Aotearoa Domestic Football Roundup – April 28
Men’s Northern League
Everything was all set for some Friday night footy at Fred Taylor Park, home of the Auckland FC Reserves. The youngsters were hosting Bay Olympic. Both teams looking for points after a couple of tough recent results. Line-ups were announced and on the AFC side that was going to mean starts for Isa Prins, Adama Coulibaly, and Dejaun Naidoo with this game falling in between OFC Pro League windows (the next window is in Auckland so they shouldn’t have as many scheduling juggles from here on out). But it turned out that everything was not all set because somebody forgot to touch up the pitch markings and they had to call it off. So... look forward to that game at a later date. Another classic yarn from the domestic footy scene.
The other fixtures went ahead as planned. Birkenhead United won 3-0 against Western Springs to further accentuate their spot at the top. Shivan Nair (20’), Monty Patterson (73’), and Alex Connor-McClean (87’) got the job done there. Western Springs had a shuffle to their squad during the week with Ben Wallace (man of the match in their last outing) leaving to reunite with Auckland United while Englishman George Cooper has gone the other way (starting for Springs in this match). Take note of Oliver Cunnington who only turned 17 on Friday yet has started every game for the Swans thus far. But as they have been in most games, Birko were simply too good. Still undefeated with six wins and a draw and only three goals conceded in those seven matches. Patterson’s goal was a wonderful acrobatic finish and he also laid the ball off for both of the other goals (although no assist for Nair’s since the former AFC young’un shot off the post and then finished on the rebound). These guys are top for a reason.
And in second place the East Coast Bays wagon keeps on rolling after Ihaia Delaney’s goal (52’) gave them a 1-0 win away against Melville United. ECB’s top scorer Marius Zabarauskas didn’t play and they weren’t even fazed. Would say that Gower Park is a tough place to play except that Melville haven’t actually won a home game yet after four attempts (1 draw, 3 losses). Some would say that Bays are the surprise package in the Northern League but dunno if that tag really applies to a team that only missed out on National League by a hair’s width last season (and with a few of the teams above them having gotten worse in the interim). They’re a quality side, well coached by Joe Hall, with some very talented young players in there (Nick Gaze, Louis Wickremesekera, Orlando Thorpe, Ben Hooper, etc.).
Eastern Suburbs took care of the task at hand by winning 3-0 against Tauranga Moana. Hector Echague (23’) got it started and that’s how it stayed for a long time until Roberto Alarcon Saez scored his first goal in kiwi football (73’). The Spaniard was a former teammate of Myer Bevan’s while playing in Canada (and also, separately, with Tass Mourdoukoutas, an Aussie defender who is playing for Auckland FC’s Pro League team at the moment). His goal was a funny one where his shot, coming after a high press turnover, struck the underside of the bar, bounced over the line, spun back onto the crossbar again, and into the goalkeepers hands. But the linesman saw it cross the line and the goal was awarded. The Lilywhites would make it three in stoppages (90+1’) when Seo Lee Ram got amongst the party. Five clean sheets in seven for Suburbs – they’re the only team in the Northern League yet to concede a goal at home.
How about Auckland City, aye? They cast aside their recent wobbles with a 4-1 win over Fencibles United at Kiwitea. The hero was Dylan Manickum who returned from futsal duties to score a hatty (3’, 41’, 90+4’ pen) whilst also wearing the captain’s armband. Thomas Golding scored too (30’) while Liam Wessels pulled one back for Fencies early second stanza (50’). If you’d been wondering how long until ACFC called the Nikko Boxall hotline, you got your answer here as the veteran defender showed up for his first appearance of the year and the team immediately produced their best performance. Bit of Boxall, bit of Manickum. That’ll do it. There was also a first start for youngster Bono Kacurov after his debut off the bench last week. Manraj Singh made his debut off the bench as a very late substitute. Kian Shahbazpour is another youth player who got some game time. City had been kept scoreless in four of their previous five games... might have to confiscate Manickum’s indoor shoes so that they can call upon him every week. Fencibles have been sharp this year although as the table begins to take some shape, it’s notable that all four of their wins were against teams in the bottom half and they’ve conceded at least four goals in all three defeats. They might turn out to be our gatekeeper club this year.
No stress for Auckland United who won 7-0 against Manukau United. Will Mendoza (9’) and Abdallah Khaled (16’) got them started in a hurry before Jack Beer (45+3’) made it three at the break. Luke Flowerdew added a penalty on 56’. One-cap All Whites defender (from the ol’ Anthony Hudson era) Harshae Raniga made an appearance off the bench and promptly scored a fifth (65’). Then the phenom Matias Nunez (90’) got on the board before Flowerdew polished it off with another penalty (90+5’). Pretty emphatic. Manukau’s away form has been dreadful, conceding 18 goals in four defeats. Auckland United gave Ben Wallace his second club debut off the bench, putting him with another former WeeNix fella up front in Flowerdew (Wallace is a couple years older so they may not have played much together). Great addition for AUFC and a great goal-difference-boosting result as well.
Women’s NRFL Premiership
You know that thing about how Auckland United have been keeping themselves busy with extra-curricular activities, such as playing midweek against the Auckland FC U17s TDP selection? They extended the same favour to the other professional team in the land when they played a friendly against the Wellington Phoenix on Friday in the capital. The A-League Women’s finals began this week but the Nix had a bye through the first round and with two weeks of international break preceding that it meant they were at risk of some ring rust before their playoff debut. So they brought the defending National League champs on down and gave them a match.
The Nix picked something very close to their best team: Esson; Walker, Barry, van der Meer; Nunn, Jale, Pijnenburg, Elliott; Anthony, Benson; Woods. No Pia Vlok who is still recovering from her ankle injury with the Football Ferns but peep the inclusion of Pijnenburg who had also been dealing with an ankle issue. Fencibles and NZ U17s youngster Mikaela Bangalan was a fascinating addition to the bench having recently joined the Phoenix Academy. Auckland United clearly treated this as a statement game, using a squad that was pretty much identical to what they’ve been rolling out in the NRFL stuff. It was only a friendly, a keep-busy game, but by all accounts it was played with good intensity and after ninety minute it ended 2-2. Mackenzie Anthony scored twice for the Nix, Maggie Jenkins scored twice for AUFC. Even in a practice game, Jenkins still upheld her two-goal minimum – yet more proof that she should already have another professional contract, let alone worrying about next season. The fact she’s from Wellington only makes it more egregious that the Nix haven’t jumped at it.
Anyway, with this being finals preparation for the Nix, they had a penalty shootout afterwards and it was there that the professionals found an edge, winning 5-4. Esson saved the third AUFC attempt (from former Nixer Ava Pritchard) while Brooke Nunn, Grace Jale, Tiana Jaber, Ellie Walker, and Mackenzie Anthony all scored for Wellington (in that order). Victory for the Welly Nix but a vindicating result for AUFC (who had the rare experience of being the team with far less of the ball).
Then a few days later, Auckland United were back in Tamaki Makaurau to face Eastern Suburbs at Madills Farm. They’d already come through narrow victories against other challengers, West Coast Rangers and Fencibles, now they had an equally tricky task ahead of them in the form of the Lilywhites. United scored first (19’) and you can surely guess the culprit... Maggie Jenkins running through onto an Olivia Ingham pass, rounding the keeper and then finishing brilliantly from a narrow angle. She’s absolutely sizzling at the moment. That was the first goal to breach the Eastern Suburbs defence since week one, snapping a run of over 300 minutes without conceding. But they didn’t concede again. More still, they scored one as Maddi Ollington (36’) timed her run perfectly onto a delicious free kick from TJ Anderson.
From there they cancelled each other out, with AUFC having the edge of things but failing to find a second (for themselves or for Maggie Jenkins). It ended 1-1 and that means that AUFC have missed out on points with a rare draw following five straight wins. Still happily out in front by four points (although Fencies and Eastern Subs each have a game in hand so the margin is misleading). Eastern Suburbs have only conceded twice in five games and, like Auckland Utd, remain undefeated. This was a rematch of the National League grand final from last year... granted, there were only 9/22 players in common between the combined starting sides.
In between those two games there was an entire round of NRFL Premmy activities. That began on Friday night where Fencibles made a statement of their own by beating West Coast Rangers 2-0 thanks to goals from Mackenzie Rastatter (73’) and Hayley Miller (89’). Both these two teams had already run Auckland United close in previous fixtures and won most other games (WCR also drew with Eastern Subs). It’s shaping to be a fascinating season with four very strong teams in contention... possibly five if with Ellerslie hanging about too. Auckland United are a step above but not by as much as you’d think. Fencies beating Rangers opens it up even more – although just know that Maisy Dewell was red carded for WCR just before the goals happened (70’, second yellow).
Ellerslie beat Western Springs 2-0 with goals from Cilla Fa'afua (23’) and Hannah Barclay (31’). Good steady clean sheet win for the Ponies although Western Springs should see this as an improvement on their end too. Ben Bate’s second game in charge didn’t come with any drastic changes, no fancy new signings (although getting a veteran goalkeeper in there in Luye Murphy seems to have helped), but he’s got this team looking much sturdier after some very heavy defeats recently. Still awaiting that first goal though.
And in the non-Auckland derby we had Tauranga Moana 1-2 Melville United. Laura Bennett continued her standout efforts with a brace (21’, 72’) for the Hamilton side while Briana Osborne (48’) levelled it up in between. These are two clubs with some really impressive youngsters, providing regular players for national age grade sides (as well as the two local A-League systems), although at this level they’re probably looking at a wooden spoon scrap. Melville have managed to beat Western Springs and Tauranga already so they’re making it count when they can, despite having the worst defensive record in the division. Laura Bennett’s got a lot to do with that – she’s scored five goals all on her own, more than Springs & Tauranga combined.
Men’s Central League
The grind doesn’t halt for Miramar Rangers who maintained their MCL lead with a 4-1 win against Petone, getting there courtesy of a hat-trick from Conor Gaul. Gaul (3’) and Adam Hewson (7’) had Miramar comfortably on top from the outset. Gaul would add another at the start of the second half (46’) before Ashtun Lake (54’) got Petone on the board. Gaul then completed his haul on 68’ and that was mission accomplished. Englishman Gaul has scored five times in his last three matches. Miramar drew with Wellington Olympic first up and have won four in a row since. Nice result for Jamie O’Connor as a former Petone coach now in charge of Miramar.
All the expected teams won in this comp. Waterside Karori vs FC Western was the closest with the Wharfies only winning 1-0. Goal scored by Oscar Crowe (28’). The wait goes on for Western to bag goal number tahi since promotion but they’ll be encouraged by a much more competitive contest this time, avoiding the late goals that had blow out some of their previous matches. That’s also a first win for Waterside Karori following four defeats to begin the season.
Wellington Olympic were in vintage form bursting out to a 3-0 lead against Island Bay United at half-time. Kieran McMinn (5’), Luke Stoupe (29’), and Devin Slingsby (35’) were responsible for that. Noah Boyce then made it four soon afterwards (49’). Timothy O’Farrell (70’) salvaged something for the visitors yet Boyce soon added his second of the day (73’) as it ended 5-1 to the Greeks. Quite a new look team for Olympic this year and it took a few games to find their feet but they’ve scored nine times in the last fortnight, punishing the bottom two clubs and reasserting their credentials.
Western Suburbs won 2-1 against Upper Hutt City. Cam Mackenzie (16’) and Kyle Carr (27’) put Wests on course for the three points, albeit there were some nerves after Donal Gahan (76’) closed the gap. The same scoreline was repeated between Napier City Rovers and Wellington Phoenix Reserves. Ben Trenberth, one of the fresher talents in this group (highly regarded through the age grades), put the WeeNix ahead at the break (42’) until an Auckland FC Reserves oldboy flipped the script in the second stanza - Sam Lack with a double (49’, 68’ pen). Lack’s been doing this for Napier for years despite only being 21yo and was only with AFC for a couple months, to be fair. First WeeNix appearances of the season for Jayden Smith, Willem Des Tombe, and Sam Law. Unlike the AFC Reserves, they haven’t signed anyone new for their U20s team with all the fresh players being promotions from their U18s. That U18s team, by the way, has won 5/5 in the Capital Premier League (third tier men’s footy). Jack Perniskie scored a brace in a 2-0 win over Greytown most recently. Trenberth’s goal is the only one that Napier City have conceded so far... and it came from a defensive giveaway. They’ve been superb.
Women’s Central League
There’s been another competitive swing in the WCL with Wellington United scoring a last-gasp winner to beat Waterside Karori 3-2 in a thriller at Newtown Park. Jemma Robertson put the Diamonds ahead in a hurry (4’) though an own goal tied it back up (24’) and then Karori nudged ahead when Natalie Orellana (64’) got on the scoresheet. Hannah Pilley made up for that with a goal on 76’... then up stepped Caroline O’Reilly on 90+5’ for some huuuuge drama. You know it’s going to be a great title race when there’s a rock-paper-scissors situation going on with Petone having beaten Wellington United, Waterside Karori having beaten Petone, and Wellington United beating Waterside Karori.
For their own business, Petone travelled to face Taradale and returned with a 7-1 victory. Pepi Olliver-Bell (12’) and Nova Hill (22’) started the onslaught. Megan Thomas made it 2-1 with a goal for Taradale (28’). Chelsea Whittaker (39’), Olivia Gibbs (44’), Emmy Lantz (60’), Marie Green (80’), and Jazz Shailer (85’) did the rest. Seven goals for Petone from seven different goal scorers. Most Petone games have been close but they also cut loose when they played Palmy Marist so maybe they’re just rude to the Central region teams. Speaking of which... Palmy Derby! Palmerston North United won 2-0 against Palmerston North Marist with Megan George (2’) and Annabel Irwin (41’) doing the goal-scoring thing. That was as expected based on earlier results – PN Marist have lost all four, conceding 23 goals in the process. Also Seatoun got a Jasmine Foster winner (75’) to beat Victoria University 1-0, a tidy win to keep the Students without a win and pocket a second three-pointer of their own.
That only leaves an entertaining game between the Wellington Phoenix U18s and Miramar Rangers. Jada Szeto put the Nix up 1-0 (2’), Iris Reweti-Gould made it 1-1 (39’) and then made it 2-1 to Miramar (54’), before Victoria George levelled up (68’) and with that the pair settled for a 2-2 draw. Not seeing the same success for the WeeNix as last season where they were defensively on par with the best in the division and capable of scoring against anyone. That’s because the likes of Katie Pugh, Freya des Fountain, and Holly Robins have moved up to the U20s, as they should. They were all involved as those U20s began their season this week with a 2-1 loss to Waterside Karori in the Boy’s U15s Capital Development League. That team also included Brooke Neary, Grace Bartlett, and Lily Brazendale who’ve all made A-League debuts. No new additions to this lot though apparently Mikaela Bangalan (NZ U17s and Fencibles) is on the way having featured off the bench in that aforementioned Auckland United friendly. She’s a central defender/defensive midfielder, little bit undersized but makes up for it by being very good on the ball. Amber De Wit played too, apparently not having left for her USA uni commitments yet.
Men’s Southern League
Righto did anyone slow down the Cashmere Technical train this week? The answer, predictably, is no. Tech won 6-0 against Nelson Suburbs to make it six wins on the bounce. 35 goals scored and only 2 conceded. Joe Hoole (30’) had already put the Techies ahead with a sweet chipped finish from thirty metres out. He’d have to be subbed with an injury soon after but a Garbhan Coughlan penalty (45+8’) ensured that nothing changed (even after Rory Hibbert, Hoole’s replacement, also had to be replaced at half-time). Zander Edwards scored a rapid brace to begin the second half (49’, 52’) and would later complete a hatty (67’). Coughlan scored once more before the end (90+3’). Cory Vickers was red carded for Nelson Subs (90+2’) for something that he did off the ball to earn a second booking. The top three scorers in the Southern League – Coughlan (8), Edwards (8) & Hibbert (5) – are all from Cashmere Tech.
Ferrymead Bays are still strolling along after they won 3-0 away against Dunedin City Royals. Goals from Luca Marson (8’), Jacob Killick (48’), and Treye Butler (68’). Striking early in halves is always a good idea. Could have been even worse for DCR because Alex Booomer may have been chipped for the first goal but he saved a penalty from Omar Cameron later in the first half. Another good victory for Ferrymead who have won every game except for the 5-0 loss to Cashmere Tech... meanwhile DCR have lost four in a row.
The best team in Dunedin at the moment is Northern and you can’t argue with it after another excellent result, this time drawing 1-1 away against Christchurch United. Zac Baird-Hodge (24’) had them ahead until Oliver Grosso (28’) levelled up and that was all the scoring complete. That’s 10 points from six matches for Northern who continue to battle beyond their reputation in their first season in the Southern League. The Rams have been sound defensively, only Tech have conceded fewer goals than CUFC’s six, but they’re not scoring enough and that’s why they’ve got a 2W-2D-2L record right now. Reinforcements will arrive after the Oceania Pro League but that’s still a little way away.
Selwyn were leading 1-0 after a Harry Brindley goal (14’) at home against Nomads. They ended up losing 5-3 with their other two goals not arriving until it was too later. Flynn Holdem (22’), Guy Reeves (55’), Own Goal (59’), William Turner (70’), and Jesse Burge (71’) made it a varied approach from Nomads. Holdem is up to four goals overall as he continues to lay it down before he leaves for university in America. Finlay Cotton (87’) and Blake Lang (90+1’) scored the consolations for Selwyn.
And a similar pattern was on show as Wānaka took the lead away against Coastal Spirit through Wynn Skinner (49’)... only to concede four unanswered before a late goal for Dillan Kahale (90+1’) made the final score more respectable. Coastal got their goals from Khalil Vanderpool-Nurse (60’), Leonardo Uribe (67’), Yusuf van Dam (73’), and Max Chretien (83’). That keeps Wānaka last after a fifth loss from six – they’re conceding an average of four goals per game, very much not ideal. Coastal once again leaked a late one but this time they’d scored enough that it didn’t matter. They did sub their keeper with five to go but that was only to give the backup a chance. Khalil Vanderpool-Nurse is a new addition who has played internationally for Barbados and was previously in the lower leagues of Sweden. Goal on debut, sweet as.
Women’s South Island League
Welcome in to the ladies of the south, where finally the sixth of our six top tier leagues (until they revamp things next year) finally got underway with a full set of Anzac weekend fixtures. Dunedin City Royals won the thing last year with Otago University in second... the first time since the South Island League was instated that it wasn’t won by a Christchurch club and they didn’t even find a place in the top two. But Cashmere Technical were the form team over the back half of the season, sweeping the second round of fixtures and making it to the Kate Sheppard Cup semis.
Cashy Tech have also done some fine work in the transfer space by bringing in Laney Strachan and Kailey Short from West Coast Rangers as well as bringing Dorothy Yek back to the city after a year in the Wellington Phoenix academy. Cashmere Tech had their work cut out away against Nelson Suburbs in week one though. Took them a long time to find a breakthrough at Saxton Fields... until Kailey Short (73’) sparked a strong finish from Tech with Margi Dias (79’) and Katie Brugh (86’) also on the scoresheet in a 3-0 victory. They got there in the end.
Dunedin City Royals began their title defence with an emphatic 7-0 win away against Roslyn-Wakari. Big news here is that Georgia Nixon, who was the star player for Otago Uni last season and then joined Southern United for the National League (where she became teammates with a bulk of this DCR squad), has now signed for the Royals. She celebrated her debut with a hat-trick. Nieve Collin also scored twice. Georgia Keen, an Aussie midfielder who has played two seasons for Southern, has also linked up with the Royals and she scored in her first match too. Goalkeeper Aliya Garrett (from Canada) and forward Jordyn Tribus (USA) sound like quality additions. They’re still the team to beat. Scoring went: Nixon (25’), Nixon (34’), Collin (49’), Keen (63’), Nixon (65’), Collin (69’), and Ruby Burgess (90+1’).
Otago University may have lost their star player but they’ve still got the likes of Samantha Woolley and Grace Va’afusuaga and Ruby Brathwaite and Jemma McCormick and other key contributors from last year. They won 2-0 against Coastal Spirit with goals from Brathwaite (77’) and Georgia Kennedy (90’) eventually breaking down the Spirit defences. Coastal don’t look like they’ll be at the level they were a few years ago but we’ll get a better idea when they play some of the other teams in the division.
Finally, there was a hectic meeting between NW United and Universities of Canterbury that ended 7-2 in favour of the Unis. Lola van der Suis put CU ahead after ten minutes but Abby Taylor equalised for NWU within a minute. Kyra Lazor (34’) and Lydia Gilbert (45’) then made it 3-1 to CU although a Jasmine Barrett strike (55’) meant it was poised to go either way with twenty minutes to go. At which point... Erin Roxburgh scored twice in a row (72’, 73’) and then Freida Wilson did the same later on (84’, 87’).
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