whether the standard rises or the pair of them simply stop speaking.
The terraces23 Nov 2026
One of their own: Cameron Bell
He is 15 and the ground already sings his name, which is a thing that happens to local boys and almost never to signings. Everything from here is measured against an affection he did nothing to earn except be from here.
In brief
- The dugout Callum Barbarouses gets it from the manager
- The dugout The manager’s verdict
- Player ratings Jake McCowatt runs at them all day