Men’s Central League

Well what do ya know, we’ve had another twist in the tale of the Men’s Central League after Reilly Marlow-Jones scored for Western Suburbs in a 1-0 win over Miramar Rangers. There were 75 minutes gone at Endeavour Park when RMJ found a pocket of space at the top of the box and picked out the bottom corner. It wasn’t the big name high-scoring imports Kyle Carr (Wests) or Martin Bueno (Rangers) who made the difference but a 22yo attacking midfielder who has come up the ranks with Western Suburbs to become a pretty handy first-team presence – this was his third goal of the season.

With Miramar losing for the first time, that’s allowed Wellington Olympic to jump ahead of them on goal difference following a 3-0 win away against Waterside Karori. Goals from Luke Stoupe (29’), Kailan Gould (72’), and Ben Mata (84’) made for a fine win from the Greeks to carry on their strong form. Tam Dimairo played his 100th game for the club... who have already won away against Western Suburbs, FC Western, and Waterside Karori which is notable because they all play on grass surfaces and last year Wellington Olympic only took two points from three games on grass (lost to Miramar, drew with Wests and Napier). This year they’ve already got 10 from four (those three wins plus a draw vs Miramar).

Napier City Rovers might have something to say about that top spot. They were in a dose of trouble trailing 1-0 at home against FC Western as the whistle for half-time sounded. Scott Manning with the goal there (15’) – Western didn’t score a single goal until their sixth match but that’s now three games in a row that they’ve at least found the back of the net. But they still lost each of those games. Whatever Bill Robertson said at the break worked wonders because Rovers returned to score six unanswered: Luca Barclay (46’), own goal (52’), Callum Cooke (59’, 61’, 77’ pen), and Leo Brown (84’). 6-1 to Napier City. Cooke and Brown are among their new import crop... no club scouts those foreigners as well as Napier City always seem to. Hatty for the former England U18s international Cooke. Looks like Napier City are playing their game in hand (vs Island Bay) over the upcoming long weekend, doubling up with the Chatham Cup – a Saturday to Monday turnaround – and if they win by five goals then they’ll overtake Wellington Olympic with the same amount of games played.

Island Bay United won 2-0 against Petone thanks to the combined efforts of Tsar Mitchener (1’) and Tyson Dellow (19’). Weirdly, none of IBU’s eight games have been decided by less than two goals. Four wins and four losses, all by multi-goal margins. Within that they’ve lost to the top three teams and beaten the bottom three teams so you get what you expect with IBU, it would seem. Meanwhile, Upper Hutt City grabbed a 1-0 victory against the Wellington Phoenix Reserves. Rio Winkworth got the decisive goal after an hour of action when he curled an inswinging corner directly into the net. Disappointing result for the WeeNix who ought to be doing better than two wins from eight with a team that regularly includes multiple A-League players (Anaru Cassidy, Nathan Walker, Eamonn McCarron & Jayden Smith all started this one while Xuan Loke appeared off the bench). Granted, they are also embedding a bunch of the next wave with current NZ U17s contenders Jack Clegg and Ben Trenberth given starts again this week. Trenberth doesn’t even turn 16 for another two weeks and he’s started the last six games in a row for this team. Huge talent.

Women’s Central League

It’s a good thing that Petone keep the cameras on for their home games because it means that nobody had to miss their 10-0 demolition of Victoria University. Absolutely thumped them. Goal sequence: Pepi Olliver-Bell (3’), Ellie Johnson (5’), Jazz Shailer (15’), POB again (20’), Chelsea Whittaker (33’), Kate Marra (43’), Marie Green (53’), Beth Whiteside (61’), Emmy Lantz (70’), and Phoebe Gray (83’). That’s nine different goal scorers... almost everyone got in on the party. Commiserations to Erika Saxby, Samantha Miller, and Nova Hill who were the only outfield starters not to find the net. Petone needed this hefty win for goal difference sake too, seeing as they now find themselves in a title race with free-scoring Waterside Karori and Wellington United. Vic Uni have been struggling, still yet to win a game, but the odd thing about their season is that they’ve allowed 19 goals in two games against Petone and Welly Utd and never more than one in any other fixture.

Wellington United won 3-1 against Miramar Rangers. Close game for much of the way with Iris Reweti-Gould putting Rangers ahead after 50 minutes... only for Hannah Pilley (62’, 73’) and Jemma Robertson (70’) to go on a little blitz for the Diamonds. Pilley has scored 12 goals to be leading the Golden Boot charts. Last year’s top three from the National League phase are all playing in the Aussie state leagues now but Pilley stuck around and has happily taken on that extra responsibility. This was Pilley’s 50th game for the club (during which she’s scored 42 goals) – she scored four in their KS Cup game so overall that’s 16 goals in only nine games in 2026.

Waterside Karori were too good for the Wellington Phoenix U18s... but only just. The WeeNix U20s had a week off with so many of them away with the New Zealand U20s – who pocketed a pair of draws against their Australian counterparts during the past week, really promising results with a World Cup on the horizon for them. That meant that Katie Pugh was free to dip into U18s footy and she scored twice. Her first goal had the WeeNix up (10’) until Natalie Orellana levelled for the Wharfies (19’). Pugh then put the Nix back ahead on 41’ before another U20s regular, Maisy McDonald, made it 3-1 at the break (45+3’).

It fell upon Sophie Burchfield to get Karori back within range (49’) but then Jayden Watts got a second yellow and the task became even trickier. Eh, not to worry. That’s what Amelia Abbott is for. Actually it’s not, you don’t usually turn to your defensive midfielder in those situations, however it worked this time with Abbott equalising with ten to go and then winning it in stoppages. 3-2 to Waterside Karori. Sienna Candy and Holly Robins were other U20 regulars who played this game for the WeeNix as they gave it a good nudge against one of the region’s very best.

Palmerston North Marist and Seatoun played out a 1-1 draw. Ruby-Aroha Gurnick put PNM ahead after 10 minutes while Amy Foster later ensured a share of the points (66’) for Seatoun. Both teams benefit from that result by edging a further point above the two teams at the bottom. One of those teams is Vic Uni. The other is Taradale who were beaten 4-3 in a thriller against Palmerston North United. Megan Thomas made it 1-0 to Tara (4’). Annabel Irwin made it 1-1 for PNU (34’). Abby Winterburn put the home side back in front (45’). Melissa McKenna said not so fast (58’). Samantha Waru said what did you just say (62’). Irwin said you heard it loud and clear (73’). And eventually Paris Liu grabbed an 87th minute winner. PNU trailed three separate times and still came back to win, backing it up after their shock win against Karori last round.

Men’s Southern League

Nothing out of the ordinary from Cashmere Technical this week. They travelled south to where Dunedin City Royals were waiting for them... and scored six goals with a clean sheet. Another huge victory. They were 6-0 up after 50 minutes so it was merciful of them to take their foot off the accelerator from there. Garbhan Coughlan got his usual hat-trick (17’, 44’, 47’) while Yuya Taguchi (3’, 39’) and Zander Edwards (23’) also chipped in. That’s nine wins outta nine with 48 goals scored and three conceded for Technical – they should bring up their half-century next game (only Christchurch United, in a 2-0 loss, have been able to restrict the Techies to less than five goals so far). Coughlan has scored 19 goals and the next top scorer only has nine... and that next top scorer is his own teammate Zander Edwards. The next best from another team is Flynn Holdem (Nomads) and Lennon Whewell (Nelson Subs) with six each. So... Coughers has more than three times the goals of any other Southern League team’s top scorer.

It’s obscene how far ahead Cashmere are of everyone else... although in terms of points they’re actually only five clear of Ferrymead Bays who had a beauty of a 3-2 win away versus Nelson Suburbs. All the scoring happened in the first half with Nelson Subs going up 2-0 through Johnny Reynolds (8’) and the aforementioned Lennon Whewell (11’)... only for Cory Vickers to get a red card after 17 minutes and next thing you knew Omar Cameron (40’, 44’) and Noa Prestel (42’) had led a five-minute splurge that ended up swinging the game for Bays. Nelson Suburbs only lost once at home last season but they’ve already dropped three games this time around. Ferrymead Bays conceded five goals in one game against Cashmere (their only loss) and have conceded a further five goals in their other eight games combined, winning all except one of them (1-1 draw with Nomads). We’ll see if the dynamic changes with the Pro League wrapping up and some of those South Island United players perhaps rejoining club teams (most likely Christchurch United who run that show – and desperately need the help) but right now Ferrymead Bays are clearly the second best team on the island.

It was Wānaka 0-2 Nomads United despite Nomads getting a red card early. See, it can be done. Joshua Collett was marched (22’) with the game scoreless yet Kenny Willox (33’) and Flynn Holdem (45’) still disturbed the net as Nomads held onto third place. They’ve already had away wins against Dunedin City, Wānaka, Nelson Subs, and Selwyn. Add in their home win against Coastal and that means they’ve won games in all five represented cities/townships of the 2026 Southern League: Dunedin, Wānaka, Rolleston, Christchurch, and Nelson. How’s that for a piece of trivia? No wonder they call them Nomads.

Northern AFC were the only home team to win in the Southern League this round. They beat Selwyn United 3-1 with Alex Dale (35’) and Joshua Kotkamp (39’) getting things started before Finlay Cotton pulled one back (75’) only for Toby Orchison (77’) to immediately respond and that was that. Northern have won 4/4 at home and 0/4 (one draw, three losses) away. That’s mostly because they’ve hosted the better teams and been away to the weaker teams though.

And Christchurch United’s worries continue after a 2-0 loss to Coastal Spirit at United Sports Centre. Goals for Coastal scored by Khalil Vanderpool-Nurse (60’) and Jack Mitchell (89’). Even if the Rams do get players back from the Pro League, they’re already 14 points beyond second place at the halfway stage of the fixture list. Eight points from nine games. Tough to recover from here, meaning that next year’s National League qualification is probably gonna have to be the main focus. That five-year weighted formula could save them since in the past five years the Rams have been champs in 2022 and 2023, third in 2024, and second in 2025. Their main rivals for that place will be Coastal Spirit who have gone from sixth to third to second to first but probably can’t do better than second this time around which might not be enough even if Christchurch Utd do continue to flame out. The formula is weighted more towards recent results though which’ll keep it pretty close. But someone else can do the maths to say for sure. This is merely a roundup yarn.

Women’s South Island League

That game that the whole South Island has been waiting for was Dunedin City Royals vs Cashmere Technical. Last year’s champions against this year’s pace-setters. True to reputations there was very little between them... but Cashmere Tech scored late in each half for a 2-0 victory. Margi Dias with a penalty on 44’, Katie Brugh with the clincher on 90’. With that, Tech remain in top spot with a perfect 4/4 record having scored 15 goals and conceded only three, and Dias remains the league’s top scorer with seven goals. Every other team in the division has lost at least once. Dunedin City have a game in hand that could send them as high as second with a win – it’s early days yet but it seems pretty clear that DCR and CT ought to be the top two when all the dust settles.

Then again, Universities of Canterbury are putting up a case after winning 3-0 vs Coastal Spirit. That’s their third win already, all of them by at least three-goal margins, with their only defeat coming against Cashmere Tech (also by a three-goal margin). Goals were scored by Livia Deane (45’), Erin Roxburgh (62’), and Holly Lyon (83’). Roxburgh (4 goals) and Deane (3 goals) have been doing this pretty regularly for UC. All three of their goals here came from attackers breaking the offside trap, the first two from runs onto through balls and the third from a deep cross to an unmarked Lyon. UC vs Otago Uni next week should be a goodie.

Otago University were held 1-1 away to Roslyn-Wakari. Lili Clouston-Cain (12’) gave them an early lead but that was cancelled out by a Yui Ishikawa penalty (54’) and unusually for them, Otago Uni couldn’t find a winner from there. Great defensive shift from RW, who have been on the end of a couple of hefty defeats already (7-0 vs DCR; 4-0 vs UC) but this was the kind of point that could give them a spark moving forwards.

Also, credit to Nelson Suburbs who made the trip down for a 4-0 win against NW United. Tessa Hyland (2’) and Jordan Lande (26’) put them in control nice and quickly before Abi Platt added to the advantage just before the half (45’). Hyland then scored her second (64’) to sign, seal, and deliver the three points. Nelson Subs hadn’t scored in either of their first two games and then they bagged four all at once for their first win. Not looking good for NWU though, having shipped 17 goals in four games without even facing Cashmere Tech or Dunedin City yet.

Men’s Northern League

Stop the press... Manukau United won a game! They pipped Tauranga City in dramatic fashion for a 3-2 result, their first win of the campaign at the eleventh attempt to move level with Bay Olympic on points (albeit still a fair way adrift on goal difference, keeping them last). They were 1-0 down after 35 mins when Colby Brennan scored his third of the campaign but Ibrahim Nadir drew Manukau level just before HT (45’). Colin Innes then restored Tauranga’s lead on 67’ and with ten minutes to go that was still how the game was poised when suddenly Manukau snapped up a penalty which Nadir converted (82’) before new signing Ryan Revill pounced in stoppage time (90+2’) for the late heroics. Revill was part of the Auckland FC Reserves last season before leaving mid-season to join Fencibles for more game time. There he was a teammate of current Manukau played Freddie Gibbins so maybe that’s how it happened. Rhys Ruka is also the coach at Fencies and he both played for and coached at MU so there’s another connection. Whatever the story, Manukau have already seen Russell Currie and Jama Boss leave after scoring goals for them so it’s about time it happened the other way around. 3-2 to Manukau United. Let’s see if this gets them going – sometimes a crazy win like that is all it takes.

Auckland City 4-0 Melville United... that’s about as predicted given how good Auckland City have suddenly become. Five wins on the trot for the Navy Blues now. Goals were scored by Michal Doudera (44’), Angus Kilkolly (56’), Bono Kacurov (84’ pen), and Shaan Anand (90’)... so a couple late ones to stretch it out, to be fair. That’s five goals in his last four games for the Kilkolly while another veteran forward celebrated his 250th appearance for the club with this match: Ryan de Vries. Give the ball to Ryan, that’s what they’re always signing down at Kiwitea Street. Cool to see 18yo Anand beginning to have a real impact for this team too. And of course it was also a special day for the club getting to see their former captain Cam Howieson in the spotlight as Auckland FC won the A-League grand final later that same night. Plenty of evidence out there that the best players in the National Leagues are good enough to step up to the professional realms if given the chance. Way more successes than failures from this scouting pool.

Auckland FC also won the OFC Pro League grand final on Sunday, beating South Melbourne 2-0, with a squad built mostly from the NZ National League so there’s another example of where this stuff can take you. The only AFC team that didn’t live up to the billing this week was the Auckland FC Reserves who were beaten 1-0 at home by Eastern Suburbs on Friday night, with Hector Echague scoring the only goal for the Lilywhites after 77 mins. Yet another game that’s gotten away from Rory Fallon’s boys in the latter stages. First appearance this year for goalkeeper Blake Callinan, who was also on the bench for the Pro League team two days later (he’s played four times for the OPL side). Make that clean sheet number eight for Eastern Suburbs – the first two for Oliver Pocock, the next six for Jack de Groot. Since losing 2-1 to Birko in late March, the Lilywhites have conceded just two goals in 900 minutes of football.

There was a little bit of an upset when Auckland United won 3-0 against visiting East Coast Bays. Ben Wallace (9’), Jack Beer (38’), and Jedd White (82’) all scored. That was just the second defeat for ECB this year and it really jams the National League hunt with spots 2-5 on the table now separated by just two points... while Birkenhead United have gone eight clear after a 6-0 triumph against Bay Olympic. Monty Patterson scored twice in the first half with Charles Bidwell also involved. Then Josh Redfearn scored twice in the second half with Miles Palmer also involved. In terms of goals conceded, Birko’s defence is equally as good as Eastern Suburbs (four conceded in 11 games) yet they’ve scored twice as many themselves. That’s why they’re top of the pops. Same goes for Monty Patterson whose 8 goals now have him leading the Golden Boot stocks.

And finally there was surprise at Seddon Park where Fencibles United rolled up and smoked Western Springs 6-0 with goals from Kodie Nicol (22’, 26’), Ronaldo Munoz (44’), Connor Probert (56’), Dastgeer Lai-Sai (90’)... and somebody else scored in there too (76’) but it hasn’t been reported. Obviously Russell Currie getting sent off after half an hour for the Swans had a big say in that outcome... granted, they were already two goals adrift when that happened. Fencies had gone four games without a win so this was one hell of a response, especially for a team who before this game had a 0-1-3 record in away games (with a -8 goal difference in those fixtures). Western Springs have lost to five of the six teams currently above them which is a good way to go about not qualifying for this year’s National League. Could put them at risk for next year’s revamped one too... although the five-year weighted results thing works in their favour since Fencies and ECB above them don’t have the longer-term results to fall back upon.

Women’s NRFL Premiership

Western Springs scored! And Western Springs won! Roughly 21 minutes into their ninth game, Rosa Muru put one over the line to finally give the Swans a goal following eight consecutive scoreless games, all of them defeats. Muru has played for the Aotearoa Maori Football team and last year won Player of the Year for the WSAFC development team. Melville United did hit back with Evie Wilson making it 1-1 right out of the gates in the second half... but sometimes lighting does strike twice and after waiting 741 minutes for their first goal of the season, their second arrived less than an hour later and nobody could have been more deserving of that than the captain Sienna Makwana (75’), one of the few players from last year’s National League squad who is still with the club. 2-1 to Western Springs. Two goals and three points.

Springs have lured another one of the old crew back: Cleo Carmichael had transferred to Ellerslie but the Ben Bate coaching switch must have turned her head because she turned up off the bench for the Swans here. Melville beat Western Springs in Auckland at the start of the season so there have been away wins in both of these meetings. Stink timing for Melville who were without their star player Laura Bennett due to NZ U20s duty... although they did welcome Shion Hwang back. A couple of years ago, Hwang was scoring silly quantities of goals for this team when they were down a division. She moved to Eastern Suburbs to get a taste of the NRFL Premiership and then went over to Queens University of Charlotte for a season. Now she’s back where it began at Melville – a much needed alternative scoring threat given how Bennett has scored 6/12 goals for them to date.

There were only three top flight club teams affected by that U20s tour. The Wellington Phoenix and various USA universities have already snapped up most of the best players in that age range and with a couple Aussie based players brought in for a look that only left Laura Bennett (Melville), Charley March (Auckland United), and Emily Lyon (West Coast Rangers) having to miss domestic games. Well, it was Auckland United vs West Coast Rangers this week so the damage was shared equally. Auckland United scored first through Rena Okutsu (30’) with a stunning free kick that whipped and swerved and was absolutely unsaveable. But that was their only breach of the WCR defence and even without their top scorer, Rangers still brought the drama as Shannon Henson nodded home a flick across by Marissa Porteous for an 87th minute equaliser. Sceeeeeeenes. 1-1 final score.

Auckland United remain undefeated but that’s now two draws on their card to go with the eight wins... leaving the door open for Eastern Suburbs who are three points back with a game in hand. Even fourth-placed WCR are only six points back. There’s a chasm between the top half and the bottom half this season. Nice (partial) revenge for Rangers after they were beaten by a late goal last time they face AUFC.

No dramas for Eastern Suburbs with a 2-0 win over Ellerslie. Goals in each half from Erika Skindlov (17’) and Juliette Lucas (73’ pen). They’re also undefeated and have kept six clean sheets in nine matches. Ellerslie seem like they’ve got a pretty decent squad but they’ve lost every game they’ve played so far against the top four... hence whey there’s already an 11-point gap between them in fifth and WCR in fourth.

In the other game, Fencibles United travelled to face Tauranga Moana and won 4-0 with goals from Mihiro Kisu (19’), Rosie Missen (32’), Louise Turley (41’), and an own goal (47’). Fencies did what they needed to do... plus it looks like they’ve picked up Carolyn O’Reilly from Wellington Olympic, who popped up off the bench. They even met her halfway, driving to Tauranga to pick her up. This after they grabbed Natalie Young from the Phoenix Academy last week – two fantastic midfield additions as Fencies try to stick tight with the rest of the top four. Young played ninety minutes here in her second appearance. Bit of pressure on Tauranga Moana suddenly... with Western Springs winning that means that pair are equal on points with only a slightly better goal difference keeping Tauranga out of last place.

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