Aotearoa Domestic Football Roundup – May 19
Men’s Northern League
How about we begin with a little top of the table action up north? Madill’s Farm was the venue for Eastern Suburbs vs Birkenhead United, two teams that have undergone a fair bit of change since their National League excursions last year yet have not lost a step. Birkenhead’s team is almost unrecognisable from the 2024 MNL grand final but they’re the ones at the summit, as well as being the highest-scoring team in the division, and those two things remain true after Birko returned across the Harbour Bridge with another three points following a 2-0 win. Sam Philip (60’) and Michael Suski (74’) got the goals. Seems like Philip is finding his feet having scored in three straight games including a hatty last week vs Fencibles. Suski also got a double a week ago. Both these dudes are up to seven goals for the campaign, currently trailing only Auckland United’s Emiliano Tade (8) across the Northern League. Birkenhead have scored 30 goals in ten games and with this win they move four points clear. After next week we’ll be exactly halfway through the Northern League.
On the same day that Auckland City won the Oceania Champions League, they also played a Northern League game against Western Springs with a completely different side. If you missed it at the time, here’s that weeks yarn for explanation. They lost that game 1-0 to Western Springs and then lost 2-1 to Birkenhead a week later. City did win 1-0 vs Bay Olympic and 2-1 vs Fencibles following those slip-ups but since then it’s been a 1-0 loss to Auckland FC, a 1-0 loss to Eastern Suburbs, and now a 2-2 draw with East Coast Bays. Myer Bevan gave ACFC an 18th minute lead until James Edgeler responded for ECB in the 33rd min. Ryusei Ishibashi then briefly had Bays in front after his 70th minute goal... before Haris Zeb appeared with an 81st minute leveller to at least give the Navy Blues a point from their trip across town. There was nothing wrong with the very experienced, talented, renowned ACFC squad that was picked – they could hardly pick a bad one with all the players at their disposal - but for whatever reason this team is struggling like we’ve never seen them struggle before in the Northern League. Could be the managerial change. Could be the fixture congestion. Could be the distraction of the Club World Cup. Whatever the situation, City only have two wins from their last seven games and if the season ended today they would miss out on National League. Credit to East Coast Bays though. Lots of draws for them but they’ve only lost 3/10 so they’re churning out points and sitting comfortably mid-table.
Check it out, Auckland FC Reserves won again. They beat Bay Olympic 2-1 at Fred Taylor Park with Jonty Bidois (10’) and Carlos Ranui (30’) getting the hard bit done early by establishing a lead that Miles Palmer’s 64th minute goal wasn’t enough to disrupt. You might remember Miles Palmer getting sent off for Birko in the Natty League grand final last year, he’s since made the switch to BO. The AFC lads understandably took a little while to settle into the competition but any premature worries should be getting doused after three win from their last five. Coach Luke Casserly has established a pretty sturdy core of to his sides, built around first team scholars Adama Coulibaly, Finn McKenlay, Jonty Bidois, and Oliver Middleton. Semi Nabenu and Nick Gaze have also started all three wins. This match also saw Jake Woolford given his first start following four sub appearances... and it happened against his former club. Ranui was in the eleven for the first time since game one – he returned from injury off the bench last week. Jonty Bidois is now up to three goals as the team’s leading scorer.
AFC Reserves First Five Games:
0 W | 2 D | 3 L | 6 GF | 11 GA | -5 GD | 2 PTS
AFC Reserves Last Five Games:
3 W | 0 D | 2 L | 10 GF | 6 GA | +4 GD | 9 PTS
Good contest between Auckland United and Western Springs, another couple MNL hopefuls, which ended 1-1 at Keith Hay Park. Niko Steinmetz was the unlikely scorer for Springs after 72 mins and Ross Haviland was the unlikely scorer for AUFC after 78 mins. A couple of defenders doing the business there. That result keeps them both where they were in third and fourth respectively. That would have changed if Auckland City had won but that didn’t happen... and the same was true for Tauranga City.
It’s been a weird season for TCAFC. Not so long ago they were springing consecutive upset wins against Western Springs, Auckland United, and Birkenhead to leap into first place (they’re still the only team to beat Birko this year). Since then they’ve had three straight 3-1 defeats with the latest being away against Fencibles United. Russell Currie struck first for Fencies after six minutes. Colby Brennan tied it up on 17’. Currie then struck again just before the half and Frank Clarke’s 54th min goal ended up sealing the deal. Important win for Fencibles that moves them within two points of evacuating the relegation zone.
They would have cleared it with that win but for West Coast Rangers winning 3-2 against Manurewa thanks to the services of Death. That’s Mr Alec Death, to be clear, who scored all three for WCR. It was 1-0 to Rewa when Christian Rodriguez scored on 19’ but Death struck back (23’) for a 1-1 half-time scoreline. Death once again showed no mercy to put Rangers in front (62’) but that was followed by Keen Mandizvidza’s fourth of the campaign (65’) to have it all tied up once again. Remember that Mandizvizda is only 17 years old. However, Death had the final say in the 72nd minute of the match to seal a valuable victory for West Coast Rangers.
Women’s NRFL Premiership
Here’s a curious piece of news...
What’s this about “an exciting opportunity to work full-time in football”? Seems that Katie Duncan was one of the five names on the shortlist for the Auckland FC ALW job not so long ago. That might be a coincidence, a centurion international like Duncs surely has connections across the planet, but we’re overdue some AFC women’s news. Last reports were that the A-League was being annoying about things and holding everyone up. Whether that involved Katie Duncan only time shall tell. In the meantime, Eastern Suburbs lose a head coach who kept this team massively competitive over the last year and a bit amidst some pretty significant player turnover while also embedding plenty of youngsters.
To that point, here’s the Eastern Suburbs side that won the 2022 National League Final 4-0 against Western Suburbs...
Brooke Bennett | Rachel Head, Rebekah van Dort, Kenyah Brooke | Olivia Page, Charlotte Wilford-Carroll, Saki Yoshida, Erinna Wong | Tayla O’Brien, Nicole Mettam, Deven Jackson
(with subs: Nicole Cooper, Annie Byrne, Arya Blackler, Juliette Lucas, Aimee Atkins)
Of them, only Kenyah Brooke has continued as a regular for the Lilywhites throughout. Tayla O’Brien recently made her return from injury for the reserve team while Rachel Head is back in the squad after a taking a break. But Erinna Wong recently stepped away and we haven’t heard from Saki Yoshida in a sec. That’s what you want to happen when a team is that successful... you’ve only gotta look at where everyone else has ended up. Deven Jackson just got recalled by the Footy Ferns after being the top NZ scorer in the ALW last season. Olivia Page has been playing pro with Sheffield United. The likes of Cooper, Mettam, Wilford-Carroll, Van Dort, Bennett and a couple others have settled nicely into Aussie NPL stuff. That’s what we like to see.
If you’re wondering, Adam Thurston has been swiftly announced as the next Eastern Suburbs coach. He’s an Englishman who played plenty for the men’s team at the club and was one of their best players for awhile there, having previously played for Hawke’s Bay and Canterbury. That gives him an almost identical profile to Stephen Hoyle who preceded Duncan as coach. Eastern Suburbs didn’t have a game this weekend so AT will get a bit of training time before his coaching debut.
West Coast Rangers did have a game and they won it 2-0 against Western Springs. Laney Strachan (24’) and the ever-dependable Shannon Henson (56’) with the goals. That’s another three points, another clean sheet, and another advantage claimed while Auckland United were away at the OCL. United will return with a game in hand but a six point deficit to leaders WCR. Henson’s seven goals have her equal top scorer along with Maddison Ollington from Ellerslie.
That’s because Ollington scored four in a big win against Tauranga Moana. Danielle Grimmer got it started in the third minute before Ollington (18’, 23’) made it 3-0 in a hurry. Ella Golding closed the gap in the 42nd minute only for Ollington to score again before the break. Ollington then claimed her fourth on 52’ before Golding scooped up another just before the final whistle. 5-2 was the final score. Ollington is one of the Hamilton Wanderers orphans who got stranded by that club’s relegation and left so as to remain in the top division. Grimmer is also a new signing, making the step up from Beachlands Maretai. Also, Fencibles United hosted Hibiscus Coast on Friday night and we’re still waiting for an Anna Leat goal. She’s been starting most games but the Coasties are struggling and that continued with a 2-0 defeat here. Goals for Alisa Tuatagaloa (16’) and Rosie Missen (40’). Sneaky ol’ Fencies are only one point behind third place after all of these results.
Meanwhile, Auckland United have done the business at the Oceania Champions League. Having progressed easily through the group stage, they met Henderson Eels (Solomon Islands) in the semis and scored three times in the opening seven minutes. They did leak one midway through the half when Ileen Pegi scored but they were already 4-0 up by then and they promptly scored another straight afterwards. Tui Dugan struck first in the third minute. Zoe Benson in the fifth minute. Ava Pritchard in the seventh minute. Benson scored again on 18’ and then 28’ to complete a rapid hat-trick. Dani Canham was subbed on at the break and she scored immediately. Then they iced the rest of it for a 6-1 victory. No sweat.
That set up a rematch against Hekari United of Papua New Guinea in the final, their groupmates whom they only beat 2-1 a week earlier. This was also the same opponent that they met in last year’s final for a 1-0 victory. Ben Bate’s grand final line-up went: Hannah Mitchell in goal; Talisha Green, Greer Macintosh, Alaina Granger, and Saskia Vosper across the backline (right to left) with Green as captain; Yume Harashima anchored a midfield that also included Chloe Knott and Dani Canham; Pia Vlok on the right wing, Zoe Benson on the left, and Ava Pritchard as the striker.
Exactly the same as last year’s final, it took 25 minutes for AUFC to take the lead. Danielle Canham had hit the crossbar in the first minute and Zoe Benson continued to look like a threat. Pritchard was active. Vosper was getting up the line. Lots of exciting stuff... only for their actual goal to be a wobbly deflection. Harashima took a long strike which Canham touched onwards. Knott then tried a backheel that fooled the keeper from six yards (whether she actually touched it or not). The goal was officially credited to Canham. And also like last season, that first half goal was all they needed. AUFC missed some chances to make it more comfortable but they got the job done to lift the trophy. Hannah Mitchell won the Golden Gloves. Zoe Benson won Golden Boot. Saskia Vosper won Golden Ball. Ka pai.
This time there’s a FIFA Women's Champions Cup prize too. The Women’s Club World Cup might be something to ponder if AUFC can continue their dominance until 2028 when that tournament will be born but next March sees the inaugural version of the annual Champions Cup, similar to the old version of the Men’s Club World Cup which Auckland City are so used to (and which has since been rebranded into the Intercontinental Cup). Auckland United will face the champs of Asia in the first round. If they win that then they’ll meet the champs of Africa in the second round. Third round would be against the European champs (either Arsenal or Barcelona), while North/Central America and South America face off in the other semi-final.
Men’s Central League
It’s still all Wellington Olympic in the Centrals. They won 2-0 at home against Island Bay with the goals coming courtesy of Hamish Watson (22’) and Adam Supyk (39’). That’s a four goals for each of those lads – expected stuff from Watto but gotta love the impact that Adam Supyk’s having lately. The ex-WeeNix captain is looking sharp. Wellington Olympic have won 8/8 to begin the year... making them one of five remaining top flight clubs with a perfect record in 2025. The other four are all women’s teams: West Coast Rangers, Wellington United, Dunedin City Royals, and Otago University. Christchurch United men and Wellington Phoenix U18 women are also undefeated with a single drawn game blotting the record. Olympic are averaging better than three goals per game and they’ve kept more clean sheets (6) than goals conceded (3), including shutouts in the last four in a row. They’re already seven points clear.
Hovering in second place is a Wellington Phoenix Reserves team that just habitually ground out another impressive result. They were away against North Wellington where they held a half-time lead after Lachlan Candy’s 25th min goal. Things then went nuts for about five minutes as Dion Keetley (58’) levelled up for NW, only for Ryan Watson to immediately reply (59’), yet Darren Juru had an answer for that with a goal to make it 2-2 (63’). So it remained until the dying embers of the game when Anaru Cassidy scored in stoppage time to win it 3-2 for the WeeNix. The Phoenix had Daniel Makowem, Jayden Smith, and Luke Supyk all backing up from the start having been on the bench for the first team in Darwin on Wednesday night for the Aussie Cup qualifier.
Hami Paranihi-Nuku had a crazy first half as his Petone side hosted Napier City Rovers. HPN scored the own goal that gave Rovers the lead after 15 mins... then he made amends with a proper one to tie things back up again after 33 mins. From there, Napier City seemed to have bagged themselves a lovely win on their travels as they went 3-1 up following goals from Adam Hewson (65’) and Sam Lack (71’). However, the Pickering whanau had other ideas. Sam Pickering scored from the penalty spot after 88’ and then Oliver Pickering got one in added time to snatch a dramatic 3-3 draw.
Those points dropped by Napier City were what allowed Miramar Rangers to leapfrog them into third place with a win of their own, beating Waterside Karori 3-2 away (and reversing the damage of losing to Napier City a week ago). Owen Smith scored first for Rangers (8’). Ryan Harrison was there to make it 1-1 (15’). Martin Bueno got his obligatory goal after 27 mins... only one this week for him though. Ihaia Delany kept up his fine work with a 33rd min leveller but the second half was more chill and Nicolas Bobadilla’s 54th minute effort proved to be the determiner.
Ever since Western Suburbs lost to Wellington Olympic a week ago, they’ve been scoring goals galore. Must have picked up some ideas from the reigning champs because a 5-0 win against Upper Hutt City means that Wests have now pocketed 19 goals in their last four matches. UHC did well to keep things scoreless at the midway point but then it quickly got out of hand. Goals from Jonathan Robinson (47’), Owen Egan (53’), Sebastian Barton-Ginger (54’), Cameron MacKenzie (62’), and Jamie Wildash-Chan (78’). Four of those goals were scored within 17 minutes of the second half kickoff... at which point the scorecard suggests that Upper Hutt City gaffer Rory Fallon subbed himself into the match. Nothing like a 43yo ex-All White to sort things out... except that it didn’t happen. Seems to have been a mistake with the shirt numbers as Joshua Lawson was the actual bloke subbed on. And that sub did stem the flow of goals so credit to that bloke.
Women’s Central League
The Wellington Phoenix U18s didn’t even play this week yet the goals were flowing all over the Central League even without them. Four games took place and they were all won by at least six goals. For Wellington United, that’s normal service. They won 7-0 against Palmerston North Marist with Natalie Olson scoring five of them. That’s normal service for her too... she did the same against Waterside Karori earlier in the year. Youngster Farina Anchico got another goal in there too, as did Olivia Catherwood. In proper order, it went: Olson 2’, Anchico 9’, Catherwood 25’, Olson 28’, Olson 49’, Olson 54’, Olson 87’. Natalie Olson already has 14 goals and her team has only played seven matches.
Would you believe it, that wasn’t even the only five-for this round. Natalie Ross did the same for Waterside Karori in their 7-1 win away against Miramar Rangers. Ross scored on 5’, 15’, 23’, 30’, and 35’ so she got her quintet inside of one half. With Renee Bacon also scoring in the 34th minute, that meant the Wharfies were up 6-0 with ten minutes still to go in the first stanza... and then they scored again via an own goal in the opening minute of the second half. It was only an 87th minute Paige O’Connor consolation that salvaged anything for Miramar. Obviously Waterside Karori’s early struggles are entirely forgotten now. Their new additions are up to speed and since losing heavily to the WeeNix and Welly Utd to begin with (worst possible opening fixtures for a rebuilding team), the Wharfies have won five in a row, scoring 22 goals and conceding just three. As for Nicola Ross, she’s scored 11 goals overall. Chuck in the 11 for Katie Pugh at the WeeNix and, along with Olson, those are the three runaway leaders in the Golden Boot ranks (nobody else has more than seven).
Goals were promised and there were more where those came from. Petone made the trip to face Palmerston North United and their roadtrip back would have been a party after winning 6-0. Pepi Olliver-Bell scored a first half hatty (25’, 33’, 38’) before Jessica Owens-Blackmore (59’, 80’) and Jazz Shailer (90’) kept it popping. If Petone win their game in hand then they’ll only be one point behind Waterside Karori so WNL qualification should very much be a target. Finally, Taradale whupped Victoria University 6-0 with goals from: Samantha Waru (43’, 52’), Caitlyn Turner (63’), Megan Thomas (69’, 82’), and Cara O’Neill (86’). Taradale had scored six times in five previous games so they just doubled that tally.
Men’s Southern League
Huge game on Friday night, where Christchurch United continued their resurgent 2025 efforts with a 2-0 win against Cashmere Technical. Daniel Meyn’s been popping up a lot lately and he scored the first after 15 mins. Jago Godden then added to that in the 49th min. The first goal came from a failed clearance, the second was a close-range finish off a set piece. Both stemmed from Joel Stevens crosses. Christchurch United had a shocker last year but they’re piling it on now... 33 goals scored and only three conceded across seven fixtures. Still undefeated. In contrast, that’s a third loss from seven for Cashy Tech who have their work cut out if they’re going to earn their usual National League spot.
The Techies did catch a break in a concurrent Friday night kickoff though, with Ferrymead Bays winning 3-1 against Coastal Spirit. If that had gone the other way, Coastal would have been eight points ahead of Tech in second place (with Nelson Suburbs in between, three ahead of CT). Instead, a James Deeham penalty after 12 mins and then a Chris Murphy goal on the half-hour gave Bays a headstart. Liam Cotter got one back for Coastal with fifteen remaining but Luca Marson scored at the end for the 3-1 result.
Nelson Suburbs and Wānaka were heading for a draw after Lennon Whewell (29’ NS) and Edward Belingher (60’ W) goals had the match balanced heading into the closing minutes. That was when Whewell grabbed a second to give Nelson Suburbs a late winner, 2-1 the final score. That win has Nelson Subs just two points off second thanks to the Coastal defeat. Also hovering around are Nomads United whose 2-1 win against Selwyn United also required some late action. Not quite as late as Nelson Subs though. Selwyn went ahead after 20 mins when Sena Benseman hit the net. Caleb Johnson made it 1-1 after 36 mins. Then Joshua Collett completed the comeback with a winner in the 82nd. Oliver Cosgrove was sent off late for Selwyn after getting a second booking. And in the other fixture, Universities of Canterbury sprung an upset 1-0 win against Dunedin City Royals via an 11th minute goal from Pero Forman. That’s the first win of the season for UC, allowing them to jump ahead of Selwyn Utd on the table. Only one team gets relegated so it’s going to be a scrap between those two. All five Southern League games were won by the home team this week.
Women’s South Island League
The surprise package of the entire country is this Otago University team which remains perfect after six games. But they did have an unexpected scare in the Uni Derby this week. After having last week off with a Kate Sheppard Cup bye, Otago Uni conceded early against Universities of Canterbury when Liv Deane put away a fourth minute strike. It stayed that way for a long time. Wasn’t until just before the half that Isra Khan tied it up and then she scored again straight after the break. Eventually, Leila Hausia-Haugen added to that with a 71st min penalty... although Tori Hill’s goal on 86’ did keep it frisky. 3-2 was the final score. That doubles the amount of goals that Otago Uni have conceded this season but they still emerged with the win. Hausia-Haugen now has seven goals, going ahead of teammate Georgia Nixon’s six.
However, there’s a new leader for the Golden Boot... and there’s also a new leader in the standings. Otago Uni and Dunedin City Royals had identical records after five matches each (even down to goals scored). But that’s no longer the case after DCR put the hammer down on Nelson Suburbs in an 8-0 win. Amy Hislop scored three of them (6’, 16’, 47’) to move to eight for the season. She’s now that new Golden Boot frontrunner. There was also a brace for Raegan Potter (27’, 55’), who is up to six goals herself, while Hannah Mackay-Wright (41’), Toni Power (65’), and Georgia Kennedy (82’) kept it going from there. Pretty emphatic against poor old Nelson Subs who’ve lost all five games.
Elsewhere, Cashmere Technical suffered a third defeat of the year when they went down 3-0 at home against their usual rivals Coastal Spirit. These two teams tend to provide the bulk of the Canterbury United Pride squads and it was three players with considerable WNL experience who got the goals: Britney-Lee Nicholson (61’), Frankie Morrow (83’), and Margi Dias (86’). Coastal have already lost to both DCR and Otago Unit but they’ve beaten everyone else they’ve played to sit third on the ladder. Also, good win for Roslyn Wakari who travelled north to face NW United and beat them 2-1. Zara Pratley put RW ahead after 15 mins, Jasmine Barrett made it 1-1 after 34 mins, then a 56th minute penalty from Catriona Galvin sealed the points. Halswell United had the bye this week.
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