Aotearoa Domestic Football Roundup – May 5
Women’s Central League
The new-look Wellington Phoenix U18s have put a notch in the win column at the fourth attempt. They won 4-1 away against a struggling Palmerston North Marist side that has now lost five in a row. Amelie McClintock (7’), Piper Rickey (9’, 41’) and Paige Doran (90+2’) got the goals for the WeeNix while Ruby-Aroha Gurnick (56’) at least gave the home fans something to appreciate. Slightly stronger Nix U18s this time around with Alyssha Eglinton and Libby McMillan dropping down to help out from the Reserves. Eglinton is 19yo so obviously they must be allowed a certain amount of overage players same as the Ressies are. Another cool touch is that injured first team import Tessel Middag was listed as a coach on the teamsheet for both this and the U20s game over the weekend. Great to see them finding ways to keep her involved.
Speaking of the Nix U20s, they drew 1-1 with Island Bay United U15 Boys in their second match of the term. Didn’t get to see a Mikaela Bangalan debut because she was busy playing A-League finals instead but Eglinton and L.McMillan backed up their starts on Saturday with the U18s by starting on Sunday with the U20s (assuming there’s no mistake with the match centre info which is always a risk). There was also a debut there for former Northern Rovers goalkeeper Addie Ferris who recently made the move to Wellywood.
Moving on, Petone won 3-0 against Palmerston North United. An own goal after five minutes began the job and then a Chelsea Whittaker brace completed it (26’, 76’). Petone have only conceded four goals in six outings and this was their third clean sheet. They had a great defence last year too, it’s the fact that they’ve scored 23 goals at an average of almost four per game, finding the net in every single match (including a win vs Wellington United and a loss vs Waterside Karori – the other clubs in the top three), which legitimises them in what’s looking like a three-headed title race.
A Trinity Mairs goal straight after half-time was enough to give Miramar Rangers a 1-0 win over Victoria University. Vic Uni remain winless after four attempts with that while Miramar leap up into the midtable. The other two games were hefty victories. Wellington United won 7-2 way against Seatoun. First half was the Hannah Pilley show as the Diamonds’ creative force scored four times (12’, 15’ pen, 45’, 45+4’). Seatoun then hauled a couple goals back via Hanna McCallum (55’) and Amy Foster (67’)... so Pilley had to return to work with a fifth goal (74’) before Jemma Robertson (77’) and Miranda Webb (88’) blew it out a little further. Hannah Collinson-Smith was red carded after only 14 mins, presumably something to do with the penalty that Pilley scored, so in that light Seatoun getting it to 4-2 at one stage looks quite impressive.
And if you thought that was emphatic then you didn’t see what Waterside Karori did to Taradale. It went: Sophie Burchfield (22’), Burchfield (33’), Jessica Woodside (35’), Natalie Orellana (38’), Chloe Mattock (45+1’), Margot Ramsay (48’), Renee Bacon (59’), Orellana (78’), Sherize Concessio (89’) for a 10-0 scoreline. Decent way to rebound after losing 3-2 to the Diamonds last week. The Wharfies have scored 36 goals in six matches from 12 different goal scorers including Renee Bacon who leads the league with nine. American import Burchfield is going great with seven to her name already as well.
Men’s Central League
There were two goals scored by home teams in the Men’s Central League this week... and 18 goals scored by away teams. Contributing very heavily towards that lopsided count were leaders Miramar Rangers whose fine form under new coach Jamie O’Connor continued with a 6-0 win away against Waterside Karori. It was only two at the break thanks to Adam Hewson (30’) and Martin Bueno (39’), then Hewson pocketed a second (50’) to take it beyond reach before an own goal (73’), Sam Gates (85’), and Andy Bevin (90+2’) wrapped up a healthy goal difference booster. Hewson’s scored three goals in two weeks, the Napier City signing doing fine work at his new club. Interesting that this was only Bueno’s second goal of the term as the reigning Golden Boot in the region... but it’s hardly mattered with Miramar currently nursing a 5W, 1D, 0L record after the six rounds. 16 goals scored and only two conceded. They’re setting the pace (and putting themselves in a great position to nail down 2027 National League status).
Wellington Olympic won heavily as well. They went to Maidstone Park and beat Upper Hutt City by a 6-1 scoreline, with Donal Gahan’s 88th min consolation coming long after the damage had been done by the visitors. Olympic’s scorers: Ben Campbell (8’), Devin Slingsby (32’), Will Vincent (41’), Seb Barton-Ginger (56’), Jack-Henry Sinclair (69’), and then one more for Barton-Ginger (75’). Six of the starting eleven for Olympic were new signings this year (including Luke Stoupe who got a headstart as an U20s loanee for the National League) and it would appear, ominously, as though they’re beginning to click. After a slow start, the Greeks have now scored 15 goals in their last three matches (vs Western, Island Bay, and Upper Hutt). They already have 11 different goal scorers (12 if you count Mr Own Goal). That was Will Vincent’s first goal for the club coming in his 58th appearance.
The other reason for all the visiting chaos was that Western got smacked down at home by Island Bay United. No secret that Western were going to struggle this season as an underdog promoted club but they’ve mostly been able to keep things tight at least in first halves thus far. This was not that. Tsar Mitchener scored a hat-trick (including two penalties) as things got out of hand very quickly. It went: Mitchener (7’), Spencer Gable (20’), own goal (28’), Mitchener (35’ pen), and Mitchener (38’ pen). No fun for Western who have still not scored a goal after five outings. However, a wonderful bounce back win from IBU following that heavy loss to Welly Olympic a week earlier.
Good game between Western Suburbs and the Wellington Phoenix Reserves, ending 1-0 in favour of Wests thanks to a 34th min goal from Dakota Brady. Also a great livestream/highlights package for that one courtesy of Kiwi Sports Network who’ve been doing a bit of work with Wests this year. Best give them a follow so we can encourage a more ambitious standard of broadcasting with the local footy than the standard auto-cam on a stick that we get on all the FIFA+ streams. The even have an overhead drone camera!
Brady’s goal was great finish from outside the box, beating Eamonn McCarron as it hit the inside of the post on its way into the net. The Nix did start brightly but the goal came off the back of some sustained pressure from the home side and Wests then held down the fort in an increasingly chippy second spell. The Nix did think for just a brief second that they’d found a stunning equaliser when Hayden Thomas (pretty sure it was him, might be wrong) put an overhead kick into the net only to be immediately flagged offside. Bonus points for style. There’s plenty to like about the way that the WeeNix are integrating guys like Jack Perniskie, Willem des Tombe, Charlie Hale, and Ben Trenberth into the Reserves... but that’s a third loss in a row for this lot and with a core of A-League experienced guys around the younger lads (Xuan Loke, Eamonn McCarron, Nathan Walker, Jayden Smith, and Ryan Lee all started this game) they ought to be doing better than they are. Those three defeats were against Miramar, Napier, and Wests though so very tricky fixtures.
And respect must go to Napier City Rovers for a 1-0 win away to Petone which keeps them undefeated with only a postponement preventing them from potentially being level on points with Miramar. Rovers got the win through Callum Cooke’s 53rd minute goal combined with yet another clean sheet. William Tønning has returned to Napier City and conceded just once in 450 minutes, the Danish import was the best goalkeeper in the 2024 National League and now he’s back and picking up where he left off. NCR aren’t scoring a whole lot of goals at the moment but they don’t need to when their defence is that sharp.
Women’s South Island League
Dunedin took South Island League dominance over Christchurch last year thanks to the mahi of Dunedin City Royals (champs) and Otago University (runners up). This week those two clubs played each other in round two... and wouldn't you believe it, it was Georgia Nixon who scored the opening goal (20’). Arguably Otago Uni’s best player in that brilliant 2025 campaign... but she’s now playing for DCR so this was a goal against her old team. Abby Rankin also got in on the action (48’) before Bridget Merkel (57’) got the Students back within range. 2-1 was how it finished though. Points on the board for the defending champs.
Cashmere Technical are looking like DCR’s most likely challengers. They also played a university club this week, winning 5-2 away against Universities of Canterbury. Liv Deane put UC ahead inside five minutes but by half-time it was Tech leading 2-1 via goals from Margi Dias (30’) and Dorothy Yek (41’). Again UC were able to strike early in a half with Kyra Lazor (50’) making it 2-2. However, that only lasted as long as it took Cashmere to get the ball to Margi Dias again (51’) – there were only 42 seconds between those two goals - with Darsha Keogan (59’) and Anya Stephan (77’) also scoring to avoid any more funny business. Dorothy Yek is back after a year in the Wellington Phoenix Academy, hers was a great finish after initially getting stopped by keeper Danja Jamieson in a 1v1.
NW United and Roslyn-Wakari played out a classic with a 3-3 draw. Morgan MacCormick (7’) had RW ahead initially. NWU then took control with a 3-1 lead after Millie Hayes (23’), Jemma Creed (30’), and Rebecca Gillet (50’) all struck the back of the net. MacCormick made it 3-2 with a quick response to that third concession (56’)... and then right at the end she completed her hatty for the comeback point (87’). MacCormick’s originally from the Waikato but it studying at Otago Uni – this is her second year at the club.
Unfortunately that game wasn’t livestreamed on the Mainland Football channel whereas Coastal Spirit 0-0 Nelson Suburbs was. Oh well, can’t predict these things. Clean sheets for Amelia Simmers (CS) and Simonne MacManus (NS). Both these clubs had lost in week one so that’s a mutually acceptable draw to get the points tally underway – even if it means neither have scored a goal yet. No team has lost both games in the Women’s South Island League, everybody’s got at least a draw already.
Men’s Southern League
Credit’s gotta go to Christchurch United here because they faced Cashmere Technical this round and did something that no other team has been able to do this year. They didn’t win, didn’t even draw... but they did keep the Techies to a mere two goals. Cashmere’s scoring by game had gone 5, 4, 5, 9, 6, 6. They only won 2-0 against the Rams though, with a goal in each half for Garbhan Coughlan (35’ pen, 89’). The penalty was for a handball after a sumptuous first touch in the box from Coughlan, who then drilled his cross into an arm at close range. Hugely unlucky for Christchurch Utd who then didn’t concede again until near the end when GC flicked home at the near post from a free kick delivery. Make that 13 goals already for Coughlan, who is yet again making the Top Scorer charts look a little crazy...
If you were waiting impatiently for the Northern vs Coastal Spirit score then keep waiting because fog caused flight cancellations which caused a postponement to that fixture. But Nomads United were able to travel north to face Nelson Suburbs... and beat them 4-1. Surprising result given that Suburbs usually have such a strong home advantage. Guy Reeves initially made it 1-0 to Nomads (35’), then Angus McIntyre (60’), Flynn Holdem (67’), and William Turner (69’) scored in quick succession to take the game away from their hosts. Clancey Skea’s 78th min goal was mere consolation – although it did mark the 20yo American’s first goal in kiwi football. Five goals already this season for Flynn Holdem as the teenaged striker continues to bang away goals ahead of his move to UMBC in the States later in the year. He’s currently the top non-Cashmere scorer in the Southern League.
Ferrymead Bays won 3-0 against Selwyn United with goals from Liam Stanton (4’), Omar Cameron (40’), and Jacob Killick (74’). Bays remain perfect outside of getting thrashed by Cashmere, with six wins out of six against the rest of the league. That’s a decent gap they’re opening up between themselves in second and everyone else. Selwyn, on the other hand, are last. They trail Dunedin City Royals on goal difference after DCR were beaten 2-1 by Wānaka. Royals led through Cato Williams (7’) but an own goal (24’) and a Zack Adams-Biggs strike (41’) turned the tables before the break and that’s the way it stayed. Royals have lost a few players from last year (defenders Ben Campbell and Jack Julian going to Wellington Olympic seem to have been tough ones to replace) and after a promising start they’ve since lost five in a row.
Women’s NRFL Premiership
Game of the round over these parts was for sure a bit of Auckland United vs Ellerslie and it did not disappoint. AUFC were generous enough to leave Maggie Jenkins on the bench for all but the final fifteen minutes... but she still scored the winner from the penalty spot deep into stoppage time in a 3-2 result. United took the lead after 45 seconds when Olivia Ingham smashed one top bins (seven goals for the former Phoenix winger, she’s settling in nicely). But they didn’t really kick on and Cilla Fa'afua scored a screamer from about thirty metres out (38’) to level things up for the Ponies. Shev Edwards restored the lead on 63’ after being teed up by Aniela Jensen only for Hannah Barclay to pretty quickly make it 2-2 (69’).
Fast-forward to the very end where AUFC were given a spot kick amidst a scramble from a Talisha Green free kick. Seems to have been a handball in there somewhere. Maggie Jenkins didn’t miss. 16 goals in seven matches plus a brace in that friendly against the Phoenix. She’s scored in every game she’s played. Ellerslie do have the honour of being the first team to score multiple goals against this incarnation of AUFC but that’s all they got out of the match. Devastating way for it to get away from them at the end.
Western Springs made some more improvements in a 2-0 loss to Fencibles at Seddon Fields. Samoan international Angelique TuiSamoa made her first appearance of the year in goal which always helps. Hannah Saxon showed up too, an NZ U17s international formerly at Eastern Suburbs. More good signs since Ben Bate took over... alas they still haven’t scored a goal after 540 minutes of trying. Fencies have a very classy defence, to be fair, and with this they made it five wins out of six thanks to goals from Tineke de Jong (22’) and Rosie Missen (45+7’).
Unfortunately, the teams from outside Auckland both got thrashed. Melville United welcomed Eastern Suburbs to town and shipped seven without response. Rebekah van Dort (28’), Ella Findlay (43’), own goal (45’), Erika Skindlov (50’), Anna McPhie (58’), Nicole Mettam (60’), and Zoe Brazier (85’) in a 7-0 win for the Lilywhites. Nothing to worry about there as Eastern Subs stay undefeated. Tauranga Moana welcomed West Coast Rangers to town and also shipped seven though they at least did have a response. This one got ugly straight off the bat with Taylor Vujnovich (2’), Shannon Henson (4’), and Marissa Porteous (6’) making it 3-0 before the jug had even boiled. Emily Lyon (23’, 40’) and a second for Henson (33’) had it 6-0 at half-time. But Rangers cooled off in the second spell. Belle Ririnui got Tauranga on the board on 86’ and then Arisa Kida (90+1’) gave WCR the last laugh. 7-1 final score. Emily Lyon now has 10 goals to be leading the Secondary Golden Boot stakes (aka the Golden Boot excluding Maggie Jenkins).
Men’s Northern League
For a wee while there, last placed Manukau United were leading first placed Birkenhead United after Russell Currie’s eighth minute strike... albeit only for about five minutes until Monty Patterson scored to level things up. It was still 1-1 as the half-time orange slices were served aaaand then the quality of Birko shone through as it has done repeatedly this year with an own goal (50’), a second for Patterson (64’), and efforts from Miles Palmer (73’) and Evan Paez (83’) adding enough goals to bank a 5-1 victory. Manukau have one point from eight fixtures. Birkenhead have 22 points from eight fixtures. Top vs bottom ended up going just as predicted.
In second place is East Coast Bays after they pulled another rabbit from the hat with Marius Zabarauskas converting a 90+2nd min penalty kick for a 2-1 victory against the Auckland FC Reserves. Finn McKenlay had earlier scored a spot kick of his own (6’) before Louis Wickreseema (44’) had equalised right before the break. AFC gave half a game each to Dejaun Naidoo and Isa Prins in between OPL windows – it was Prins who won the penalty with some typically mazy dribbling - while McKenlay and Adama Coulibaly brought a bit of fringe A-League pedigree. First start for Damion Kim in there too (while Sean Kane sat this one out, meaning James Elder is the only player to have featured in all seven games for AFC).
But ECB are the masters of the late show and AFC are whatever the opposite of that is called. Already this season, Bays have scored a stoppage time equaliser vs Birko, a 78th min winner vs Western Springs, and two stoppage time goals to win 4-2 vs Fencibles. Now you can add a stoppage time winner vs AFC as well. Meanwhile the Auckland Ressies have managed to blow a 3-0 lead vs AUFC (to draw 3-3), conceded a stoppage time equaliser vs Tauranga, conceded both an equaliser and then a winner in added time against Fencies... and now this. One team keeps grabbing points with late goals and one team keeps losing them in the same fashion. Those patterns did not change at Bay City Field.
The Auckland City revival continued with a 4-1 win away to Bay Olympic. This was ACFC coach Rudy Mozr against one of his former clubs and he had a ball with it. Dylan Manickum didn’t get to keep the captain’s armband for good luck, with Mario Ilich returning to the side, but he did back up his superb performance last week with a couple more wonderful goals (26’, 35’) before Reggie Murati (38’) made it 3-0 at the half. Murati then scored an own goal (69’) but Angus Kilkolly (77’) cancelled that out soon enough. Rare start in goal for Sebastian Ciganda in this match. ACFC have had consecutive 4-1 wins with Nikko Boxall involved and have a 2W-1D-3L record without him. Dylan Manickum has scored six goals in four appearances this year (including five in his last 180 minutes). Meanwhile, here’s Auckland City’s Irish fullback Dylan Connolly giving the local scene the vlog treatment...
Auckland United won 3-0 away against Tauranga City. Goals for Jack Beer (36’), Julian Barrios Cristales (38’), and Luke Flowerdew (63’) made that happened against a Tauranga side that just can’t seem to put the ball in the net this year, with only nine goals from eight matches. That’s no sweat for AUFC as they target top four qualification for another National League. Luke Flowerdew only played off the bench here but still managed to add to his goals tally, rising to six which has him second only to Zabarauskas (7 goals) in the Northern League. That’s three now for USA import Jack Beer too.
Eastern Suburbs won 1-0 vs Fencibles in an East Auckland derby, with Tyler Lissette’s early goal (14’), a clever volleyed effort from the edge of the area, making the difference between a couple of pretty well-matched opponents. Another clean sheet means the Lilywhites have still only shipped three goals against them for the best defence in the region. They stay third with this win. Finally, there was also a 3-1 win for Western Springs playing down the motorway vs Melville United. Ryan Watson (22’ WS) and Makaha Vieira Gall (great name – 24’ MU) traded first half goals before a double from Caspar McGavin (76’, 90+2’) sealed the deal. Very interesting to see NZ U20s representative centre-back James Bulkeley turn up in the Springs eleven. He was raised in the Aussie system and also played a bit in the Middle East before playing MLS Next Pro last year. Now he’s a Swan.
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