Wellington Olympic vs Christchurch United

This is what we’re talking about right here. Doesn’t get any bigger... at least not until the grand final. Second place against third. The past six weeks have been like a seedling taking root and slowly branching out and now with this game we had the blossoms on display. It was effectively a semi-final a couple of weeks early... and since there are no semi-finals in this format that was a fair compromise. Whoever won would have their pathway to the final in their own hands. Whoever lost would be keft praying for a miracle. Wellington Olympic were beaten finalists last time. Christchurch United are emerging powerhouses and Chatham Cup champions. Martin Luckie Park was the venue, home advantage for the Greeks. This is the one.

A few critical absentees for the home side. Wellington Olympic knew they’d be missing the suspended Hamish Watson after his late red card last round. They were also without Justin Gulley while Theo Ettema was only on the bench. Tam Dimairo took Gulley’s spot in the back three while Joe Hopper stepped into midfield. Joel Stevens was a handy return to the starting eleven and Kailan Gould a welcome addition to the bench. Plus Rupert Kemeys usually tends to save one of those attacking spots for a promising youngster. We’ve seen Oli Davies and Devon Thurston get chances so far. This week it was Isa Prins who got the opportunity, a MNL debut for the 18 year old. On the other side the only change for Christchurch United was Haris Zeb coming in for Louis King at fullback, though that did mean no return for Cam Lindsay or Ben Lapslie. No Nick Murphy on the bench either because he got called up for the U17 World Cup squad.

It took mere seconds before Ben Mata was doing big man things in defence. It took mere moments more before Jack-Henry Sinclair had drawn the first foul of the afternoon. It took almost exactly two minutes before Gianni Bouzoukis scored the opening goal. All three of those lads living up to their reputations. Bouzoukis thus made it 100 goals for Wellington Olympic, just the third man to do so for the club and he got it done in just his 127th appearance. Historically significant... also immediately significant as his bullet launched into the bottom corner after the lay-off from Gavin Hoy. Advantage Greeks.

Incredibly, just two minutes later Olympic had a penalty after the young fella Prins ran onto a deep ball from Jack Cawley and spun around his marker to get into the area and catch the contact from Jago Godden. And if you’ve been watching National League footy over the last couple years then you already know that Ben Mata is automatic from the spot. Although so is everyone this year... nobody has missed a penalty yet in the Men’s Nats (if the final goes to a shootout it’s gonna be a very long night).

Olympic have scored inside of 25 minutes in every game this season. They love an early goal... but 2-0 up after six minutes against a major contending rival is wild even by their standards. The Rams did steady the ship with a few attacking corners... but Olympic weren’t letting up. Stevens went close with consecutive shots. Then a Prins effort pinged off a defender and drifted wide. Prins was really throwing himself around, taking on defenders and using his size. He thought he’d won another penalty after 20 mins... only to get booked for diving instead. Very harsh. But not to worry because five minutes later a wonderful surging counter attack sparked by Tor Davenport-Peterson and Joel Stevens led to Bouzoukis unselfishly nudging Gavin Hoy into space in the area and next thing you knew it was 3-0.

The Rams weren’t trying to make up numbers this season – they had their sights set on silverware. That dream was fading fast so they had to find something special in a hurry. Dan MacLennan got Mata slipping in the area but Basalaj saved the shot. Eddie Wilkinson did his jinking and jiving thing only for his shot to be deflected over. What happened next wasn’t exactly special... but it did help their cause. Joe Hopper went in with a high boot against Sam Philip, kicking him in the chest. Hopps apologised straight away but the referee still sent him off.

The consolation for Olympic was that at least it happened a few inches outside the penalty area (and also while they were three goals ahead) and Eoghan Stokes whipped the free kick high of the mark. Gavin Hoy dropped into midfield to cover the absence but then they lost Jack-Henry Sinclair to injury, limping off after 35 minutes having also limped off towards the end of last week. Clearly still dealing with something. William Vincent was his replacement, another 18yo. You know what though? Olympic hung tight until the break. Wilkinson had a chance that he smacked into the break basket of Basalaj. Aaron O’Driscoll put a header towards goal that was cleared by a defender. Basalaj was slick against all the aerials. Still 3-0 at half-time.

On came Theo Ettema at HT. Had to sacrifice Isa Prins to get him out there but know that it was nothing to do with how Prins performed – we’ve not heard the last of that lad. The second half began as frantic as the first had been... and Jack Cawley wasn’t far from making it four when he bounced a header over the top on the end of a succession of Stevens corner kicks. Christchurch survived that scare and then won a penalty down the other end – Matt Tod-Smith catching a touch from Vincent as he cut inside. Honestly didn’t look much different to the penalty that Olympic didn’t get in the first half but so it goes. Eoghan Stokes did the honours. That made it 3-1. This made it 3-2...

Beautiful flowing attack from the Rams. From the goalie’s hands to the back of the net in seconds, Sam Philip applying the final touch. Alas, just as they’d gotten themselves back within range they conceded again. Within two minutes, Jack Cawley had managed to contort himself in mid-air in order to guide home a header from a Stevens free kick. That’s the one he couldn’t quite convert earlier.

In no way was that game over with half an hour still remaining. The damage toll got worse for Olympic after 67 minutes when captain Ben Mata limped off, to be replaced by Dylan Wood. Only the second appearance of the MNL for Wood but he looked the goods the rest of the way despite being asked to do plenty of work against those CU attacks. Meanwhile Tam Dimairo went for a mazy run trying to lock things up... his shot dragged wide. Then on came Kailan Gould for the Greeks, a return for the Bulldog after two weeks out. Not a bad option to throw on late in a feisty clash when you’re down to ten. Someone who can create something out of nothing. Exactly like he did in the 83rd minute, rolling his shoulder onto a throw-in and securing the points for his team. Bang. Get in.

In a potentially season-defining contest, Wellington Olympic came out and scored three goals inside of 25 minutes to establish their territory. They then played an hour with ten men and managed to keep it to 2-2 during that phase. They lost a couple of key players to injuries. They were without a couple of others already. Doesn’t matter. There was no stopping them. The Greeks have scored multiple goals in every game and the fact that they still haven’t kept a clean sheet doesn’t really matter when they keep outscoring teams. Undefeated through seven games. Joel Stevens and Gavin Hoy are in wonderful form. Scott Basalaj had a hugely composed performance. Mata, Davenport-Peterson, Bouzoukis. They were outstanding... now the grand final is there within their grasp. Amazingly, Bouzoukis and Hoy have both scored in four consecutive games now.

It’s not over yet though. Olympic are now four points clear of Christchurch United so they will need to drop points in both remaining weeks in order to miss out but they do face Auckland City away next week and after that it’s the WeeNix and you never know what that lot might deliver from week to week. A couple of first-teamers turn up and they could be a different beast. The Rams weren’t even that bad here. They just wrecked themselves with a slow start in which they tried to establish their physicality but conceded too many fouls. On another day a few of those penalty shouts plus the red card might’ve gone another way and this could’ve really gotten ugly – this was as many goals as they’d conceded in six games combined. But fair play to the Rams for fighting back as they did. The hole was simply a little too deep to climb out of, with the big game experience of Wellington Olympic giving them that early jump.

Wellington Olympic 5-2 Christchurch United

3’ | WO | 1-0 | Bouzoukis (Hoy)

6’ | WO | 2-0 | Mata [p] (Prins)

24’ | WO | 3-0 | Hoy (Bouzoukis)

30’ | WO | Red card for Hopper

51’ | CU | 3-1 | Stokes [p] (Tod-Smith)

58’ | CU | 3-2 | Philip (Wilkinson)

60’ | WO | 4-2 | Cawley (Stevens)

83’ | WO | 5-2 | Gould (Vincent)

Quick interlude to remind you once more that we do National League Team of the Weeks in our Substack newsletters so if you’re reading this make sure to get amongst that too... plus the ol’ socials are stacked full of highlights as you can see so giz a follow there too if you can

Petone FC vs Auckland City

While the second and third placed teams were doing fierce battle... old mates Auckland City were in the capital city taking on the last placed team and strolling towards the grand final with their perfect record. They knew that another win might just book their top-two spot with two games to spare, plus after four matches without a clean sheet they were up against a Petone side who’d only scored three times in six games so that was another thing to aim for. Not saying it would’ve taken a miracle, because strange things do happen in football, but Auckland City were massive favourites here.

They weren’t at full strength though. Nathan Lobo came in at left-back but that Jordan Vale/Adam Mitchell/Christian Gray triumvirate across the rest of the defence was unchanged as it has been all season. However Cam Howieson and Michael Den Heijer were both absent, leading to the curious decision to play Tong Zhou and Rayan Tayeb in their places. Regont Murati also returned to the eleven having been in good form lately. Still a team stacked with attacking weapons but whether they’d be able to get them all service without the likes of Howieson, Den Heijer, Gillion, or Garriga was another matter.

Alas, Petone weren’t exactly in tip top shape themselves because they were also missing plenty of troopers. No Sam Pickering, no Matt Brazier, no Jack O’Connor, no Luka Barclay. Brynn Sinclair was back in the team as were Ashnarvy Mustapha and Sam Wall. Luke Grindlay got another start up top. They’ve tended to rotate things from week to week anyway but this was not the week to be missing the scorers of all three MNL goals they’ve managed to date.

Not that Petone were ever going to be intimidated by that. This game kicked off and they were knocking the ball around confidently as though they were the league leaders and Auckland City the cellar dwellers. A lovely, positive start... but it wasn’t leading to chances. They weren’t stretching City, they weren’t breaking any lines or getting them turned around. They also weren’t having that happen to them with a dragged Zhou shot the only thing even slightly resembling a chance in the first ten minutes. The same bloke whipped a free kick low and slightly wide about ten mins later. Still waiting for this game to burst to life... it was just begging for some Cam Howieson string-pulling.

Petone kept moving the ball around without penetration. Jaga Scott-Greenfield did have a crack shaping in from the left but Conor Tracey slapped it away. 24 minutes gone and we finally had a shot on target. Nothing else where that came from. Meanwhile Dylan Manickum went close for ACFC thanks to a great first touch from a Murati cross but he pulled his shot past the post. But it was finally starting to feel like Auckland City were growing into things, as they so often do late in halves. And when that happens: watch out. Because that’s when things like this occur...

Would you believe it, there was Angus Kilkolly again. Pouncing upon a deflected Dylan Manickum shot. His sixth of the campaign, having hit the back of the net in four of the last five weeks. Many of them have been goals just like this one where he simply knows where to be and when to be there.

Unfortunately, with Petone not looking like scoring any goals without their talisman striker, this game began to take on the sense of a formality from the moment that ACFC scored. The first half ended and the second half began with the same patterns on show. Petone were buzzing in the midfield but they weren’t making City sweat. Until the 53rd minute, that is, when Grindlay swatted a shot on target on the spin but Tracey made a decent save with his legs so never mind.

Auckland City had scored 10 of their 14 previous goals in the final thirty minutes of games. As we crossed into that ominous territory, they threw on Joe Lee – even whilst missing a chunk of their best eleven they’ve still got mad depth on the bench, a big reason why they consistently seem to pull away in the latter stages. Lee wasted no time in skipping around defenders. He flashed a shot across goal. Auckland City kept tightening the screws. There was to be no twist in this tale – it was as inevitable as the hands of time. In the second minute added-on there was a Dylan Manickum that shot snuck past Oscar Boyce, a rare error from the Petone keeper, and that was that. 2-0 to Auckland City (make it 11/16 goals scored after the 60th minute... and 8/16 after the 75th minute). Completely routine. They won this one in a sleepwalk.

So it goes. Petone just didn’t have the firepower to threaten and ACFC weren’t about to offer them any mistakes. Other than that Petone were quite good... but that one fatal flaw meant they hardly stood a chance. Angus Kilkolly keeps scoring goals. Dylan Manickum has been excellent since returning from futsal activities. Mario Ilich was the best player on the park despite his usual midfield hombres being absent. Not a game that anyone will remember for very long but guess what? Combine this with the Wellington Olympic result and it’s now a done deed. Auckland City will be competing in the Men’s National League grand final once again. They cannot be caught. Can they be stopped?

Petone 0-2 Auckland City

36’ | AC | 0-1 | Kilkolly

90+2’ | AC | 0-2 | Manickum

Cashmere Technical vs Napier City Rovers

Back at Nga Puna Wai on a soggy Christchurch Sunday afternoon. Two teams in the bottom half of the table... although a win either way would change that. Cashmere Technical recently celebrated their goalkeeper Matt Foord being called up to the U17 World Cup squad, one of five members of that squad to have already played National League this season – the others being Anaru Cassidy, Garbriel Sloane-Rodrigues, and Luke Supyk of the Wellington Phoenix plus Nick Murphy of Christchurch United. Foord is the only one of those to have played every game. Of course, being in that squad means missing the rest of the MNL campaign... though Cashy Tech were prepared for this eventuality (usual goalkeeper Danny Knight is also the GK coach for that U17s team), having signed Alex Boomer from Dunedin City Royals as cover.

Boomer’s only a couple years older than Foord. Great opportunity for him over these next three weeks, adding to the list of exciting young keepers getting National League minutes this year. He was one of two changes from the 5-3 loss to Manurewa last week, the other was Zander Edwards coming in for the suspended Aidan Barbour-Ryan following ABR’s red card. Very annoying game for CT, that one. They were leading 2-0 late in the first half and looking swell until it all crumbled. Napier City Rovers can sympathise having also suffered through multiple red cards as well as a scrappy defeat to Manurewa this season. NCR welcomed Fergus Neil back into the defensive quartet for their only change from a side that was very unlucky not to take anything from Christchurch United. Now they were back in the Garden City one week later to make amends.

It was Technical who got on the front foot first with both of their centre-backs going close from set pieces. Andrew Storer with a header that came off his head much gentler than it should have. Tom Schwarz with a half-volley that also lack anything like the power he contains. They were ruing those misses soon afterwards when a harmless Cam Emerson cross was fumbled by Boomer who was unable to keep it from creeping over the line. A horror mistake five minutes into his National League debut, with the conditions as much to blame as the occasion. But a long way still to go.

The weather wasn’t making it simple for anyone with all that wind and rain. The respective centre-backs all did some nice work keeping that ball from getting in behind them, while Schwarz twice provided important blocks against Deri Corfe. However the home side soon got caught out again. This time it was Jonny McNamara with a dinked cross over to Ry McLeod, the youngster on loan from Melville Utd, who was able to nod it in for NCR’s second after 20 minutes. Unusually disjointed Technical defensive shape there and it left them with a serious job to do. They’d blown a 2-0 lead in the previous round, now they had to try and do it the other way around.

That quest would’ve begun when JJ Richards running onto a Lachie McIsaac ball over the top except that his finish came back off the post after he’d laced it past an onrushing Oscar Mason. It also could’ve gotten worse for them given that Deri Corfe was not a million miles away with a long-range free kick. Instead the comeback quest got underway when Yuya Taguchi lifted a quickfire lob over the top for Garbhan Coughlan to do his thing. Hints of an offside. Left back may have kept him on. Lino had the best view. Goal given.

Tell ya what, they almost got a second straight afterwards – with only a scraping diving reaching stop from Mason denying Edwards the leveller. Boomer then produced a ripper of a stop to keep Jim Hoyle from restoring the two-goal advantage before dodging the prospect of facing Corfe from the penalty spot after Corfe was booked for diving late first half rather than getting the spot kick he’d requested. That one led to a yellow for the NCR bench as well. The protests were a little surprising because, on the livestream at least, it did plainly look like a dive (or at least definitely not a penalty). Regardless of your perspective or affiliation this was one wild game of football... with Rovers still clinging to that 2-1 lead at the break.

The wildness did not abate. First ten minutes of the back half included long shots at both ends, rapid searching long passes aimed over the top, plenty of midfield energy, and a Coughlan strike into the side-netting. Extremely good fun watching Corfe and Coughlan, the respective foreign number tens, ducking and weaving past tacklers. Got to say it was Cashy Tech who were forging a little more. Schwarz had a header blocked low by a defender inside the six yard box. Edwards was denied by an outstretched Mason foot. Then Mason parried away another Coughlan shot before pouncing as the rebound bobbled off Danny Kane. Napier did have a few deflected attempts that weren’t so far away. But their best friend was the clock. Tick, tick, ticking ever closer towards a victory. Sixty minutes. Seventy minutes. Seventy-five.

Aaaand then they got a red card. Impressive young fullback Jack Albertini slid in high trying to recapture a heavy touch. Second yellow and he was off. Third red card of the season for Napier City... bloody hell. Wasn’t much longer before Jonny McNamara needed a talking to after shoving Lyle Matthysen over. Nothing much in it, ref was just had to pause so that some tempers could simmer.

Nope, the real implosion was still to come... as Cashy Tech scored three times in five minutes to turn a 2-1 deficit into a 4-2 victory. No kidding. S’pose we should have anticipated that Garbhan Coughlan would have more to say. He tied things up in the 83rd minute with a crunching finish. Then A pair of Lyle Matthysen in-swinging corners caused carnage with the wind. First sailed directly into the net. Second was bundled over the line by Coughlan at the second attempt. Hat-trick for GC. Victory for CT.

Pain for Napier City Rovers. Earlier in the season they’d been 2-0 up against Auckland City and ended up losing 4-2 thanks to a red card in the 77th minute and two goals conceded after 84 minutes. In this game they were 2-0 up and ended up losing 4-2 thanks to a red card in the 77th minute and two goals conceded after 84 minutes. Last week there was no red card but they were 1-0 up at half-time against Christchurch Utd only to lose 2-1. There have been some rough defeats this year for Bill Robertson’s crew. It’s a pity because aside from those swirling corners, Oscar Mason was really good in goal. Fellas like Jim Hoyle and Liam Schofield had quality games. They were fifteen minutes away from a fantastic result and then it all escalated very quickly.

Garbhan Coughlan scores goals. That’s five in the last two weeks and seven overall, sending him tied first overall alongside Gianni Bouzoukis. So often it’s him with a bit of Lyle Matthysen help that carry Cashy Tech towards triumph and that was the formula yet again. Last week they blew a 2-0 lead after getting a red card, this week they overcame a 2-0 deficit after their opponents got a red card. Only Wellington Olympic have scored more goals than Tech. By the end of this game that Alex Boomer mistake felt like a relic of a bygone age – and credit to Booms for what was otherwise a very assured performance in tricky conditions. The grand final will be beyond them... but guess what? Next week is the South Island Derby and with a win there Cashmere Technical would go ahead of Christchurch United on the ladder.

Cashmere Technical 4-2 Napier City Rovers

6’ | NCR | 0-1 | OG (Emerson)

20’ | NCR | 0-2 | McLeod (McNamara)

33’ | CT | 1-2 | Coughlan (Taguchi)

77’ | NCR | Red card for Albertini

83’ | CT | 2-2 | Coughlan (Kane)

85’ | CT | 3-2 | Matthysen

87’ | CT | 4-2 | Coughlan

Eastern Suburbs vs Manurewa AFC

It took them long enough but Eastern Suburbs finally won that first game of the season last week, squeezing past the WeeNix with a 5-3 result inspired by the mahi of Luis Toomey, Kingsley Sinclair, and Jackson Jarvie. Next up came an East versus South clash. Suburbs against Rewa... catching Manurewa on a three-game winning streak to make it even tastier.

Only the one change for Manurewa, who recalled Mohammed Muzakkir-Nabeel after he finished serving his red card suspension. Blake Inder dropped to the bench as a result. Eastern Suburbs may have been coming off a victory but Kane Wintersgill was not in the mood for consistency. They did still concede three times against the WeeNix and despite being one of the best defences in the land through the winter season they still hadn’t kept a National League clean sheet. So it time for a back four shape, with Francis De Vries back in the starting team after a bench cameo last time. There was also a starting debut for Finn McKenlay in the midfield, the Birkenhead teenager in on loan for the MNL phase, while striker Jake Mechell got his second start of the term up top. Stacked bench for Suburbs too, they’d all get their summons later on.

The way they shaped up included fullbacks doing the inverted thing with the outside forwards holding the width. That meant sliding the sizzlingly in-form Luis Toomey all the way out to the left edge... but that wasn’t going to stop him. It merely meant he’d get to dribble past an extra defender or two, like he did around four minutes in, persevering through traffic before shooting just wide from about twelve yards. Ryan Verney pumped an early effort over the top as well. Suburbs were comfortable on the ball and seeking to build things up from the back. Granted, Monty Patterson did keep them honest with a stabbed shot into the side-netting inside of ten minutes.

But it was Suburbs who struck first and you shouldn’t need to be told that it was a move sparked by Toomey slicing infield past a couple of defenders. Tooms centred it for Verney on the edge of the area, who worked a shot that was well saved by Diver. Toomey got the rebound and, such is his gravitational pull, three blokes launched in to block him. Problem was they may have achieved that task, but then the ball squirted over to an open Kingsley Sinclair to touch home his fourth of the campaign. 1-0 after 18 minutes.

Sinclair then ensured that both captains were summoned for a word after he shouldered Ronaldo Munoz over in an attempt to take a quick free kick. Might as well add some spice to the dish. It then took a crucial lunging block from Muzakkir-Nabeel to prevent Sinclair from doubling that lead. FDV later fizzed in a wicked free kick from the right edge which Diver managed to tip away. In stoppage time they had an even greater chance for what would’ve been a spectacular team goal. Campbell Strong playing through pressure in his own half then smacking a huge ball towards Toomey whose cross was pinpoint but Mechell nodded it into the ground and it bounced over.

Second half started in a similar fashion with Hoyt soon required to clear a McKenlay shot off the line. That was after one of many FDV corner kicks to begin the frame – De Vries was on it with his set piece deliveries in this match. With 55 mins gone he had a crack from a direct free kick... pushed around the post by Diver. Mechell then sliced a shot from the corner which was nodded across to him. Rewa were barely getting out of their half (one thumping narrow-angled shot off target from Patterson aside). It was dominant footy in every aspect except that second goal they hadn’t scored.

Rewa subbed on Blake Inder and Hayat Ali Tobita to try and change the direction. For a few minutes it seemed to be working... until Mechell headed a Strong chipped cross off the bar. But for all of that it was still 1-0 and as the game dragged onwards within that status quo it was Manurewa who had to be growing increasingly happier – one big moment and they could haul this whole thing back. Certainly can’t fault their scrappy defence which was doing all that was asked of it. And more because any time that Tino Contratti stepped into the midfield to create an overload was when they looked their most effective.

On came Tyler Lissette and Kelvin Kalua for the Lilywhites. Something had to give one way or another. It finally did with ten to play when FDV, fed up with fellas not converting from his corner kicks, went and collected the half-clearance himself and drove into the area where he drew a handball out of Dylan Morris. One of those harsh ones where the ball hit him rather than anything else but his arm was dangled out far enough for the referee to notice. Francis De Vries took the penalty himself and munted it inside the net.

That goal pretty much ended the contest... and a few minutes later Suburbs got another penalty. Sinclair with a clever underneath ball towards Malcolm Young who got dealt a shoulder from Hoyt and this time it was Luis Toomey’s turn to bag himself a goal from twelve yards. That was enough. The game went deep into stoppage time with plenty of niggle on display and a few more half-chances for Subs but 3-0 was how it ended.

The winning streak for Rewa is halted at three. Not a game they’ll remember fondly, it never is when you’ve conceded two late penalties – although that’s always a risk of the way that this team plays with lots of lunging tackles and sliding blocks and hard shoulders. They don’t hold back and that’s much more of a strength than a weakness. Tino Contratti was massive while Sammy Khan wasn’t far behind. Regan Diver propped up his save count. They withstood plenty of pressure throughout this game... they just never quite got the hang of the midfield as Suburbs were able to pass through.

Where one winning streak ends, another begins. It took until week six for Eastern Suburbs to finally get a three-pointer and now they’ve won two in a row. Luis Toomey has scored in three consecutive matches. He and Francis De Vries were at the heart of most Lilywhites promise so it’s fitting that they scored the penalties. Campbell Strong lived up to his name with a powerful midfield display. Plus Kingsley Sinclair’s getting to be a consistent threat with four goals in the last four games. Finishing remains an issue – a more clinical team would’ve won this by four or five or six – but they were fantastic in most other facets. They even kept a clean sheet! Better late than never.

Eastern Suburbs 3-0 Manurewa AFC

18’ | ES | 1-0 | Sinclair

81’ | ES | 2-0 | De Vries [p]

86’ | ES | 3-0 | Toomey [p] (Young)

Auckland United vs Wellington Phoenix Reserves

That brings us to an absolute classic at Keith Hay Park. A seven-goal thriller that featured lead changes all the way through. Except unfortunately the folks at FIFA+ never bothered to get the replay up on the website so you’re not going to get a full recap because a brother can only write about what a brother has seen.

Not sure what the deal was here but these things do still happen. The move to FIFA+ from YouTube hasn’t changed anything. The coverage is the same quality as it was before - only a handful of games have even bothered with multi-camera productions. Some of the commentary is really good while some is best left on mute. Credit where it’s due: Andrew Dewhurst has been the gold standard on the mic. But the remote commentary set-ups do get frisky sometimes and we’re never immune to buffering, lagging, and general glitchiness. But we work with what we’ve got and are grateful to have anything. In a sense, the amateur tinges to the National League are part of its charm.

Auckland United had lost two in a row. To be fair, those were against Auckland City and Wellington Olympic... but they’ve also not been the same since Yousif Al-Kalisy and Dre Vollenhoven dipped out (presumably with injuries). They made one change from the 3-2 loss in the Dominion Road Derby and that was Codey Phoenix, young fella on loan from Birkenhead, getting the start after scoring off the bench last match. Sione Fa’apoi dropped out with Hideto Takahashi reverting to central defence mode. And a huge inclusion on the bench in the form of Kurtis Mogg, a former WeeNix captain, who has been out injured long term since the end of the previous MNL term. He didn’t get on the pitch here but a joy to have him back.

The WeeNix had lost three in a row but beyond that their club was having a magnificent weekend with wins for both senior teams as well as the U17 Boys winning their national championship. Playing the day after the A-League side, Chris Greenacre had access to all sorts of first teamers. Alby Kelly-Heald, Isaac Hughes, and Jackson Manuel all backed up after being unused subs in the Brisbane Roar game less than 24 hours earlier. Oskar van Hattum also got a start following his return from injury last match. OVH was actually the only change from the previous week, a 5-3 loss to Eastern Suburbs. Probably as strong an XI as the WeeNix have used this year... with further quality on the bench too. Only three of the eleven haven’t been a part of a first team matchday squad before (Sheridan, McKay, Tollervey).

No replay to peruse but we do at least have highlights. It was the WeeNix who struck first. 26 minutes gone and they caught AUFC looking wonky at the back, with Josh Rudland fighting through a few challenges before slipping a pass to Josh Tollervey to seal the deal. That lead held until late in the half when a couple of blocked shots in a row led to Nic Zambrano burying the third attempt to tie things up on 41’... except that less than two minutes later Matt Sheridan shook his man and squared from wide for Josh Tollervey to ensure the Nix hit the sheds with the lead.

Van Hattum must’ve been on a minutes restriction because they took him off at the break with Noah Karunaratne taking his spot. Not losing too much there. Auckland United haven’t been a particularly goal-heavy team this season but they have been better when Nic Zambrano is in the mood. A sharp run from Will Middleton put Zambrano into room on the left and he squared to set up Josh Redfearn after 61 mins. Five minutes later Zambrano scored his second after some quick passing in the area set things up. 2-1 down at half-time, now 3-2 up after 66 mins.

Oh but we were not done yet. With a little over ten remaining, United got caught out of shape at the back again, with Ryan Watson setting up Kaelin Nguyen for an equaliser. Then in the 84th minute Daniel Makowem ran onto a Watson pass to win the damn thing for the Phoenix. A couple of substitutes making the difference. The WeeNix have been involved in some stupidly entertaining games this season and here was another one (if you were lucky enough to be there).

Stink for Auckland United. They finally scored three goals in a match and they still went and bloody lost by also offering their worst defensive performance to date. That’s ten goals conceded in their last three, all defeats. It all seemed a bit disjointed from those highlights... but at least Zambrano is up to four goals. As for the WeeNix, that’s win number two for the campaign and that should ensure there’s no lingering worry about the wooden spoon... although those worries might return if they lose to Petone next week. Lots of different combinations and the youth team factor does mean this side will make mistakes in it but we’re beginning to see a number of blokes delivering consistent National League performances. Josh Rudland has four goals. Kaelin Nguyen is up to three. Matt Sheridan makes things happen. Josh Tollervey stays involved. Alby Kelly-Heald has made huge strides in his game over the last twelve months. This is good. This is what this team is there for. This is what we want to see.

Auckland United 3-4 Wellington Phoenix Reserves

26’ | WP | 0-1 | Rudland (Tollervey)

41’ | AU | 1-1 | Zambrano

43’ | WP | 1-2 | Tollervey (Sheridan)

61’ | AU | 2-2 | Redfearn (Zambrano)

66’ | AU | 3-2 | Zambrano (Green)

79’ | WP | 3-3 | Nguyen (Watson)

84’ | WP | 3-4 | Makowem (Watson)

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